Brett Ryback, James Royce Edwards and Lesli Margherita
Known for big musicals, the partnership of La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment brings another favorite to its audiences with a new production of Little Shop of Horrors. Occupying this Little Shop are award-winning actors and real-life pals Lesli Margherita as Audrey and Brett Ryback as Seymour (and, of course, one very large alien plant, vocalized by Michael Shepperd).
It’s fitting that Margherita and Ryback, both UCLA alumni, have risen to acclaim in the City of Angels. Margherita has a long and successful list of credits in the entertainment industry, beginning with her fresh-out-of-college stint on the television series Fame LA. Her resume is peppered with television and film credits, but her most rewarding achievements have come from her theatrical roles, many of which were in musicals.
Her talent brought her all the way across the Atlantic Ocean and back; in 2009, Margherita garnered an Olivier Award for her performance as Inez in London’s West End production of Zorro. Upon returning to LA, she partnered with Ryback to create a popular nightclub act called All Hail the Queen, which she describes as a “mini-Vegas” and “Bette Middler-y” kind of show. When asked if she prefers doing television or the theater, Margherita emphatically states, “There’s too much sitting around and waiting in TV. It’s the worst. I like theater the best.”
Ryback, who got his theatrical start in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has garnered recognition not only as an actor but also as a composer and playwright. Like Margherita he has forayed into television as well as theater, with credits on House and How I Met Your Mother. His most notable and recent theatrical roles in LA include The Lieutenant of Inishmore (Mark Taper Forum, last summer) and his Ovation-nominated performance in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (La Mirada).
Ryback is also an award-winning playwright and composer/lyricist for his original works such as Weïrd (Tennessee Williams One-Act Competition), A Roz by Any Other Name (Henrico County Theatre, Virginia, One Act Competition) and Liberty Inn, which drew Ovation nominations for Andak Theatre Company. Working in multiple capacities in the theater industry keeps Ryback’s schedule full. Although this can sometimes be overwhelming, he says, “It’s incredibly rewarding to see myself represented in all the aspects of the industry I love.”
Margherita and Ryback are based in Los Angeles, and they appreciate the city’s theater community both for personal and professional reasons. “The shows are so great,” says Margherita. “A lot of them are really short-term, so you get the chance to do different roles.” Margherita cites the city’s close-knit theatrical community as another benefit of working in LA. “The community of people is so fantastic,” she says. “I think there are more talented people out here than in New York,” she adds.
Brett Ryback
Her co-star agrees. “There are a lot of really great artists here,” Ryback says. The value of working in theater comes from being able to express himself as a writer, composer and actor. He says theater in LA is different from theater in other places because “it has less of a magnifying glass over it. The magnifying glass tends to be over the film industry.” This allows local artists to be more experimental in how they express themselves. “I have a freedom to do multiple things. I don’t know that I would be able to accomplish that scope of things anywhere else. I certainly appreciate being able to do that in a community like Los Angeles,” he explains.
Margherita and Ryback have previously performed at La Mirada — Margherita in Grease (2002) and Ryback in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2010). The theater has become well-known for its Broadway-style musicals produced by theater veterans Cathy Rigby and Tom McCoy of McCoy Rigby Entertainment. Now Margherita and Ryback return to La Mirada for Little Shop of Horrors, directed by Brian Kite and with musical direction by David O. Both actors find La Mirada a great place to perform because of the theater’s dedicated and personable staff.
“It feels like a family atmosphere,” explains Margherita. “Tom and Cathy and Brian are family people; when family people are running it, there is a different feel. You are really taken care of and you know the product is going to be great. The theater does so well because everybody wants to work there again and again,” she says.
Ryback is equally enthused about working at La Mirada. “It’s a great venue to perform in. They produce really high-quality productions. There is no one really quite like them,” he testifies. Ryback is especially familiar with musical director David O, whom he has worked with often in recent years, including Spelling Bee. David O is one of the reasons Ryback enjoys performing at La Mirada and in Little Shop. “He really has a great way of driving the actor’s focus around to bringing the storytelling into the songs. And I’ve never really worked with a music director so attentive.”
Perhaps what excites Margherita and Ryback most about performing in Little Shop is that after a long history as close friends and professional partners they are finally getting to star opposite one another. The pair met six to seven years ago at a workshop for a new musical. “I thought he was so talented,” Margherita says of her first impression of Ryback. “I didn’t even know him as an actor then; I knew him as a musical genius.”
Lesli Margherita
The two became friends and eventually worked together to create Margherita’s original cabaret-style show All Hail the Queen. “He not only put together the music, but he’s also a character in the show. We kind of play heightened versions of ourselves,” Margherita explains. “We just get each other. I know, even if we haven’t talked for a long time, I could call him up and ask and he would be there. He’s a great guy. I think the world of him. He just does everything. He’s so talented.”
Of their friendship Ryback says, “She makes me laugh; that’s sort of the basis of why we like hanging out and working together. Lesli is an incredible performer and comedienne. I think she has a really funny way of looking at her own experiences and the world in general. She’s a very imaginative performer and it translates to all of her work.”
When the two found out La Mirada was going to produce Little Shop of Horrors, both secretly hoped they would end up in it. “We both knew each other was going to audition—we just didn’t think we would both get it,” Margherita says. “I really wanted to play Audrey because I’ve never done it. I knew Brett would be a great Seymour. We were so excited when we found out we were going to be in Little Shop together. It’s not often you get to do something with a really good friend of yours like this.”
Ryback explains their background as friends and as colleagues contributes to a special connection onstage. “I think we have really fun, good chemistry together. And we certainly have a lot of fun offstage too,” he says. Margherita says their friendship plays a strong role in their performance. “I think Audrey and Seymour are supposed to be really good friends, because they’ve worked together in the shop for so long. I think our personal friendship adds so much to the performance.”
Ryback and Margherita are excited to bring new life to Seymour and Audrey, characters many associate with the 1986 film version as played by Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene (who originated the role on stage). Margherita says, “The thing with Audrey is it’s such an iconic role because of what Ellen did with it. What I found exciting was that Brian let us do our own versions of these characters.”
Ryback has similar thoughts about playing Seymour. “I think it’s exciting to try and take on a role that everybody thinks they know,” he says. He adds that while some may think Little Shop of Horrors is an “easy” show to perform in, “It’s actually harder to make it pack the kind of punch I like to bring to shows, because there is a fine line of making it grounded and real while keeping it stylized and playful.”
After Little Shop closes, Margherita goes directly into the title role in Kiss Me, Kate for Reprise Theatre Company, opening May 10 at Freud Playhouse at UCLA. She says, “I played Bianca [the sister] before and I remember being onstage thinking how much I would like to tackle Kate someday, so I’m thrilled I get to do it. It’s the perfect mix of comedy/ drama. Unfortunately, when it rains, it totally pours, so I’ll be doing double duty during the last week of Little Shop.
“I’ll rehearse Kate during the day, then sit in traffic to get to La Mirada. I’m actually grateful for the commute. I’ll have no choice but to go over my music in my car, which is where I always sing anyways, to spare my husband at home, ha. It’s going to be a crazy week but I couldn’t face turning down either amazing role; they couldn’t be more different and I’m incredibly lucky.”
Next for Ryback is that he will perform a series of concerts of his original work. ”B.T. Ryback: Songs I Wrote will play in various formats in LA and NY, premiering at Show at Barre, with Margherita, on Monday, May 2 at 8 pm. It will then go to the Duplex on May 11 in New York City and play once more on July 13 again at Show at Barre, this time as a part of the composer series, which will fall under the umbrella of the Festival of New American Musicals.
“I am also (as always) in the midst of finishing up some playwriting projects which will premiere in the fall at an as-of-yet-unknown venue. In August, I’ll be traveling to my hometown of Milwaukee to music direct a production of Seussical at First Stage Milwaukee as part of its 25th anniversary season. First Stage just happens to be the theater I first acted at when I was five years old.”
In the meantime, however, it’s time for Seymour to go feed that hungry plant in the back of the Shop.
**All production photography by Michael Lamont
Little Shop of Horrors, presented by La Mirada Theatre of the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment, continues Tues.-Thur., 7:30; Fri., 8 pm; Sat., 2 and 8 pm; Sun., 2 and 7 pm; through May 1. Tickets: $35-$50. La Mirada Theatre, 14900 La Mirada Blvd., La Mirada; 562-944-9801, 714-994-6310 or www.lamiradatheatre.com.
