Vermont Governor Makes Theatre Debut in 'Little Shop of Horrors'

"Don't feed the plant!"

That is the warning audiences are given in the quirky musical Little Shop of Horrors. The 1982 horror comedy rock show (say that five times fast) is about an awkward but well-intentioned florist named Seymour who encounters a talking Venus flytrap with an usual thirst for blood. And from there, things get crazier.

This musical is a trip. It's weird, strangely funny, and an all-around good time. Here's a trailer from the 1986 cult classic film of the same name.

Last weekend, Little Shop of Horrors was performed by students at Mount Mansfield Union High School in Jericho, Vermont. And joining them was a special guest: Vermont governor Phil Scott.

The Burlington Free Press revealed that Phil played a “reluctant dental patient" in a "wordless cameo" (no doubt as part of the "Dentist!" sequence). But how did the governor get involved?

According to the Burlington Free Press, while individuals within the school community had made on-stage cameos in past productions, this was the first time that students reached out to an "outsider" like Phil. The article explained that,

...MMU students created a one-minute video in which they beseeched the governor to take part... In the January video, students (and for one brief moment, a man-eating-plant hand puppet) ask nicely and even beg the governor to appear in the musical.

As someone who performed in many school theatre productions (including one where teachers made on-stage cameos), this writer knows that nothing's more fun than bringing new faces out on stage. And thankfully, based on this WCAX video, it looks like Phil's first-ever theatrical debut was a success.

It's so awesome to see someone step out of their comfort zone and try something new, and we hope this inspires you to do the same. Perhaps you can start by embarking on a solo trip to one of these popular New England destinations.