Mary Elizabeth Scallen is a longtime company member at People’s Light and a familiar face to Philadelphia theatre audiences. With a career spanning from Shakespeare to pantos and musicals, she’s known for her sharp rich character work and smart storytelling. In Little Shop of Horrors, Mary takes on the role of Mushnik, the flower shop owner with a front-row seat to the madness. Her take on the traditionally male role brings fresh humor and heart to this cult classic.
[People’s Light, 39 Conestoga Rd, Malvern, PA] June 25-August 3, 2025; peopleslight.org
Debra Danese: You’ve been a part of the People’s Light family for over 20 years. How has your relationship with the theatre evolved, and what does it mean to return in the role of Mushnik?
Mary Elizabeth Scallen: I first joined People’s Light in January 1991 so this is my 34th year as a company member. I still consider People’s Light my home theatre, but I’m less involved with it than I used to be. For the first 20 years, whenever I wasn’t acting in a show, I would seek out other ways to serve the theatre- teaching, writing publicity or institutional histories, project managing, or office support. Then the funding climate changed and those opportunities dried up. So now I tend to act there once a year, sometimes twice if I’m lucky, and attend fund-raising events to support the theatre. Even though I’m no longer part of its inner circle, People’s Light will always be my favorite place to make art.
As for Little Shop of Horrors, I’m relatively new to this form of theatre having just started doing musicals about 8 or 9 years ago. That makes it especially meaningful to play such a funny, silly, iconic role at my artistic home.
DD; Mushnik is traditionally played by a man. What drew you to take on this role, and how did you make it your own?
MES: I’ve always wanted to be a character actor, someone who can transform from role to role. For the first couple decades of my career, I tended to land leading lady roles. I was grateful for the work but hoped more challenging parts would come my way, and they have as I’ve aged. I wanted to play Mushnik because I find a crazy kind of freedom in embodying people who are notably different than I am. He poses a very engaging challenge, and like a lot of actors, I crave the growth that can result from doing things at which I might fail, things I don’t actually know how to do. I’ve discovered things about him with which I can relate, like his desire to uphold the family business and not let it fail on his watch, his worry about whether he can support himself on his uncertain income, his drive to mentor Seymour and Audrey, and his complicated relationship to his neighborhood—he loves it, and despairs that it’s dying. I’m from Detroit, so I get that.
DD: How did you and your castmates develop the onstage chemistry, particularly the dynamic between Mushnik, Seymour, and Audrey, which is so central to the story?
MES: This production is composed of very supportive, ensemble-minded folks in the cast and crew, and on the creative team. And let’s be frank, not every show is built that way. Sometimes you get a bad apple that can make the process fraught. Not so here. I’ve done a bunch of shows now with Anna Faye Lieberman, who plays Seymour. We’re great playmates, get one another’s senses of humor, and have an easy rapport that seems to translate well to the stage. Jessica Money, who plays Audrey, radiates kindness and a remarkable openness that invites others in. They’re both graceful and enthusiastic collaborators.
DD: People’s Light is known for its creative reimaginings. How does this version of Little Shop put a fresh spin on the show?
MES: I’ve learned that the general population seems to really like this musical. As I invite people to come see it, they usually respond by telling me how much they love the songs, the characters, and the premise. I think that our director, Molly Rosa Houlahan, cast the show as she did to invite audiences to see a beloved story with fresh eyes. If a non-binary actor plays Seymour, what fresh thoughts pop into your head as you watch the show? What well-loved lines do you hear in a new way? How does Seymour’s desire to become “the man of the hour” look different to you? Additionally, if Audrey is played by a Black actor, how does that shift your perception of her relationship with Orin, her white, sadistic, boyfriend? I think a beautifully constructed script and score like Little Shop can flex to reflect not only the time in which it was created, but more significantly, the time in which it’s performed. So, we’re making a Little Shop for today’s audiences, in all their glorious complexity.
Little Shop of Horrors runs June 25-August 3 at People’s Light [39 Conestoga Rd, Malvern, PA] peopleslight.org