Rachel Obenhaus: Little Shop of Horrors' veteran stage manager

Laura Springfield as Audrey and Jacob Shelton as Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors

Some teens seek out the spotlight, but you’ll never catch Lake Highlands High School theatre veteran Rachel Obenhaus onstage. “Ro,” as she’s known to friends and family, is currently serving as stage manager for the school’s musical production of Little Shop of Horrors, which opens January 25. The show is Obenhaus’ 19th production.

Obenhaus, a senior, was recruited to the theatre program by freshman teacher Marnie Huff, who likely expected the dark-haired beauty to be a dramatic natural. Instead, Obenhaus took to working behind the scenes, where to-do lists are long and applause is short.

Obenhaus has been stage manager for plays and musicals produced by LHHS’ theatre department, but she’s also led the Espree show, the Highlandette Revue and Senior Night Live, the talent show hosted by Wildcat seniors.

Little Shop of Horrors, she says, is turning out to be her favorite.

“The people work so well together and it’s an interesting story line. We have such talented people. I also love doing Senior Night Live, because each act is so different and needs me in a different way.”

Obenhaus is a theatrical jack-of-all trades, organizing required paperwork and ensuring students show up for rehearsals. Little House hosted auditions in October and has been practicing ever since. She works closely with the director on blocking of actors’ movements, transitions of sets and assigning crew members to handle key tasks.

All actors, dancers and singers in the musical are students, of course, but lighting, set design & construction and costuming are also done by high schoolers.

“We have an amazing crew and cast,” says Obenhaus. “[Senior] Matthew Hughes, our lighting technician, has so many amazing ideas. Our sound technician, Wesley Cannatti is a freshman, and he is very talented and passionate about it. Jolie Fowler and Sam Fleig create amazing sets, and our lead, Laura Springfield, also designed the costumes.”

Obenhaus believes participating in theatre – particularly the musical – brings students together in a way no other school activity can.

“Our cast and crew is very diverse, we have band people and Highlandettes and people in Color Guard and people who aren’t very involved in any group at all. We’re able to pull people in – it sounds cliché, but we become a family. We work together for hours a day and share inside jokes and eat together. We form a bond. Once you’re a part of it, you don’t leave.”

“I always have people come to me afterward and say, man, I wish I had joined theatre or tech earlier. We try to create ways for people to participate who have no experience. It’s worth it, just to see the magic of it all.”

If you come to the show, Obenhaus has some advice: Don’t skip out and miss the end.

“The finale is amazing – it incorporates the audience and makes you feel a part of the show. The singers sound like velvet.”

Keep your eye, too, on first-time lead Jacob Shelton, who impresses with his poise on stage. You’ll also be charmed by the Ronnettes trio and the Doo Wop Gang.

In addition to producing the show, Obenhaus has worked hard on marketing, using techniques she learned attending a State of Texas Thespian Convention in November. The crew has hung posters, distributed flyers and posted to Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. You’ll hear a plug when you go to Wednesday night’s LHHS open house, and you can bring your ticket in to Shady’s for a freebie after the show.

Little Shop of Horrors runs over four days from January 25-28th with shows on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night at 7 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2. Tickets $10 for adults and $5 for students and are available on the LHHS Theatre website or may be purchased at the door.

Obenhaus will study International Business and Global Relations at the University of Texas or Mizzou next year, and she hopes to study abroad and maybe even work abroad. Her dream is to become a production manager in the film or music industry.