You've probably always wondered why the man-eating plant in the musical version of Little Shop of Horrors (coming to town Tuesday) is named Audrey II rather than Audrey Jr., its moniker in the original 1960 film. "According to [writer] Howard Ashman, nothing rhymes with 'junior,'" says Martin Robinson, the puppet designer who crafted the towering foliage. The Broadway hit about a nerdy florist, his girl, and the botanical blood-drinker he nurtures tops the long list of achievements for Robinson, a veteran of stage and TV, who's done everything from Stravinsky to Snuffleupagus (he plays the furry, elephantlike creature on Sesame Street). "You have to believe these characters," he says. "They drive the stories." Little Shop of Horrors is at the State Theatre (1519 Euclid Avenue) through November 20. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and 1 and 6 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $20 to $55; call 216-241-6000. -- Michael Gallucci
See Tomorrow Today
MON 11/7
Pat Geisler analyzes the sun, moon, and stars in her Forecast for 2006 this week at the Akron Astrological Society's monthly meeting. "If I see something, I say it," says Geisler, a Grafton clairvoyant. "It's like giving someone a tour of a library. There's the fiction. There are the biographies." An astrologer since 1969, Geisler has been pretty much dead-on through the years. "I forecasted a serious downturn in the economy in '97, '98, and '99," she says. "I forecasted that people should get out of the stock market by 2000. I also forecasted one year that everyone should stay out of mutual funds, because there was a lot of hanky-panky going on. Every year has its own flavor." Get the bad news on 2006 at the Fairlawn Garden & Civic Center (2074 West Market Street in Akron) at 7 p.m. Monday. Tickets are $5; call 330-628-1382. -- Cris Glaser
Don't Go There
11/9 - 11/13
Before Jeff Dunham brings a new wooden pal onstage, the comedian-ventriloquist thinks, Is this funny? Apparently, Dead Osama slays. "There are things that will never be funny: the shuttle, 9-11. But almost everyone is gone who had anything to do with the Titanic. So you can do Titanic jokes." Terrorist masterminds, also hilarious. He's at the Improv (2000 Sycamore Street) Wednesday through November 13. Show times are 8 p.m., plus 10:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $21; call 216-696-4677. -- P.F. Wilson
