Written by orange• October 9, 2025• 6:53 pm• Musical, Newport Theatre Arts Center, Review, Theater, Uncategorized

Little Shop of Horrors @ Newport Theatre Arts Center – Review

photo credit: Sarah Whitwell Photography

Written by Daniella Litvak

What makes Little Shop of Horrors (hereinafter referred to as “Little Shop”) such a delicious musical theater treat? You can’t deny the songs – inspired by popular 1960s musical styles – are terrific. It deftly blends comedy, horror, and sci-fi. As fun as the show’s B-movie trappings are, it wouldn’t be so beloved if it also didn’t have a moving story.

Story:

Little Shop takes place in Skid Row, “where the folks are broke” and “your life’s a joke.” No one epitomizes life on Skid Row more than Seymour Krelborn (Zachary Balagot). Orphaned at a young age, Seymour grew up into a meek and insecure young man working at a failing flower shop with little chance of escaping Skid Row or winning the heart of his co-worker, Audrey (Zoe-Raven Wianecki). One day, Seymour comes across a “strange and interesting plant” that no one has ever seen before. The plant becomes a sensation – changing Seymour, Audrey, and their boss, Mr. Mushnik’s (Eric Schiffer) fortunes for the better. However, the plant, which Seymour named Audrey II (Leena Fritz and Puppeteer Jakey Jones), unfurls a sinister side. Audrey II won’t thrive unless fed its food of choice – human blood. Now, Seymour must choose between feeding the plant and losing fame, fortune, and Audrey.

Acting:

Balagot was excellent as Seymour. They pulled off the comedic and dramatic aspects of the role, kept Seymour sympathetic even as the character committed increasingly unsympathetic acts, and their facial expressions were hilarious. Their singing was great. Songs such as “Skid Row” and “Suddenly Seymour” were highlights.
Grant Thackray played Orin Scrivello, a sadistic dentist and Audrey’s boyfriend. Orin is a scene-stealer in any version and/or production of Little Shop, and Thackray continued the tradition. He exuded menace and slick charm. Plus, he really got the crowd going during the audience participation portion of “Dentist!” He was also equally significant in the various bit parts he played in addition to Orin.

Costumes/Set Design:

In a case of life imitating art, Audrey II is a big draw for the show. The character is wickedly awesome. Beyond that, the character’s design lives up to the description of “strange and interesting.” The smaller versions of Audrey II are adorable. The large version brings a lot of life to the stage. The costumes for the rest of the characters suited them. I adored the turquoise dresses Ronette (Precious Montgomery), Crystal (Kaya Carr), and Chiffon (Sanlyn Carter) wore during their musical numbers that leaned into fantasy.

The set design worked for the show. The characters sing about the poverty of Skid Row and how Musnik’s flower shop is failing, and you can see the truth of it on the stage. The projections of the night sky and the rain added a lot of atmosphere. The blood red lighting for the horror sequences cranked the tension way up.
Whether you’ve never seen it or already seen it multiple times, it’s always worth a trip to Little Shop of Horrors.