Cult Classic Little Shop of Horrors Opens at Riverside: Opening Night This Tuesday

Actress Ellen Greene with the plant Audrey II in the film version of Little Shop of Horrors, directed by Frank Oz and released in 1986. (Photo by Murray Close/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images)

Little Shop of Horrors might look like a riot of camp and chaos—with its doo-wop beats, tongue-in-cheek humor, and a giant singing plant that steals the show—but behind all the fun lurks a razor-sharp question: how many tiny compromises will you nurture before they grow into something that swallows you whole?

Seymour isn’t a monster—he’s just trying to get ahead, impress the girl, and finally be seen. Then temptation arrives in the form of Audrey II, a smooth-talking plant promising fame, fortune, and love… in exchange for a little blood. Just a drop at first.

That’s what makes the story hit home—it laughs with us at how easily we trade integrity for success, how quickly “just this once” becomes habit. Beneath the camp and color is a cautionary tale about ambition and moral drift in a world that keeps saying, “feed me.”

Since its 1982 Off-Broadway debut, where it packed the house for five years straight, Little Shop has been delighting audiences around the world. It satirizes the American dream, critiques the consequences of unchecked capitalism, and functions as a modern retelling of the Faust legend. The story is also ripe for psychological and sociological readings that explore desire, poverty and gender roles.

Don’t miss this irresistibly fun cult favorite.

Grab your tickets here!

Never miss a Vero Minute.

Visit The Week Ahead for upcoming events.