REVIEW: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS—La Mirada Theatre & McCoy Rigby Entertainment
A Killer Cast, a Killer Score and One Very Demanding Diva of a Plant Make this Musical a Blooming Good Time!
SEP 18-OCT 11— LA MIRADA, CA
There are two things you should never underestimate in the theatre: the power of a great musical and the appetite of a man-eating plant.
La Mirada Theatre and McCoy Rigby Entertainment has now given us both. LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, the wonderfully warped musical that has been making audiences laugh, cringe and cheer for more than four decades, has sunk its roots into La Mirada Theatre’s first production of its 2026–2027 season—and judging by the size of its appetite, this particular plant is not interested in becoming anybody's centerpiece.
At first glance, LITTLE SHOP seems to be a love story. Then again, at first glance, Audrey II looks like just another houseplant. Both assumptions are dangerous.
More than 40 years after Howard Ashman and Alan Menken created this deliciously demented musical, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS remains one of those shows that seems almost impossible to dislike. It has everything: romance, comedy, catchy music, a sadistic dentist, a struggling flower shop, three fabulous singing Greek-chorus girls and, of course, Audrey II—the botanical equivalent of a Broadway diva who has discovered that demanding an 11 o'clock number is not enough. She wants to eat the cast. And the audience. And possibly the box office staff.
At its heart, however, is the story of Seymour Krelborn, a timid, down-on-his-luck floral assistant whose discovery of a strange little plant turns his miserable existence upside down. The award-winning Thomas Hobson (who you may have seen in “Aint Misbehavin” at La Mirada; TV/Film: “That Girl Lay Lay”) takes on the role of Seymour, a down-and-outer whose life so far has been standing somewhere near the back of the room, while Grace Stockdale Brdwy: “Waitress;” First National Tour: “Kinky Boots”) plays Audrey, the sweet but wounded woman who becomes the object of Seymour's affection.
Seymour and Audrey are two people who desperately want something better from life. Seymour wants success and Audrey wants security and happiness with a disposal in the sink and a fence of real chain link. Unfortunately, Seymour discovers that success can be purchased rather cheaply when you're willing to provide a steady supply of fresh blood.
It's a match made in Skid Row—or at least the closest thing to a healthy relationship you are likely to find there. Their unlikely romance gives the musical its emotional center, preventing all the deliciously ridiculous mayhem from becoming merely a succession of jokes and catchy songs.
And catchy they certainly are. Menken's score remains one of the show's greatest pleasures, blending doo-wop, R&B, rock, gospel and classic Broadway into a musical cocktail that goes down dangerously easily. And Ashman's lyrics are smart, funny and deceptively sophisticated. You may even find yourself laughing at a line and then realizing a few seconds later that the joke has a rather nasty little sting attached to it.
The real star of LITTLE SHOW, however, may be the enormous, carnivorous diva at its center—but the plant doesn't exactly perform by itself. The production's success depends upon the puppetry, the voice, the actors' reactions and the audience's willingness to accept the wonderfully absurd proposition that a giant green plant can steal the show.
With Wilkie Ferguson III (Brdwy: “The Gershwins’ Porgy & Bess;” “Motown the Musical”) providing the Voice of Audrey II and Betsy Zajko (“For the Love of a Glove;” TV/Film: “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) serving as the puppeteer, the plant evolves from an innocent little curiosity into the kind of a botanical, scene-stealing beast who would probably demand top billing if the Actors' Equity contract allowed it.
The genius of Ashman and Menken's creation is that the plant is not simply a gimmick. Audrey II becomes a character with attitude, swagger and an increasingly enormous ego. The more Seymour feeds it, the more it feeds his ambitions. It's a wonderfully wicked metaphor for what happens when success becomes more important than conscience.
The supporting cast appears equally ready to sink its teeth into the material. The trio of Crystal, Ronnette and Chiffon—played by Joslynn Cortes, Janaya Mahealani Jones and Marisa Moenho—provide the show's infectious street urchins, adding both musical muscle and plenty of personality with 1960s-style doo-wop and soul music. The threesome provides the musical commentary, street-smart attitude and vocal fireworks that gives the show its distinctive flavor. They're not just backup singers; they're the neighborhood's Greek chorus—with better hair.
A wonderful Jay Brian Winnick (Brdwy: “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”) takes on Mr. Mushnik, Seymour's perpetually beleaguered Yiddish-speaking boss, while a busy Travis Joe Dixon (TV/Film: “The Riot Act;” “NCIS: Origins;” “CSI: Vegas”) plays the memorably twisted dentist Orin Scrivello, Audrey’s sadistic and abusive boyfriend (whose bedside manner could probably use a little more Novocain and a lot less laughing gas). The animated Mr. Dixon also plays other roles equally well and sings the much anticipated “Dentist!” number to almost perfection.
Behind the scenes, the critically acclaimed director Michael Matthews brings considerable Los Angeles theatre experience to the production, while choreographer Clarice Ordaz and musical director/conductor Jennifer Lin round out a creative team with impressive résumés. Director Matthews' long list of credits and awards, combined with Ms. Ordaz's experience in theatre, television and film and Ms. Lin's musical direction experience, suggests a production designed to move with the snap and precision this particular show demands.
It requires actors who can play the ridiculous completely straight, singers who can sell the score, dancers who can keep the energy moving and a production team capable of making a gigantic man-eating plant seem entirely at home onstage. Most importantly, it requires the audience to surrender to the lunacy. Fortunately, surrendering is all part of the fun.
With its infectious score, wicked humor, outrageous premise and just enough darkness lurking beneath all that Broadway sparkle, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is the sort of theatrical feast that arrives hungry and leaves its audience happily stuffed.
MCCOY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT & LA MIRADA THEATRE PRESENTS: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS; Based on the film by ROGER CORMAN, Screenplay by CHARLES GRIFFITH; Music by ALAN MENKEN; Book & Lyrics by HOWARD ASHMAN; Musical Direction by JENNIFER LIN; Choreography by CLARICE ORDAZ; Directed by MICHAEL MATTHEWS; Lighting Designer STEVEN YOUNG; Sound Designer JOSH BESSOM; Hair/Wig/Makeup Designer MELISSA DUPONT; Fight/Intimacy Choreographer MICHAEL POLAK; Production Stage Manager JULIAN OLIVE.
The Cast of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS will feature: Grace Stockdale as “Audrey,” Thomas Hobson as “Seymour Krelborn,” Jay Brian Winnick as “Mr. Mushnik,” Travis Joe Dixon as “Orin Scrivello, DDS,” Joslynn Cortes as “Crystal,” Janaya Mahealani Jones as “Ronnette,” Marisa Moenho as “Chiffon,” Wilkie Ferguson III as “The Voice of Audrey II,” and “The Puppeteer” is Betsy Zajko. Understudies are Nick Lunetta, Erich Schroeder, Matthew Taylor Smith, and Rianny Vasquez.
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS will run through Sunday, October 11 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd. in La Mirada. Performances are Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Fridays at 8 pm, Saturdays at 2 pm and 8 pm, and Sundays at 1:30 pm and 6:30 pm. Tickets range from $28 - $115 and can be purchased at www.LaMiradaTheatre.com or by calling the box office at (562) 944-9801 or (714) 994-6310.
CHRIS DANIELS
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT REVIEWER
THE SHOW REPORT
PHOTO CREDITS: JASON NIEDLE
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