Theatre Review: ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ at Ford’s Theatre

Derrick D. Truby Jr. (Seymour) with Kaiyla Gross (Ronnette), Nia Savoy-Dock (Chiffon), and Kanysha Williams (Crystal). Photo by Scott Suchman.

He’s green, he’s mean, he’s an unidentified plant with a thirst for blood! “Little Shop of Horrors,” composer Alan Menken’s 1980s ear-worm, horror-comedy classic, has landed at Ford’s Theatre for the spring. This traditional production hits all the beats “Little Shop” fans will expect with bebop tunes, a grunge-technicolor set, and ever-expanding puppetry. The delightful cast are only dampened by humdrum direction that occasionally misfires, missing camp for cheese. 

…a talent-packed cast…a crowd-pleaser…

In its delightfully silly premise, nebbish florist Seymour’s (Derrick D. Truby, Jr.) fortunes change when an alien flytrap suddenly appears to him amidst a total solar eclipse. Nurtured by sips of Seymours blood, the plant—lovingly named “Audrey II” after the lovely shop assistant, Audrey (Chani Wereley)—draws customers from high and low to Mr. Mushnik’s (Lawrence Redmond) flower shop on the gritty Skid Row. But, as Audrey II grows, so does its hunger, forcing Seymour to decide just how far he’ll go. 

Besides the flower shop, Skid Row is also home to Orin (Joe Mallon), Audrey’s sadist boyfriend, and the street urchins Ronnette (Kaiyla Gross), Chiffon (Nia Savoy-Dock), and Crystal (Kanysha Williams). Gross, Savoy-Dock, and Williams are utterly charming in their Greek Chorus narration, each with powerful voices that soar even further in harmony. The trio also showcase the best of Ashleigh King’s retro choreography. While the urchins croon, “Ya Never Know” about Seymour’s skyrocketing career, twirling and bopping across the stage, King’s choreography sees them effortlessly dodge an adolescent Audrey II’s increasingly bold attempts to take a bite. But other staple numbers, like the ridiculous “Dentist,” fall awkwardly flat without more choreography to take the reins, instead leaving in focus the uneven pacing in Kevin McAllister’s direction. 

While McAllister’s directing misses some comedic beats, it elevates more earnest moments of the production. Audrey’s ballad of low expectations, “Somewhere That’s Green,” plucks at the heart, helped by Wereley’s bell-like voice. The showstopper romantic duet, “Suddenly Seymour,” similarly sticks the landing. Redmond’s energetic Mr. Mushnik is more sympathetic and jovial than typical, taking out some —but not all—of the sting from a character who, on paper, is little more than a money-hungry, conniving antisemitic caricature. 

The storefronts of Skid Row line the stage in Paige Hathaway’s detailed scenic design. Dahlia’s Deli and Bloom’s Bakery cleverly reflect the floral centerpiece of Mushnik’s shop, while the ironically named Ardent Vista Hotel’s neon sign later sputters out to become just “Dent-ist.” An old shot of the New York City skyline peaks out above Skid Row, completed by Max Doolittle’s lighting design, which projects an arching sun passing above the skyscrapers. 

Then of course, there’s the parasitic Audrey II, voiced by Tobias A. Young and puppeteered by Jay Frisby and Ryan Sellers as the plant grows from a sickly, potted tot of a house plant to a flytrap that fills the shop, vines writhing ever further outwards. The design is purposefully over-saturated, with the sky going purple and the Audrey II almost phosphorescent under the green lighting in the Act I finale. Costuming is similarly vibrant, particularly the increasingly couture outfits of the urchins. Audrey’s outfits are less, well, trashy than in a typical production, leaving one joke flat, but matching the naive sweetness Wereley brings to the role.

“Little Shop of Horrors” remains a crowd-pleaser on the merits of Menken’s score alone, even if the sound design in Ford’s Theatre muffles some of the live orchestration. The technicolor scenic design pays homage to iconic past adaptations, while a talent-packed cast work double time to bring Audrey II to life. Yet, “Little Shop of Horrors” never fully lifts off, despite a few magical moments.

Running Time: Two hours, with a 15 minute intermission.

Advisory: Appropriate for ages 8 and older due to brief domestic violence and comedic depictions of plant-based violence and death.

“Little Shop of Horrors” runs through May 18, 2024 at Ford’s Theatre, 511 Tenth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20004. For more information and to purchase tickets, go online. Read our ‘A Quick 5’ interview with Derrick D. Truby, Jr. here.