What happens when you combine a man-eating plant, a nerdy plant-loving florist shop employee, and a romantic love interest? You get a gleefully gruesome and beloved musical called Little Shop of Horrors of course!
This rock musical was composed by Alan Menken and written by Howard Ashman. It is based on the low-budget 1960 black comedy film The Little Shop of Horrors, directed by Roger Corman.
Let’s explore this tantalizingly romantic/horror performance and how Charles H. Stewart Backdrops can help elevate your performance to the next level.
The Story of the Little Shop of Horrors
Little Shop of Horrors chronicles the life of a meek and nerdy flower shop botanist named Seymour Krelborn. His work at Mushnik’s, a flower shop in urban Skid Row, leads him to develop a crush on co-worker Audrey Fulquard.
During his time at the shop, he seeks out fortune and fame, two things he dearly lacks, by finding mysterious and unique plant specimens. He comes across a plant that he names Audrey II, in honor of his crush. While this seems sweet and innocent, the audience soon finds out that the plant only wants to eat humans!
Seymour becomes the nursemaid and feeder of the plant who will later eat Audrey’s boyfriend and the mean shop owner. Seymour realizes the frightening pace of the plant’s growth and desire for more blood when it tries to eat Audrey. He fends off the attacks and eventually wins in the battle for life and death by electrocuting the plant.
Audrey recognizes the good in Seymour and they head off into “happily ever after,” that is until they enter their new home and realize that an offshoot of Audrey II was growing in their garden.
Backdrops for Little Shop
Little Shop of Horrors takes place mainly on Skid Row, a largely impoverished community in Las Angeles, and in a small florist shop called Mushnik’s. To make this production come to life, we offer 9 backdrops that have been created with this musical in mind.
Here are a few that will help your performance come to life and shock your audience as Seymour struggles with the plant’s unique appetite and his growing feelings for Audrey.
The central location for most of this performance takes place in the impoverished area known as Skid Row and within the walls of the flower shop where Seymour feeds his exotic plant and his love blossoms for Audrey. This Flower Shop Backdrop #0107 shows a beautiful scene with many flowers and plants in a greenhouse. The backdrop also shows a farmhouse and trees.
For street scenes of Skid Row, this Alley Backdrop #1801 shows a back alley littered with trash, an old sofa, fence, and hanging laundry.
Also suitable for the Skid Row aesthetic is New York Street Backdrop #2512 which depicts the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City. Included on the backdrop is an elevated train, the George Washington Bridge, and the skyline of New York in the background.
To view all the backdrops in our inventory suitable for the Little Shop of Horrors, please visit our suggested shows pages and explore all we have to offer.