Los Angeles Times - Recommended
"...A new production of "Little Shop of Horrors" that opened Wednesday at Pasadena Playhouse takes an entirely different tack. The goofiness hasn't been banished in this crisp revival starring George Salazar as Seymour, the nerdy flower shop drone with an unusual horticultural flair, and Mj Rodriguez as Audrey, the delicate co-worker he would like to rescue from a malignant relationship. But this comic book tale is treated with more realism than usual, and the leads draw out the full humanity of their characters."
Broadway World - Highly Recommended
"...With this pivoted focus, this incredible new production of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS also now requires a cast of performers that can truly showcase that change---and, wow, did they ever find them in this brilliant ensemble!"
Edge - Somewhat Recommended
"...And that's the thing, all of the actors give the show they're all, but some of the directorial choices by Mike Donahue don't always work. Still, I applaud the theatre for combining the familiar with something new. This "Little Shop" is worth a visit, just don't expect a revelatory new version. It's cute, charming, and entertaining; groundbreaking it is not."
Stage and Cinema - Highly Recommended
"...As Little Shop of Horrors teaches us: sometimes you just need fresh blood. In that vein, the Pasadena Playhouse more than delivers. Their audacious revival of the quirky cult classic – directed with exemplary vision by Mike Donahue – offers audiences something they may not have realized they craved. In this ground-up reimagining, complete with ingenious casting, we're treated to a more representative sampling of the American story."
The Hollywood Reporter - Recommended
"...When it opened off-Broadway, Little Shop of Horrors won a bunch of awards and became a must-see hit with real staying power. The fact that the new off-Broadway revival currently in previews has already been extended eight weeks suggests a durability to the show's appeal. The new production at Pasadena Playhouse conclusively seals the deal."
Stage Scene LA - Highly Recommended
"...Iconic roles reinvented by a supremely stellar cast and a production design that's nothing short of original make Pasadena Playhouse's powerhouse Little Shop Of Horrors unlike any Little Shop you've ever seen."
On Stage Los Angeles - Somewhat Recommended
"...When a huge production takes a simple and amusing story to new 'heights' we expect New Heights. The use of hard working puppeteers to create the eventually humongous Audrey II, who, thanks to greed and promotion eventually takes over the Planet Earth, is clever and laborious. This effort deserves to be mentioned. Gone is the Giant Pod that throughout Corman's film continues to exponentially grow large enough to swallow, entire human beings. Instead an imagined miasma of tendrils forms the carnivorous maw that eventually devours everyone. All the while the original Audrey II remains a tiny talking potted thing sitting in the middle of the stage."
Hollywood Progressive - Recommended
"...Stage stalwart Mike Donohue adeptly directs his talented ensemble and crew, and music director Darryl Archibald (whose mellifluous melodies I last heard at Pasadena Playhouse's sublime Ragtime revival) does Menken proud. The opening night, sold out crowd also deserves to be mentioned as an especially appreciative audience that gave the cast and crew a standing ovation. This Shop put me in mind of another classic musical, Candide, as the enlightened title character realizes at the end: "We must all cultivate our gardens" - although hopefully with a lot less blood, sweat and tears than Seymour and company shed."
Stage Raw - Somewhat Recommended
"...Across the board, the performers are solid. This helps the production a lot, because even when the director's vision is limited, the performances keep the show from being unwatchable. But Little Shop's source material is so strong that it's a shame that, despite good casting, this production is middling at best."
On Stage and Screen - Somewhat Recommended
"...Don't feed the plants-or, in this case, one hot pink monstrosity of a plant. This is not your mother's Little Shop of Horrors that opened at the Pasadena Playhouse last night-most of the camp has been replaced with grit in an iteration that illuminates the realities of Skid Row life. But the results are mixed-while some performances and choices are successful, others miss the mark and seem to be the result of a confused creative vision."
Its Not About Me - Highly Recommended
"...This is the classic off-Broadway musical, Little Shop of Horrors, for goodness sake, so it has those iconic numbers by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. I've been hearing Suddenly Seymour in my head all week!!!"
The Fume of Sighs - Recommended
"...Reasons to attend, on the other hand, include Riley's wonderful voice, Matthew Wilkas' accomplished physical comedy, the puppetry design by Sean Cawelti, and the first professional performance of Cheyenne Isabel Wells, whom I'd bet we'll continue to see on stage from here on."