‘Little Shop of Horrors’ Earns their Flowers at NTAC – Review

‘Little Shop of Horrors‘ at Newport Theatre Arts Center (NTAC) is a night of one-liners where skid row and uptown cross paths for a night of laughter.

There’s something sinisterly entertaining growing over at Newport Theatre Arts Center (NTAC). With their sharp, high-energy production of ‘Little Shop of Horrors‘, director Miguel Cardenas and the NTAC crew deliver a darkly funny, musically tight show that tips over into camp without losing its heart. It’s got laughs, lungs and a bloodthirsty foliage.

Zachary Balagot nails Seymour’s awkward, hapless charm…even though the ponytail threw me off for a moment. His voice is solid and he leans into Seymour’s nerdy desperation with just plenty of sincerity to make you root for him, even when things start to welt. Opposite him, Zoe-Raven Zianecki is terrific as Audrey, bringing warmth, vulnerability and a powerful belt. Together, the two are a winning pair: quirky, endearing and oddly perfect for each other.

Eric Schiffer’s Mushnik is a classic crowd-pleaser, pulling off the shopkeeper’s greed with a neurotic grin and a shrug. But the real electricity comes from the doo-wop trio, Ronette (Precious Montgomery, Crystal (Gabrielle Maldonado) and Chiffon (Sanlyn Carter), who serve as the show’s soulful narrators. These three where the queens of transition, however, there was a little hiccup in one number during last night’s performance where an unexpected moment of breaking into laughter mid-song took place. But hey, it’s live theatre, not a Netflix special and honestly? I found it endearing. The trio recovered and it made the show feel more real.

Maldonado deserves double credit here as she also serves as Musical Director and keeps the ensemble sounding tight throughout. The harmonies were spot-on and the musical pacing sharp, even with a man-eating plant in the room.

Grant Thackray as Orin the dentist is absolutely unhinged in the best way. He plays the sadistic greaser with just the right blend of Elvis swagger and lunatic glee. And when he bites it? Let’s just say Thackray dies a good death.

Of course, the star with the bloodiest appetite is Audrey II, brought to life by the stamina loaded puppeteering of Jakey Jones and the powerhouse voice of Leena Fritz, who manages to make a flesh-eating plant sound like a soulful diva. Fritz also pops up as a disheveled bag lady in a quick cameo.

Behind the scenes, the machine runs smoothly. Loren Morris calls the cues like a champ as Stage Manager, with support from Maia McGraw and Sean Carroll. Joshua Serrano does what he always does in the tech booth, making it all sound and look easy. Bob Fetes’ props are functional and fun (especially the growing plant puppets), and the costume team of Jenny Wentworth and Cliff Senior, nail the ‘60s-meets-sci-fi vibe with a wink.

Set and lighting design from Michael Corcoran, Leslye Wanthal and Serrano hits the right notes of Skid Row feels gritty but theatrical. Jim Huffman, the Technical Director, keeps all the wires connected and the plant fertilized.

Big props to producers Andrew and Lori Kelley for backing another strong NTAC production. This version of ‘Little Shop of Horrors‘ is alive kicking, singing and eating its way through the audience’s expectations.

‘Little Shop of Horrors‘ at Newport Theatre Arts Center runs from now through Sunday, October 19, 2025.

To purchase tickets for ‘Little Shop of Horrors‘ at Newport Theatre Arts Center visit: https://www.ntactickets.com/ or call the box office at (949) 631-0288.

Newport Theatre Arts Center is located at:
2501 Cliff Dr.
Newport Beach, CA 92663