Little Shop of Horrors Reviews

Chicago Tribune - Recommended

"...I have huge respect for this highly experienced cast: Mark David Kaplan as Mushnik, Jackson Evans as Seymour, Andrew Mueller as Orin the sadistic dentist and the lively street urchin trio of Daryn Whitney Harrell, Miciah Lathan and Lydia Burke. They are major pros, every one."

Daily Herald - Highly Recommended

"...Adapted from Roger Corman's campy, 1960 cult film, “Little Shop of Horrors” is a cautionary tale about greed, manipulation and desire — for love, success and for an escape from crushing poverty — set to an infectious, doo-wop and pop-infused score by composer Alan Menken and writer/lyricist Howard Ashman."

Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended

"...In the Marriott Lincolnshire production, director/choreographer Tommy Rapley pulls off a feat I’ve not seen in the dozen or so Little Shops I’ve reviewed over the past 30-plus years: His ensemble gets all the yuks without obscuring the musical’s incongruously bleak depths. The show is comedy with a point as sharp as a new pair of garden shears. It’s a tightrope between mass carnage and slapstick, and Marriott’s cast makes it look easy."

Chicago Stage and Screen - Highly Recommended

"...The leads are worth writing about too! We are treated to full Yiddish-muttering-uncle by Mark David Kaplan who looks as though he’s having as much fun as the audience - from joyful heel clicks to masterful comedic timing. Jackson Evans and Maya Rowe have great strong voices and their physicality was just right for communicating their self-esteem and different but mutual awkwardness."

Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...This musical with a book and lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken is based on the film version by Roger Corman. The young lady sitting next to me with her mother, had recently watched the movie. I , on the other hand have seen the film about 4 times and probably 15 productions of the musical, yet never “in-the-round”, so I was a bit anxious to see just how they would handle Audrey II."

Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended

"...Chicagoland has enjoyed a number of excellent productions of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman’s captivating, clever and comical science fiction musical satire. But Marriott’s arena presentation of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is unique and was well worth the wait. This exciting, creatively-directed production is simply sensational. It features some of Chicago’s finest talent, both on and offstage, all performing at the top of their game. In addition to an entertaining script and a pleasurable score that’s simply unforgettable, this horrifying and hilarious musical comedy will leave audiences with a four-word warning to take with them: Don’t Feed the Plant!"

Buzz Center Stage - Highly Recommended

"...Seymour and Audrey’s grounding make the production’s comedic turns all the more effective, particularly when longtime Marriott favorites Andrew Mueller and Mark David Kaplan enter the fray. Mueller brings infectious energy and sharp comic timing—not only to Orin, the biker/dentist/villain whose portrayal by Steve Martin delighted me as a kid), but to a slew of other characters, while Kaplan once again delights with his own comedic and vocal talents. Their work fills out the Skid Row world that we inhabit for a couple of hours without ever pulling focus from its emotional center."

Entertaining Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...When you love something as much as I love Little Shop Of Horrors, it can be both nerve-wracking and exciting to see a theatre produce it. You want them to handle the piece with the care and love that you would. And most definitely, Marriott Theatre did that. This is a bloody good show, and you should definitely make the time to see it."

Chicago On Stage - Highly Recommended

"...Sweet, nerdy Seymour may be the heart of the show, but the blood-gulping puppet showstopper Audrey II is the soul. Designed by Jesse Mooney-Bullock, the four evolutions of the plant grow from an unassuming sprout into a jaw-dropping, man-eating marvel. The illusion is flawlessly delivered by puppeteers Jordan Anthony Arredondo, Ed Kross, and Garrett Lutz, whose seamless coordination allows them to both enhance and disappear into the monstrous creation. And as the ravenously hungry Audrey II grows to fill the stage, calling Feed me, Seymour!, Lorenzo Rush Jr.’s booming, velvety, soulful voice owns the theater."

Splash Magazine - Highly Recommended

"...I absolutely adore Little Shop of Horrors both the films and the stage musical. Live entertainment, however, always reigns supreme in my book. Marriott's Lincolnshire has produced an entertaining, farcical, black comedy. It includes a sweet, naive, innocent romance, Jewish humor with hilarious Yiddish zingers, and grisly taboo subjects that will have you thoroughly engaged. Lorenzo Rush, Jr. is the perfect mellifluous voice behind Audrey II. His deep bass, commanding, powerful delivery, and greedy nature had the audience laughing out loud."

BroadwayWorld - Recommended

"...Director/choreographer Tommy Rapley has this ensemble group of actors commanding the stage with every scene. The poor hero Seymour (Jackson Evans), his boss Mr. Mushnick (Mark David Kaplan) and Seymour’s secret love Audrey (Maya Rowe) keep the audience engaged, smiling and, at times, gasping. Then there’s Audrey’s masochist boyfriend and horrifying dentist Orin (Andrew Mueller) who embodies creepy. The trio of storytellers Crystal (Lydia Burke), Chiffon (Miciah Lathan) and Ronnette (Daryn Whitney Harrell) with their harmonies tell the story. We are never sure if they are part of the Plant’s plans."

NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...Marriott Theatre’s 2026 season kicks off with a pitch-perfect production of “Little Shop of Horrors,” the beloved cult classic with an otherworldly bend and a bouncy doo-wop backbeat. With music by powerhouse composer Alan Menken and book and lyrics from the late writer Howard Ashman, director Tommy Rapley’s iteration of “Little Shop of Horrors” is deliciously campy with plenty of snap."