I knew Little Shop of Horrors long before I walked into the Westside Theatre in New York.

My first introduction was actually the 1986 movie. I remember watching it on TV as a kid and being drawn to the music, especially the three Black women whose sound brought so much soul, R&B and gospel energy to the story.

Years later, I would recognize two of them as Tichina Arnold and Tisha Campbell, or, for those of us who grew up watching Martin, Pam and Gina.

Little Shop of Horrors showed up again when I was a freshman in high school. Our school was producing the musical, and I became enamored with the whole process. I would sit in the audience during open rehearsals and watch the production come together.

Eventually, I went from watching theater to participating in it myself. By my senior year, I was playing Glinda the Good Witch in our high school production of The Wiz. But, that’s another story for another day!

Needless to say, sitting down to see Little Shop of Horrors Off-Broadway almost 30 years later felt extremely nostalgic.

Once the music started, songs began coming back to me. Hearing that familiar “Oh! Oh! Oh!! Nooo!” again immediately took me back.

At one point my mom even looked at me like, “Wait, you know this?”

Apparently, I did.

Disclosure: Tickets to Little Shop of Horrors were provided by Broadway Inbound as part of a partnership with The Traveling Black Women Network. All experiences and opinions shared are my own.

Experiencing a Broadway production and an Off-Broadway production on consecutive nights gave me a chance to answer a question I don’t think I had really considered before:

First, What Does Off-Broadway Actually Mean?

If you aren’t deeply familiar with New York theater, it would be easy to assume Off-Broadway means a show isn’t quite big enough or good enough for Broadway.

That’s not what it means.

The designation is largely tied to theater size and the type of theatrical contract under which a production operates. Broadway theaters have 500 or more seats, while Off-Broadway theaters generally have between 100 and 499.

Fun Fact:

Little Shop of Horrors has a long history with Off-Broadway theatre. The original musical premiered in 1982 and moved to the Orpheum Theatre in New York’s East Village that same year. It ultimately ran for 2,209 performances.

When creator Howard Ashman was asked to move the production to Broadway, he declined because he believed the show was right for the space it was already in. 

After seeing Little Shop in a smaller theater myself, I understand why that history matters. Some shows work incredibly well when the audience is close.

What to Know Before Seeing Little Shop of Horrors Off-Broadway

• Location: Westside Theatre Upstairs, 407 West 43rd Street, between Ninth and Tenth avenues. 
• Runtime: Approximately two hours, including one 15-minute intermission. 
• Arrival: I arrived about 30 minutes early and found that comfortable.
• What to wear: My vote is theater casual. I wore jeans, sneakers and a blazer.
• Temperature: It was slightly cool inside during my performance, so I’d bring a light layer.
• Accessibility: Research the theater carefully if stairs are a concern. The production is in the Upstairs Theatre.
• Age: The production currently recommends ages 5 and older, and children under 4 aren’t permitted. 
• Tickets: The production currently offers a digital lottery for a limited number of discounted tickets, subject to availability and its current rules. 

Seeing Little Shop of Horrors at the Westside Theatre in NYC

The Westside Theatre immediately felt different from the Lena Horne Theatre on Broadway, where I’d seen SIX: The Musical the previous night.

You immediately notice that it is a smaller, cozier venue that has earned its stripes in New York’s Theatre district. The creaking wood, the stairs, the velvet drapes… there’s just so much character that adds to the overall experience.

My mother and I arrived about 30 minutes before the show which gave us enough time to get settled, use the restroom, look around at the artwork on the theatre walls, and grab a glass (cup) of wine at the concessions before the performance.

One Important Thing to Know About the Stairs

Accessibility is something I would pay attention to before purchasing tickets.

Little Shop of Horrors performs in the Upstairs Theatre, and there is no elevator to that performance space. I noticed this firsthand when an older gentleman was making his way down the stairs after the show and needed some assistance. The crowd patiently waited for him to descend, but he it was certainly difficult for him.

To be honest, I wouldn’t have known that there was no elevator or escalator available prior to arriving at the theater.

That would have been something I would’ve had to intentionally look for or ask about.

I’d definitely travelers with mobility concerns or anyone traveling with someone who may have difficulty using the stairs. 

So while I found the building charming, the stairs are a practical consideration.

The Smaller Theater Works Perfectly for This Show

This is where the Westside Theatre became more than simply the building where the show happened.

Being in a smaller room changed how I experienced the production.

You’re close enough to really see the actors, watch their facial expressions and feel like you’re in the moment with them. And, just like Broadway, you can see talent and passion of each actor being laid out on that New York City stage.

After seeing SIX: The Musical on Broadway Monday night and Little Shop of Horrors Off-Broadway Tuesday night, I wouldn’t describe one experience as better than the other. They were two very different experiences. Both of which I enjoyed!

Off-Broadway Theatre was more like discovering another option within New York’s theater scene and thinking, Oh, the New York theater has this too.

That’s an important distinction because Off-Broadway shouldn’t be approached as a lesser theater experience.

Even Broadway theaters can feel completely different from one another. The Lena Horne Theatre (SIX) doesn’t feel like the Gershwin Theatre (Wicked) and the Gershwin Theatre doesn’t feel like Minksoff Theatre (Lion King). Every theater has its own character.

Honestly, if I were visiting New York, bought tickets to Little Shop of Horrors and didn’t know all the nuances of Broadway theater culture, I don’t know that I would have thought much about the distinction.

I probably would have walked away thinking: That was a really cool, cozy New York theater.

And Then There Was the Audience

The audience was one of the most interesting parts of my night.

These people knew this show.

You could feel it.

They knew the songs. They were engaged with the performances. One woman near us even became emotional.

I started looking around and wondering who was actually sitting around me.

Were some of these people actors in other New York productions?

Were they former theater kids?

Had they grown up loving Little Shop of Horrors?

Were there understudies somewhere in the audience who could hop onstage and take over if necessary?

Obviously, I have absolutely no idea, but that’s the vibe the room gave me. It felt like an audience that genuinely loved theater.

There was this underlying feeling of, I know this song. I know this show. I know what’s coming.

And because of the intimate size of the theater, you can feel that energy around you.

Celebrating Little Shop of Horrors’ Longest Running Production

When we entered the theater, our Playbills included an insert with the lyrics to “Suddenly Seymour.” We were told that there would be an audience sing-along after the performance as part of the production’s celebration for the long running production of Little Shop of Horrors on Off-Broadway.

As of September 2026, this production delivered over 2,226 performances, surpassing the original 1982 production performance count of 2,210.

Suddenly all that energy I had been noticing throughout the night made sense. This wasn’t an audience politely humming through a song they’d heard once or twice.

These people were singing, singing. They knew this show!

That’s the kind of travel memory I love because I couldn’t have planned it from an itinerary.

We went to see a musical, and I had no idea how special the night would be. We ended the night singing along with a New York theater full of people who clearly had a relationship with the show.

Broadway and Off-Broadway: Should You Experience Both?

If you’re planning a theater-focused New York trip, yes!

Seeing SIX Monday and Little Shop of Horrors Tuesday gave me two very different New York theater experiences back to back!

SIX gave me the excitement of a larger Broadway theater combined with an 80-minute uninterrupted concert-style production.

Little Shop put me inside a smaller, intimate theater with a detailed set, a giant man-eating plant and an audience full of potential understudies.

I wouldn’t rank one above the other, and I don’t really think you need to. They’re simply different ways to experience New York theater.

Add it to your next New York Itinerary and enjoy!

We’re Going to New York in 2027!

Come visit New York and catch a Broadway show with us!

The Traveling Black Women Network is heading to New York for Spring Break 2027, and yes, we’re absolutely including a Broadway show.

We’ll have plenty of time to explore the city, eat good food and enjoy a New York weekend together.

Click below to let me know that you’re interested and be the first to know when registration opens!

Count Me In!

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