Little Shop of Horrors is an iconic dark comedy musical about the downsides of compromising your morals for success and the insatiable nature of untamed desires.
If you are getting ready to stage this memorable show, then you are in the right place.
We have prepared a hand-selected collection of rentable backdrops for Little Shop of Horrors that are guaranteed to win over your audience.
Little Shop of Horrors Plot Breakdown
The story begins in a run-down part of New York City, where a kind florist named Seymour Krelborn runs a flower shop. In his free time, he hangs out with his friend and secret love interest, Audrey, a woman trapped in an abusive relationship with a dentist. Both of their lives are quite bland, but when Seymour finds an unusual plant during a total eclipse, their routine is completely disrupted.
As a florist, he tries to save the plant, but soon notices that none of the regular interventions work. Only when he accidentally pricks his finger does he discover that the plant actually feeds on human blood. As he feeds it more and more, the plant starts to grow and eventually speaks, promising Seymour fame and fortune in exchange for blood.
This throws Seymour into his dark descent, because he places the plant in the middle of his shops and starts feeding it more and more. Soon, the plant wants to eat an entire body, so Seymour goes to Audrey’s abusive boyfriend, intending to kill him, but the boyfriend feels so invincible that he inhales a lot of “laughing” gas and dies. After his death, Seymour feeds him to the plant, which just wants more and more bodies.
Despite the plant’s growing appetites, it makes Seymour successful, so he manages to save Audrey from her traumatic life, and the two of them fall in love. However, their happiness is short-lived because the plant soon reveals that it is actually an alien organism that wants to take over the world, together with its seedlings, who are yet to come.
In its cruelty and greed, the plant injures Audrey, who, on her deathbed, asks Seymour to feed her to the plant so she can continue living through it. This breaks Seymour’s heart, so he tries to kill the plant, but fails, so the plant eats him and takes over the world.
In an alternate ending, Seymour and Audrey manage to defeat the plant, and they live happily ever after.
The Best Backdrops for Little Shop of Horrors
Now that you know the plot, here are some of the backdrops you can use in your production of Little Shop of Horrors.
New York Street
Because the entire plot of the musical is located in New York City, it is only natural to have backdrops that will authentically present that space.
One of our amazing New York-themed backdrops is New York Street. The backdrop includes a row of buildings, a Coney Island billboard, and a city skyline with the Statue of Liberty in silhouette against a cloudy sunset sky.
It can be used in scenes where the audience is meeting the characters for the first time or in scenes where Seymour is working at his shop.
Another one of our New York-themed backdrops is Henry Street, which depicts a local street corner with a red-bricked Deli with a red and white striped awning. In select depictions, there is a general store with a green striped awning. Down the street, there are brownstone buildings lined up behind street lamps. A dark sky sits behind, giving the appearance of dusk or dawn.
The backdrop can be used in a similar manner as the previous one because it really brings out that New York spirit.
George Washington Bridge
The George Washington Bridge is one of the most recognizable New York landmarks, so backdrops that depict it can really be a good asset for Little Shop of Horrors.
Our George Washington Bridge backdrop features a view of the bridge, including one of its anchors and its 2 towers. The area under it is covered by thick vegetation, while over it, one can see the cloudy sky.
The backdrop fits really nicely into the background, especially when combined with different props.
We offer another backdrop that features the George Washington Bridge. It is called Washington Heights, and it depicts the neighborhood of Washington Heights in the northern end of New York City’s Manhattan Borough. George Washington Bridge, the world’s busiest motor vehicle bridge, dominates the skyline in the background, while a thick canopy of trees can be seen in the middle ground. The foreground depicts rundown tenement buildings and a brick wall covered in graffiti.
It can be used throughout the entire show.
Neutral Backdrops
If you are looking for backdrops that will be a solid neutral background for the show, but still keep that New York spirit, then we suggest you consider renting Back Alley. It features the less frequented section of the neighborhood with grimy streets, dumpsters, and fire escapes. The windows of the buildings are open but empty. To the left side of the street backdrop is a seemingly abandoned shop. Behind the brownstone buildings is a glimpse of the clear blue sky.
Backstage Theater is another neutral drop that perfectly blends into the stage but still screams New York. It consists of a red brick wall with columns and arches, also made out of the same red brick. Two silver heater grates hang on the wall. There are also two ladders and four fire pails hanging on the wall. Propped against the wall looks to be the backs of paintings. On the stage left is a green door.
But if you are still looking for something even more neutral, then Red Brick Wall is the right choice. It depicts a simple yet very versatile image, a brick wall. Some of the bricks in the wall have dark stains, while others have a bright shade of red, as if they were put there to replace old or missing pieces. This stage backdrop rental is of a typical wall you see all throughout any city, especially New York.
The rental is a great way to use one backdrop to stage many of your scenes.
All of these backdrops are available for rental. If you are interested, all you need to do is order them through our website. Keep in mind that, besides the one listed in this article, we offer many more backdrops for Little Shop of Horrors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What backdrops should I use for Little Shop of Horrors?
The best backdrops for Little Shop of Horrors include the ones depicting New York streets, little shops, or back alleys.
What are the main themes of the Little Shop of Horrors backdrops?
Backdrop themes for Little Shop of Horrors mostly include urban decay that shows the not-so-bright side of New York.
