T.R. Knight and Hannah Cruz Will Lead LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS Off-Broadway

Emmy Award nominee T.R. Knight (“Grey’s Anatomy”, Stranger Things: The First Shadow) will join the three-time Best Revival Award-winning production of Little Shop of Horrors as Seymour, alongside Tony Award nominee Hannah Cruz (Chess, Suffs) as Audrey, beginning Tuesday, October 27, 2026.

This production of the musical, featuring book and lyrics by Grammy and Academy Award winner Howard Ashman (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast), and music by Tony and Academy Award winner Alan Menken (Aladdin, Newsies), is directed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Spring Awakening), and now in its eighth year at The Westside Theatre.

Knight and Cruz join the company this fall on the heels of the musical’s milestone celebration in September, of becoming the longest-running production of the show in history, with over 2,210 performances and counting (the record previously held by the original 1982 Orpheum production, directed by Ashman).

Known for his work across television and the stage, T.R. Knight earned an Emmy Award nomination for his role as George O’Malley on ‘s “Grey’s Anatomy,” and has since appeared on Broadway in Stranger Things: The First Shadow, It’s Only A Play, A Life in the Theatre, Noises Off, and Tartuffe. Hannah Cruz recently received a 2026 Tony Award nomination for her portrayal of Svetlana Sergievsky in Chess, which followed her acclaimed stage performances in the original musicals Suffs and The Connector.

“We couldn’t be happier to have T.R. and Hannah join the Little Shop of Horrors family,” said producers Tom Kirdahy, Robert Ahrens, and Hunter Arnold. “There is something deeply special about Seymour and Audrey, and we’re excited to see these two wonderful actors bring their own heart and spirit to the roles. We’re grateful to have them as part of the Little Shop legacy and can’t wait for audiences to experience their take on these beloved characters.”

The musical’s current stars, Ethan Slater (Wicked films, SpongeBob SquarePants on Broadway) and Tony Award nominee Betsy Wolfe (Death Becomes Her, & Juliet), will play their final performances as Seymour and Audrey on Sunday, October 25, 2026. Tony nominee and Obie Award winner Reg Rogers (The Dazzle, Merrily We Roll Along) plays his final performance as Mushnik on September 27th, with Stephen DeRosa (The Queen of Versailles, Boop!) returning to the role on September 29th. Continuing on in the cast are Drama Desk nominee Claybourne Elder (HBO’s “The Gilded Age,” Company) as Dr. Orin Scrivello D.D.S., Christian McQueen as The Voice of Audrey II, Christine Wanda as Ronnette, Savannah Lee Birdsong as Crystal, and Morgan Ashley Bryant as Chiffon, alongside Teddy Yudain, Weston Chandler Long, Mecca Hicks, Jeff Sears, Aveena Sawyer, Mike Masters, Alloria Frayser, Chani Maisonet, Johnny Newcomb, Jon Hoche, Jonothon Lyons, and Noel MacNeal.

This production of Little Shop of Horrors won the 2020 Drama League Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, and Drama Desk Award for Best Musical Revival, in addition to several honors for its cast and creatives, including: Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding Actor (Jonathan Groff), Outstanding Featured Actor (Christian Borle), and Outstanding Director (Michael Mayer); a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Christian Borle), and several additional award nominations throughout its opening season, including a 2021 Grammy Award nod for Best Musical Theater Album.

Seymour is a down-on-his-luck florist with a crush on his co-worker Audrey. When he discovers a mysterious – and voracious – plant, suddenly Seymour and Audrey are thrust into an epic battle that will determine the fate of the entire human race. Little Shop of Horrors first premiered Off-Broadway in 1982, where it made audiences laugh, scream, and give up gardening for good. The musical has since catapulted into a global phenomenon, with productions across the world from Broadway to London’s West End, to Asia and Australia – plus a hit 1986 film adaptation directed by Frank Oz that starred Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene and Steve Martin. Now, the musical has made its highly-anticipated return home to Off-Broadway, in an intimate new production directed by Michael Mayer that offers an unprecedented opportunity to get close — maybe too close — to an incredible plant with an insatiable appetite.   

 

The Little Shop of Horrors design team features Tony-nominated Scenic Designer Julian Crouch (Hedwig and the Angry Inch); Two-time Tony-winning Lighting Designer Bradley King (Hadestown, Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812); Emmy-winning Costume Designer Tom Broecker (Everyday Rapture); Tony-winning Sound Designer Jessica Paz (Hadestown); Emmy-nominated Puppet Designer Nicholas Mahon (Pyeongchang Olympics Opening Ceremony) and Hair and Makeup Designer Tommy Kurzman (My Fair Lady). Original puppet design is by Martin P. Robinson, Puppets are by Monkey Boys Productions, and Grammy nominee Will Van Dyke (Pretty Woman) serves as Music Supervisor, Orchestrator & Arranger.  

 

Little Shop of Horrors is produced by Tom Kirdahy, Robert Ahrens, Hunter Arnold, Mickey Liddell, Caiola Productions, Curt Cronin, John Joseph, DDM Productions, DeSantis-Baugh Productions, Elizabeth Dewberry & Ali Ahmet Kocabiyik, Wendy Federman, Roy Furman, Deborah Green, Kayla Greenspan, Marguerite Hoffman, Sally Cade Holmes, Latitude Link, Seriff Productions, Silva Theatrical Group, and Eric Gelb/Oliver Roth. Casting is by Jim Carnahan, C.S.A./Jason Thinger, General Management is by Live Wire Theatrical/ Chris Aniello, Production Management is by Juniper Street Productions and Production Stage Management is by Kate Croasdale.    

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