Will Little Shop of Horrors extend further?

Claire8 said: "Thanks everyone!! Fingers crossed! Sounds like if it does extend I'll need to get onto buying tickets straight away then? Doesn't seem like last minute will work as well for this one."

YMMV but yes buy tickets when you can. I was waiting to take my chances with the in person lottery. A week out I noticed they released a block of tickets (roughly 15-20 seats). I accepted I had horrible luck and bought a ticket. They were $119 so same price when they first came out i.e. no discount for "waiting", I just lucked out I wasn't left SOL.

Rosette3 said: "Claire8 said: "Thanks everyone!! Fingers crossed! Sounds like if it does extend I'll need to get onto buying tickets straight away then? Doesn't seem like last minute will work as well for this one."

YMMV but yes buy tickets when you can. I was waiting to take my chances with the in person lottery. A week out I noticed they released a block of tickets (roughly 15-20 seats). I accepted I had horrible luck and bought a ticket. They were $119 so same price when they first came out i.e. no discount for "waiting", I just lucked out I wasn't left SOL."

From what I can tell you can get reasonable seats for wed/thurs nights for $69 + fees. That’s orchestra row K-N at end of the row. I assume none of the seats are bad in that small venue?

Claire8 said: "Rosette3 said: "Claire8 said: "Thanks everyone!! Fingers crossed! Sounds like if it does extend I'll need to get onto buying tickets straight away then? Doesn't seem like last minute will work as well for this one."

YMMV but yes buy tickets when you can. I was waiting to take my chances with the in person lottery. A week out I noticed they released a block of tickets (roughly 15-20 seats). I accepted I had horrible luck and bought a ticket. They were $119 so same price when they first came out i.e. no discount for "waiting", I just lucked out I wasn't left SOL."

From what I can tell you can get reasonable seats for wed/thurs nights for $69 + fees. That’s orchestra row K-N at end of the row. I assume none of the seats are bad in that small venue?"

It's small venue not a bad seat in the house. I saw the show back in November, so consider $69 a steal!

In regard to the original posters question, I spoke to someone associated with the show when I was in town around New Years and I asked this same question because I am coming back to NYC this summer with my family and I was hoping they could see the show in May or June.

The person I spoke to was very careful with their choice of words, and my impression was that the powers that be would like to continue to extend the show but it had not yet been decided if they were going to extend again.

It sounded like they were a little gun shy to extend again, as if ticket sales for the current post-Groff extension were less than they had hoped they would be, and that if sales pick up for the current extension they would like to extend again, but if sales do not pick up, they will most likely not extend further.

As I said, they were very careful with what they said and how they worded things, and I am offering my interpretation. But on the bright side, I definitely got the impression that it was possible that it may extend further. And I sure hope it does, it was fantastic.

Updated On: 1/20/20 at 03:19 AM

bdn223 said: "I honestly think none of the producers thought that Jonathan Groff would be the production’s main selling point. Seymour is a thankless role, and is typically seen as the second banana to Audrey despite being the show’s true protagonist. They tried to sell the show on its 3 leads, arguably thinking Borle and his two Tony awards would be the biggest draw. This is furthered by his two Tony awards being for roles that he chews so much scenery it was a miracle there were sets left at the end of the productions, which aligns with his role in Little Shop.

Groff’s career on the other hand has been one who has been always playing second banana in cultural phenomenons. He’s the, “Oh yeah he was in that” It started with Spring Awakening, which despite being the show’s protagonist, he clearly became the 3rd lead after Lea Michele and John Gallager Jr. Then came the Shakespeare in the Park turned Broadway revival of Hair, which he left before the transfer, but it arguably Reignited Gavin Creel’s career, and made stars out of to Will Swenson and Cassie Leavy. This was followed by Glee, where he was a recurring love interest for Lea Michele at the height of its popularity. Next was Frozen, where out of some twist of luck he was the only main character without a real song. The movie went on to solidify Idina Menzel as a Broadway legend along the lines of Bernadette Petters, and Patti Lupone, but Groffs association with the project seemed to be an afterthought. This was then followed by his casting as King George III, in Hamilton, where he seemed to be the only lead not to get a major career boost. This led to Mindhunter on Nexflix, which is critically lauded, but not heavily watched and is once again is more known for being a David Fincher piece then Groff’s involvement. In my opinion his extremely wide career net finally has rewarded him in Little Shop of Horrors. It likely also helped that Little Shop was perfectly positioned between season two of Mindhunter and Frozen 2. If I had to place my finger on it, producers likely didn’t realize the true extent to his selling power until they extended past Groff’s contract. Yes he had two prearranged weeks of absences for Frozen 2 media, but the rest of the run was sold out at that point, and if many audience members likely settled for tickets, thinking it was the only way they could see the production."

You missed out Glee and the lead role in Looking which I'd say did more for his career than anything else did.

Impossible2 said: "bdn223 said: "I honestly think none of the producers thought that Jonathan Groff would be the production’s main selling point. Seymour is a thankless role, and is typically seen as the second banana to Audrey despite being the show’s true protagonist. They tried to sell the show on its 3 leads, arguably thinking Borle and his two Tony awards would be the biggest draw. This is furthered by his two Tony awards being for roles that he chews so much scenery it was a miracle there were sets left at the end of the productions, which aligns with his role in Little Shop.

Groff’s career on the other hand has been one who has been always playing second banana in cultural phenomenons. He’s the, “Oh yeah he was in that” It started with Spring Awakening, which despite being the show’s protagonist, he clearly became the 3rd lead after Lea Michele and John Gallager Jr. Then came the Shakespeare in the Park turned Broadway revival of Hair, which he left before the transfer, but it arguably Reignited Gavin Creel’s career, and made stars out of to Will Swenson and Cassie Leavy. This was followed by Glee, where he was a recurring love interest for Lea Michele at the height of its popularity. Next was Frozen, where out of some twist of luck he was the only main character without a real song. The movie went on to solidify Idina Menzel as a Broadway legend along the lines of Bernadette Petters, and Patti Lupone, but Groffs association with the project seemed to be an afterthought. This was then followed by his casting as King George III, in Hamilton, where he seemed to be the only lead not to get a major career boost. This led to Mindhunter on Nexflix, which is critically lauded, but not heavily watched and is once again is more known for being a David Fincher piece then Groff’s involvement. In my opinion his extremely wide career net finally has rewarded him in Little Shop of Horrors. It likely also helped that Little Shop was perfectly positioned between season two of Mindhunter and Frozen 2. If I had to place my finger on it, producers likely didn’t realize the true extent to his selling power until they extended past Groff’s contract. Yes he had two prearranged weeks of absences for Frozen 2 media, but the rest of the run was sold out at that point, and if many audience members likely settled for tickets, thinking it was the only way they could see the production."

You missed outGlee and the lead role in Looking which I'd say did more for his career than anything else did."



I think your comments are very realistic, with one minor exception. I do not think he was in Michelle's shadow in SA. He was the one who got a Tony nomination, and he was the one whose face you seemed to see everywhere. Nevertheless, the fact is that Moritz is a showier role than Melchior -- he essentially has a nervous breakdown and commits suicide for crying out loud -- and Groff was overshadowed by Gallagher, who was great in a great role. That has been the case in every production of SA that I have seen, however; Moritz has always overshadowed Melchior.

I have often wondered whether Groff would transition from teddy-bear-cute, talented featured player to real leading man. The HBO show (was it Knowing??) did not do that IMO; he may have been the lead, but he didn't really 'own the show'. Similarly, he was excellent in Mindhunter, but it was a real ensemble show to me and I did wonder a number of times how someone edgier would have done that role (nevertheless, here's hoping it returns at some point and with the original cast).

I was unable to see LSOH, but what I have read has clearly been consistently positive, suggesting that he made more of the role than was actually there; but that was OB and, while he clearly was a big reason for ticket sales, he really did not have to sell that many tickets. The real test for me will be if he ever gets another lead role in a successful Broadway musical (as a real adult father than a teen ager in heat) and 'owns' it, or a really meaty role in a movie or limited run TV show that triggers bigger and greater things.

The main reason this Little Shop of Horrors is so good is Christian Borle. He is stellar. It is like watching your super funny best friend, and only you and he share all of the inside jokes. Groff is good, he does a fine job, but the magic in this show is Borle.

Updated On: 1/20/20 at 10:37 PM

Has anyone been keeping up with Stubhub? There are a shocking number of tickets up (given the size of the theater) for some dates. If scalpers are still able to turn a profit (or at least not drop their prices last minute at a big loss) that would indicate that there might still be enough interest to power an extension.