<P> Little Shop of Horrors is a horror comedy rock musical, by composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman, about a hapless florist shop worker who raises a plant that feeds on human blood and flesh . The musical is based on the low - budget 1960 black comedy film The Little Shop of Horrors . The music, composed by Menken in the style of early 1960s rock and roll, doo - wop and early Motown, includes several well - known tunes, including the title song, "Skid Row (Downtown)", "Somewhere That's Green", and "Suddenly, Seymour". </P> <P> The musical premiered Off - Off - Broadway in 1982 before moving to the Orpheum Theatre Off - Broadway, where it had a five - year run . It later received numerous productions in the U.S. and abroad, and a subsequent Broadway production . Because of its small cast and relatively simple orchestrations, it has become popular with community theatre, school and other amateur groups . The musical was also made into a 1986 film of the same name, directed by Frank Oz . </P> <P> An offstage voice recalls a time when the human race "suddenly encountered a deadly threat to its very existence". A trio of 1960s street urchins named Crystal, Ronette, and Chiffon set the scene ("Little Shop of Horrors") and comment on the action throughout the show . Seymour Krelborn is a poor young man, an orphan living in an urban skid row . Audrey is a pretty blonde with a fashion sense that leans towards the tacky . They lament their stations in life and the urban blight in their neighborhood ("Skid Row (Downtown)"). They are co-workers at Mushnik's Skid Row Florists, a run - down flower shop owned and operated by the cranky Mr. Mushnik . Seymour has recently obtained a mysterious plant that looks like a large venus flytrap . While he was browsing the wholesale flower district, a sudden eclipse of the sun occurred, and when the light returned, the weird plant had appeared ("Da - Doo"). Seymour is secretly in love with Audrey and names the plant Audrey II in her honor . </P> <P> The plant does not thrive in its new environment and appears to be dying . Seymour questions why it should be doing poorly, since he takes such good care of it . He accidentally pricks his finger on a rose thorn, which draws blood, and Audrey II's pod opens thirstily . Seymour realizes that Audrey II requires blood to survive and allows the plant to suckle from his finger ("Grow For Me"). As Audrey II grows, it becomes an attraction and starts generating brisk business for Mushnik . As the caretaker of the plant, the timid Seymour is suddenly regarded as a hero ("Ya Never Know"), while Audrey secretly longs to leave her abusive boyfriend . Her dream is to lead an ideal suburban life with Seymour, complete with a tract home, frozen dinners, and plastic on the furniture ("Somewhere That's Green"). </P>

What is the name of the man eating plant in little shop of horrors