‘Everybody better beware’
By Lena Moreno, November 12, 2025
The meek shall inherit at Cal Poly Pomona in spring 2026 through musical theater workshop’s “Little Shop of Horrors.”
The music department and musical theater workshop held the “Little Shop of Horrors: Halloween Spooktacular” recital Oct. 29, presenting the first preview to a full house audience into the dark comedic world of Skid Row.
The recital event announced the performance dates for the spring musical as March 20-22, 2026.
“Little Shop of Horrors” is a comedy rock musical following a modern Greek tragedy. The protagonist, Seymour Krelborn, is a floral shop assistant who discovers a flesh-eating plant he names Audrey II that promises him fame and love at an immoral cost.
Among dark humor and upbeat songs that have stood the test of time since the 1986 film, the show portrays the rise and inevitable fall of the flawed protagonist, including those around him.
Music director Kendra Vuk decided to combine a preview of the musical in tandem with the Halloween-themed recital.
“It helps us really get things in shape faster,” Vuk said. “It gives the students a goal in the fall.”
Unapproved show rights of the production “Heathers” resulted in a shift of the spring musical selection, leading to Little Shop, according to Vuk.
Ultimately, Vuk said the change in shows worked out perfectly. Little Shop was ideal to incorporate into the concert, as it helped promote the musical, stayed on theme with the Halloween recital and prepared the actors ahead of time.
Like most of the cast studying choir, music or theater, Kaley Espiridion’s involvement in both the recital and musical has been a passion project amid her computer science studies.
“I’ve always been one to kind of yearn to be in musical theater,” Espiridion said. “Now that I’m in college, I seized the opportunity to join theater, which makes me very excited to be part of this production.”
Espiridion plays an understudy for the character Crystal who is one of the leading Urchins, a term from the ‘60s referring to a mischievous group of young individuals known for their street smarts.
The Urchins are a leading component to the musical, helping narrate the main turning points, reinforcing the show’s series of events and serving as a cautionary tale.
Every singer dressed in their own costume during the Halloween recital. Attendees were also encouraged to dress in costumes, which some audience members committed to.
The stage light’s colorful hues further accentuated the mood of the songs and were on tempo with the performers’ choreography.
Six music department members played each song live directly behind the singers, adding to the energy while playing their instruments.
The opening of the Halloween recital featured five songs from the musical: “Prologue,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Skid Row,” “Da Doo” and “Feed Me (Git It!).” The cast members of the production performed each song before transitioning into the Halloween song selections.
Audience favorites included “La Llorona” that incorporated a folklorico dance and an alter setup mid-performance in honor of Día de Muertos. The medley duet of “I Put a Spell on You” and “Superstition” hyped the audience through the playful rivalry between the two performers.
“Funk is my favorite genre of music and Stevie Wonder is one of my favorite artists,” said music student Sebastian Padilla, who sang “Superstition.” “But I was never able to sing it, so I’m really glad that I’m able to sing it here.”
Other songs included nostalgic Disney villain ballads like “Friends on the Other Side” and “Poor Unfortunate Souls.” There were also songs from the Broadway musicals Beetlejuice, Carrie, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and more.
With the blend of different genres and dark-themed tunes, the Halloween recital offered a glimpse into what audiences can anticipate from the “Little Shop of Horrors” production. The musical will be showing in March at the Recital Hall located in Building 24, room 191.
Admission prices including fees vary based on ticket categories, ranging from $11.50 – $16.50. Tickets will be available for purchase on the theatre and new dance department’s website and social media closer to the opening date.
