Character guide
Seymour Krelborn
Seymour Krelborn is the meek florist's assistant at the heart of Little Shop of Horrors, a nerdy underdog whose discovery of a strange plant changes his life in ways he never expects.
- Show
- Little Shop of Horrors
- Broadway premiere
- 2003
- Role
- Lead
- Music by
- Alan Menken
Seymour Krelborn: from the film to Broadway
Broadway compared with the 1960 film and 1986 movie musical
Seymour survives only in the movie theatre version. On stage he runs into Audrey II's jaws with a machete and is eaten. Frank Oz's 1986 film shot a similar ending, but the theatrical cut has Rick Moranis's Seymour electrocute the plant and move to the suburbs with Audrey; the original ending was restored in a 2012 director's cut. The film also gave the plant a new song, Mean Green Mother from Outer Space, which earned an Oscar nomination.
In Roger Corman's 1960 film, Jonathan Haze plays Seymour Krelboined and the plant is called Audrey Jr. Lee Wilkof originated Seymour Off-Broadway in 1982, and Hunter Foster was the first Broadway Seymour in 2003.
Who is Seymour Krelborn?
Seymour works in a struggling flower shop on Skid Row, quietly in love with his coworker Audrey and desperate for some kind of break in life. When he stumbles onto an unusual plant, it brings him the attention and success he has always wanted, but the cost of keeping that success turns out to be far higher than he anticipated. His journey is really about ambition and how far a person will go once they taste recognition for the first time.
Seymour's awkward sweetness is what makes the show work emotionally, giving the audience someone to root for even as the plot gets stranger and darker around him.
Playing Seymour on stage
Seymour is a lead role and effectively the narrator and emotional center of Little Shop of Horrors. The part calls for a performer with strong comic instincts, genuine vulnerability, and a voice that can handle both tender ballads and more frantic, high energy numbers.
Performers and audiences alike are drawn to Seymour because he is such a relatable underdog. He is shy, self-doubting, and easy to sympathize with, which makes his transformation across the show land with real weight.
Seymour Krelborn: frequently asked questions
What show is Seymour Krelborn from?
Seymour Krelborn is the lead character in Little Shop of Horrors, with music by Alan Menken.
Is Seymour a lead or supporting role?
Seymour is the lead role in Little Shop of Horrors and serves as the story's central narrator.
Who wrote the music for Little Shop of Horrors?
Alan Menken composed the music for Little Shop of Horrors.
Think you can name today's mystery character in eight guesses?
Play today's Character GuesserMore characters from Little Shop of Horrors
More characters with music by Alan Menken
Little Shop of Horrors show guideMusical theatre characters A to Z