[photo credit: Lineage Performing Arts Center]
Lineage Performing Arts Center will host a sneak preview of its upcoming production of “Little Shop of Horrors” on the evening of April 8 at its black-box theater on East Mountain Street. The event will feature cast introductions, musical numbers, and a presentation by Leilani Jones Wilmore, who created the role of Chiffon when the musical premiered at the WPA Theater in New York in 1982 and played it for five years during the show’s original off-Broadway run at the Orpheum Theatre. Jones Wilmore, who lives in San Marino, is a current member of the Lineage board.
Jones Wilmore won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 1985 for her role as Satin in the Broadway production of “Grind.” She is featured on the “Little Shop” original cast recording.
The original production of “Little Shop of Horrors,” with music by Alan Menken and book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, ran for 2,209 performances before closing in November 1987. It was the highest-grossing production in off-Broadway history at the time. The show was adapted into a 1986 film and has been widely produced by professional, community, and school theaters across the country.
At the April 8 preview, Jones Wilmore will share firsthand accounts from the show’s creation, according to Lineage’s website. The center describes the full production, its season closer, as one that will incorporate its signature dance-forward approach to the material.
Lineage Performing Arts Center was founded in 1999 by Artistic Director Hilary Thomas and has served the Pasadena community for more than 25 years, according to the organization. The nonprofit produces seven to eight productions per year and provides teaching artists in dance to several Title 1 schools in the Pasadena Unified School District, serving over 350 students each year, according to Lineage’s website. The center also runs the Dance for Joy program, which offers free classes for adults with neurological challenges.
The full production of “Little Shop of Horrors” runs May 15 through June 7. Performances are on select evenings, with a runtime of 150 minutes. The production uses haze effects.
Lineage Performing Arts Center is located at 920 E. Mountain St., Pasadena, CA 91104. Free parking is available in the CVS lot adjacent to the venue. For information, call (626) 844-7008 or visit www.lineagepac.org. The box office typically opens 30 minutes before events.
The preview doubles as a fundraising opportunity; Lineage is seeking donations to help cover the production’s costs. The full production opens on May 15.
LITTLE SHOP TEASER – SNEAK PREVIEW AT LINEAGE PAC Date & Time: Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 7:00 pm. Venue: Lineage Performing Arts Center, 920 East Mountain Street, Pasadena, CA 91104. Phone Number: (626) 844-7008. Website: https://www.lineagepac.org/upcoming-events/little-shop-fundraising-event
