A man-eating plant is about to terrorize a flower shop on Skid Row, with rehearsal scenes in Sebring capturing the production taking shape. Highlands Lakeside Theatre opens its production of “Little Shop of Horrors” on Nov. 6, 2026, kicking off a run that will carry the campy horror-comedy musical through its 2026-2027 season.
A Director's Debut, Nearly a Decade in the Making
The show marks the directing debut of Margaret Macbeth, who has been involved with the theater since 2016, according to the Highlands News-Sun. Macbeth grew up in Wisconsin before settling in the Sebring area and earned her bachelor's degree from Roosevelt University in Chicago, the paper reports. She stepped behind the curtain for the first time after years of theater and musical-performance experience that included playing Truvy Jones in “Steel Magnolias.”
Directing her first show has been rewarding, Macbeth said, though it requires bringing a lot of moving pieces together at once, per the Highlands News-Sun's reporting. Her path to the director's chair came after nearly a decade with the organization, which the paper describes as a volunteer-driven community theater that presents both familiar favorites and larger-scale productions. Theater members also attend community theater conferences, according to the same account.
A Flower Shop, a Solar Eclipse, and an Appetite for Blood
“Little Shop of Horrors” is set in a struggling flower shop on Skid Row and follows Seymour Krelborn, a young man whose fortunes change after he discovers an unusual plant during a solar eclipse, the Highlands News-Sun notes. He names the plant Audrey II after his coworker and secret love, and the plant's growing appetite — one that thrives on blood — soon threatens Seymour himself. Corey Adams plays Seymour, with the show's cast rounded out by Mattie Bond as Audrey and Erik Copper as Mr. Mushnik, according to the paper.
Jordan Thomfohrde plays the Wino and also provides the voice of Audrey II, according to the Highlands News-Sun. Thomfohrde described the show as fun and campy, according to the paper. Rounding out the ensemble are Ya'myra Bercea as Ronette, Elina Ford as Crystal, and Kelsie Beckman as Chiffon — the three urchins who provide commentary on the action and guide audiences through Seymour's predicament, per the paper's reporting.
Young Talent With Deep Theater Roots
Bond has been involved in theater since age 10 and received an award for her work in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” during the previous season, the Highlands News-Sun reports.
Corey Adams said the show opens after Halloween as seasonal residents return to the area, the Highlands News-Sun reports — timing that lines up with opening night landing the week after the holiday. Highlands News-Sun correspondent Luci Latina, who wrote the original report and photographed rehearsal scenes from Oct. 25, 2026, captured the cast mid-preparation for the run.
Tickets, Times, and a Theater With Deep Roots
Highlands Lakeside Theatre's own listing puts the run at Nov. 6-22, 2026, at the theater's home at 356 W. Center Ave. in Sebring, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays, according to the Highlands News-Sun. The theater's official season listing confirms the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m. curtain and Sunday 2:30 p.m. matinee, and estimates a runtime of about two hours and 30 minutes, including announcements and one intermission, according to Highlands Lakeside Theatre. The theater recommends the show for ages 10 and up due to mature content and depictions of violence.
The theater's own listing states adult tickets start at $30, with group rates available for parties of 15 or more who give advance notice. The production is part of the theater's 2026-2027 season.
The organization's roots stretch back to 1974, when Highlands Little Theatre was founded and staged its first production that July, according to Highlands Lakeside Theatre's general information page. The group moved into its current home, the Lakeside Playhouse, in August 1982, where it still performs today, and it adopted the Highlands Lakeside Theatre name in 2019.
