The idea of renting a
backdrop for Little Shop is a good one.
At least from my interpitation of it on a standard procenium
stage with this possibly normal design for the show.
Think about it in terms of wagons. One large
wagon with the flower shop set with 1/2 ceiling for supporting plant, the street/alley scene with it's assorted fire escapes and side walks, and a small jack-knife
stage with the dentist's office hinging out from inside the alley/street scene set. Perhaps the steet scene goes off on a diagonal angle from Down Left to Upstage Right 1/3.
Flower shop center
stage and
Stage Left,
Dentist's office and street scene off Right.
Now with these sets/wagons taking up a lot of space, they are still
wagon sets commonly used on the show with the possible exception of the alley wall and it's fire escapes that can be full height but need to follow perspective. With say a 20' procenium arch, and say a 12' tall flower shop
wagon set taking up most of the center
stage, that's a lot of space above and around the
wagon that's not decorated as it were.
All around and above the flower shop from
up stage to
stage left would need some scenery associated with how oppressive the city is. A painted
drop would be really good for doing this.
A professionally painted
drop possibly even with lighted windows would be really good for a city
effect and a whole
stage picture.
That would leave
stage left and the wings for the plant.
(How are you doing Audri I, II and III? Renting them also?
I once owned #II and III. #II was cool
lobby sculpture and it's casters are still on my
road box. Both eventually went to my local college. Lots of work involved with building a working set of plants.)