Interview: Jared Goldsmith of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at 5-Star Theatricals

Little Shop of Horrors, the musical version of the 1960 cult film classic, has been as indestructible as Audrey II, its ravenous man-eating, soul music-loving plant. The 1986 remake, starring Rick Moranis, was the basis for the Broadway musical, which actually got its start before the Moranis remake, in an Off-Broadway production four years earlier. Since it finally reached Broadway in 2003, it has become a mainstay in regional and community theatre. The show's success can be traced to its Alan Menken/Howard Ashman score, a love letter to early '60s pop styles, including doo-wop, Motown, soul, and Phil Spector girl groups (the three-female members of the Greek chorus that hover in nearly every scene are named Crystal, Ronette, and Chiffon in Spector's honor). 

Playing the central role of nebbish flower shop worker Seymour Krelborn is Jared Goldsmith, and if there ever was an actor born to play Seymour, it's Jared. Goldsmith's claim to fame was assuming the role of Jared Kleinman in the U.S. touring cast of Dear Evan Hansen, and then on Broadway from 2019 to 2022. Goldsmith received his training at Elon University (North Carolina) and has since studied with, among others, Seinfeld actor Jason Alexander. His resumé points out his unusual versatility, which includes not just acting and singing (he has perfect pitch) but also other singular talents, including beat boxing and "making silly noises." 

We recently spoke with Jared, who will make his debut in 5-Star Theatricals' production of Little Shop, this Friday, October 4 at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center. The show runs through October 20, the height of the pre-Halloween season. 

VCOS: Looking at your resumé, with all of your experience, I can't think of a role better suited for you than Seymour.

JARED: Yeah, it's a real fun one.

VCOS: You've done this role before, with the Romano Playhouse Theater. Can you tell me about that experience?

JARED: To be totally honest, that was a summer camp, the Jack Romano Playhouse. I was a lot younger so I really consider this current show to be my first time doing it because it's more professional. It really feels like I'm diving into the role for the first time now that I have my formal training behind me and having done Evan Hansen for so long. I've seen a number of productions before, from high school to Off-Broadway and have been a fan of the material for a long time. So this is really the perfect time for me to do this.

VCOS: Is there anything that surprises you about your character?

JARED: For me, it's all about Seymour's journey and how he deals with success and how it eats him up, no pun intended. He becomes so much more confident with Audrey and with himself as the plant starts to grow. And then he eventually realizes he is in over his head and goes back to where he started in the beginning, being miserable with himself. He realizes he's bitten off more than he can chew - again, no pun intended. It was just too much for him to handle. So that was kind of surprising to me. He gets success, he gets the girl, he gets his fame, but still, he's right back where he started, which is what he didn't want.

VCOS: Do you see this story as a morality tale than just what was on the surface, a messing with the cult horror movies of the fifties?

JARED: Definitely. I think it speaks to morals and what is sacrificed to become successful. We all want money and recognition and validation and often people will undercut their morals to get there. So yes, it is definitely a question of morality.

VCOS: Any parallels with your own career, especially with the quickness in the trajectory of success?

JARED: Yes, as a matter of fact, for some reason, this process of success has been speaking to me and it's true. We all want more and seeing that in Seymour's case, it's not all that it's cracked up to be. It can still be exhausting  and have a toll on you. I do see a lot of Seymour in myself with his desire for wanting more, but then when you get there you realize that you're still the same person. It's not enough just to get more. You have to work on yourself and Seymour sees a lot of that.

VCOS: I never noticed before how the character's name is kind of microcosm of his motivation.

JARED: Yeah, he wants to "see-more" in himself and he says that to Audrey: you can see more in yourself and more in other people. He was just this nothing guy but that's the whole point. Audrey liked him before he became a success so it's a show that's really about working on yourself from the inside. You can be happy with yourself on the inside which is more important than what's on the outside. And then at the end, he finds himself inside this plant (laughs). I think this is why people connect with the material so much because it's really about dreams as much as it's about this hungry plant from outer space. On the surface it's is unusual when you hear the concept: a sci-fi-fifties-doo-wop musical, but it just works. It's got good characters and it's got a lot of heart so that's why a lot of people are able to connect with it and have been doing so for forty years.

VCOS: I especially love how the score plays around with all different genres of music from the fifties and sixties, from girl groups to doo-wop to Motown. It really plays to the period.

JARED: There are some really interesting moments in the score, particularly with the plant. "Grow for Me" is simple doo-wop, like in a Frankie Valli tune, and it makes sense since Bob Gaudio produced the music for the movie, but then it gets a little more complex. In "Feed Me," Seymour has a verse that is more rock-driven than what the three girls are singing at the start of the play.

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Little Shop of Horrors plays from October 4-20 at the Fred Kavli Theatre, in the Bank of America Performing Arts Center in Thousand Oaks. For ticket information, visit 5startheatricals.com.

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