On The Road: Jeremy Morse
We are taking a little trip back to my favorite diner today! This edition of On The Road features the mega-talented Jeremy Morse! Jeremy is an NYU alumni, big Philadelphia sports fan and Washington Heights resident. Jeremy is currently traveling around the country in the first National Tour of the Tony Award-nominated musical, Waitress. While he was in Cincinnati, I set up a photoshoot with my friend and gifted photographer, David Holman. I hope you enjoy getting to know Jeremy, and definitely go see Waitress when it comes to your city!
How long have you been a performer?
I’ve been doing shows since I was in middle school, but didn’t really consider it as making it a profession til high school. My mom will say I was performing since I was 3 years old and making the whole family march around the house singing “Heigh Ho” from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.
What is your favorite show you've ever worked on?
Bloodsong Of Love with music, lyrics, and book by the incomparable Joe Iconis. We did it at Ars Nova in 2010 and it was the best experience working on a show and my favorite show to this day.
Who is the coolest celebrity you've ever met at work?
Hilary Clinton, duh.
What is the most interesting day at work you've ever had?
I’d say when the automation broke down while we were in Columbus and we had to make ALL of these crazy adjustments on the fly without having really prepared for it. We got through it all and nobody got hurt.
What has been your most memorable moment on this tour so far?
Right now, being from Philadelphia, the Eagles winning the Super Bowl was SO cool and very memorable, haha. Not even theatre related. I’m from Havertown, PA, so I’ve been waiting my whole life for the birds to win it all. And now that have! FLY EAGLES FLY.
Is this your first tour?
This is my first tour and I’ve been with it since the start in September!
What are some items you absolutely can't live without backstage?
For this show, a comb, Altoids, and some Burt’s Bees chapstick.
What is the most challenging part of being an actor on tour?
Missing my fiancèe Alex, my apartment, and my friends in NYC. We do well with visiting, but it’s still hard.
What is "White Food Wednesday" and how did this tradition get started?
White Food Wednesday is an Instagram live “show” that Ryan Dunkin, Nick Bailey and I do on a weekly basis. What day you may ask? It’s every Wednesday at intermission of Waitress on tour and we eat the white foods, sometimes gross and sometimes delicious, and then do a little back and forth with the fans, answering questions, being generally silly. We also look for people/fans of the show to sponsor us and bring us some local goodies as well in all the cities we visit. The origin comes from a line in the show where Dawn is speaking about Ogie and says, “He only eats white food on Wednesdays” and Ryan and I just kind of ran with that with Nick as producer/camera-man extraordinaire.
If you follow me on Instagram (@jeremycmorse) I will post to my instastory the day of (that’s Wednesday, remember?) and will give details on exactly what time it will start that week...because while on tour, we are sometimes in a different timezone.
What's a random fact about touring that people are always surprised to learn?
You rarely ever have a day off! Especially on a SET contract (Short Engagement Tour), which is what WAITRESS is. You are usually traveling on the day you aren’t doing a show, because most cities you’re visiting are only for one week.
What is your favorite thing about your job?
Getting to sing Sara Bareilles’s music/lyrics.
What is it about this job that makes you come back each day?
It’s just too much fun, haha. Getting to play Ogie is so comedically rewarding. And I have a great partner in crime with Lenne Klingaman as Dawn.
What is your favorite part about telling this story every night?
Right now, my favorite part of doing this show is a “YES” poem in the second act. On my final “yes” I use a physical button that Jenna and Becky then mimic…and watching them do whatever (dumb) movement I just did cracks me up to no end.
What is your favorite part about Ogie and Dawn's love story?
My favorite part of it is that it IS a love story and pretty much the only one in the show that displays a sense of purity. Watching two oddballs coming together is so charming, endearing, and also hilarious, and listening to an audience discover how absolutely perfect Dawn and Ogie are for each other brings me great joy on a nightly basis.
What advice would you give to a young person who wants to move to NYC and pursue a career in the arts?
Be brave! It already takes a lot of courage to go to NYC and take that leap, but you also need to be brave in every interaction you have with every person who works in this business that you come across. Don’t be scared to ask for what you want and then to go and get it.
What piece of advice would you give your 18 year old self?
Have experiences in art AND life. There’s so much art and theatre and, well, liiiiife out there just waiting to be experienced. All of it will make you a more rounded person.
What is the best advice you've ever been given?
Be nice to EVERYONE :)
FUN FACTS:
Where did you go to college?
NYU Steinhardt, Vocal Performance - Music Theatre
What was the first Broadway show you ever saw?
CHICAGO
What is your favorite Broadway show you've ever seen?
Such a tough question, DEAR EVAN HANSEN was so beautiful and moving. When I saw the original cast of WICKED back in the day, that blew my mind too.
What is your favorite costume you've ever worn?
I was a slug in a show called THE TROUBLE WITH DOUG at Theatreworks Palo Alto. The costume was craaaaazy and I had to wear a custom made shirt with ice packs stuffed in it so I wouldn’t overheat.
What is your favorite US city you've visited on tour?
Denver (so far)
What is your favorite restaurant or bar you've found on tour?
I’m a nerd and am obsessed with arcade bars so we’ve found a couple of bars called 16-BIT. LOVE them.
