That community was poised to get a boost in theatrical representation in 2020, when nine works by Asian playwrights were slated to be staged in the Big Apple. A 2019 study conducted by the Asian American Performers Action Coalition found that while 33% of all roles on New York stages went to performers from marginalized groups in the 2016-2017 season, Asian actors filled just 7.3% of those roles. Ricamora’s “Little Shop of Horrors” casting comes at a time when Asian American representation in New York’s theater industry remains at a startling low. That’s a strong theme in the show that I really love.” “His story is about the lengths we, as human beings, will go to find connection and love, whether it’s right or wrong. “This is a character who was born into really desperate, desolate circumstances,” he added. That’s something I’m really excited and hopeful for.” “I would love for other Asian American actors to have opportunities to do that. “Seymour isn’t a gay or Asian character, so it’s an opportunity for me to tell a story that isn’t a queer or Asian American story, but just a human story,” Ricamora told HuffPost. "This is a character who was born into really desperate, desolate circumstances," Ricamora said of Seymour in "Little Shop of Horrors." (Photo: Emilio Madrid) He is also the first Asian American to assume the role in the current production, and being to offer audiences that intersectional representation is something he doesn’t take for granted. Like Groff and Glick, the California-born Filipino actor is gay. Groff’s successors in the role have also included actors Gideon Glick and Jeremy Jordan, both beloved Broadway stalwarts who have since parlayed their theatrical chops into success on television and in film.įortunately, Ricamora had not seen his predecessors’ performances as Seymour beforehand, which meant he was able to approach the role with neutrality. When Ricamora joined the musical’s cast in January, he faced the unenviable task of embodying a role played by Jonathan Groff to great acclaim when the production opened in 2019. The plant becomes a national sensation and helps Seymour bond with a similarly down-on-her-luck colleague, Audrey (Tammy Blanchard), but catastrophe looms as he must figure out new ways to satiate his horticultural discovery’s thirst for blood. The musical follows a meek flower shop assistant named Seymour Krelborn (Ricamora), who discovers an extraterrestrial plant that feeds on human flesh. The revival, an homage to the original run's downtown roots (so to speak), opened in October last year, with Jonathan Groff taking center stage as Seymour.This spring, Ricamora returns to the stage in the off-Broadway revival of “ Little Shop of Horrors,” now playing at New York’s Westside Theatre. His screen credits include the CW's Supergirl, NBC's Smash, and the film adaptation of The Last Five Years. He managed a similar feat in the 2011–2012 season, appearing in Bonnie & Clyde and Newsies (earning him a Tony nomination). Jordan recently did double-duty on Broadway, appearing in American Son and Waitress in the 2018–2019 season he reprised his role in the former in a film adaptation for Netflix. The Michael Mayer-helmed production also features Emmy winner Tammy Blanchard as Audrey, Tony winner Christian Borle as Orin Scrivello, Kingsley Leggs as the voice of Audrey II, Tom Alan Robbins as Mushnik, Ari Groover as Ronnette, Salome Smith as Crystal, and Joy Woods as Chiffon, with Stephen Berger, Chris Dwan, Kris Roberts, Chelsea Turbin, Eric Wright, and Teddy Yudain. The staging has extended its run at the Westside Theatre through May 10. Broadway favorite Jeremy Jordan will step into the current Off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors, succeeding fellow Tony nominee Gideon Glick as Seymour beginning March 17.
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