Interview: Jared Grimes Taps Into His Comedic Side as Garrett Morris in New SNL Play

Having first entranced Broadway with his tap dancing in After Midnight, Jared Grimes became a star with his Tony Award-nominated portrayal of Eddie Ryan in the recent Broadway revival of Funny Girl, opposite Beanie Feldstein and Lea Michele.

Now, he’s showing off his comedic and dramatic chops in the off-Broadway play Not Ready for Prime Time as Saturday Night Live original cast member Garrett Morris.

TheaterMania recently spoke with Grimes about why this show matters so much to him, how he prepared to portray Morris, and when he is coming back to Broadway.

This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

You gained a lot of fame for your work in Funny Girl. Was becoming a great tap dancer on Broadway your big career goal?
I always aspired to be the next Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Sammy Davis Jr., and Bill Robinson. I also wanted to be Eddie Murphy and Chris Tucker; I was kind of the class clown. Meeting Gregory Hines twice changed my life, and he personally inspired me to show people that I could do anything, whether it be music, drama, comedy or dancing. Now, I walk into any situation with the mindset of letting people know I am more than whatever they think I am.

Did you feel you were type-cast as a tap dancer because you got so much attention for After Midnight?
Coming to Broadway in After Midnight was a great debut, for which I am so thankful and grateful, but from that time on, I’ve been looking for opportunities to do more than just tap dance. It’s why I did A Soldier’s Play on Broadway and Manifest on TV.  And yes, I believe Funny Girl showed many aspects of my talents, but I still wasn’t satisfied that I had showed all my colors. So, when this script got sent to me, I really wanted to do it.

You weren’t born when SNL started. So, what did the show—and Garrett Morris—mean to you before you took on this project?
First, I never liked SNL. I was more of an In Loving Color type of guy. And I also didn’t know Garrett was part of SNL. By the time I got to watch him, he was on Martin. I saw every episode while I was growing up. What I did not know until I got this script is that he was more than an icon of comedic television; he was also a multifaceted talent who could write, sing, and act. Also, without him and the arrows he took, people like me could never have my kind of career. So, I feel it’s my responsibility to do this show for the next African American boy or girl who wants to enter this profession.

What kind of research did you do for his portrayal?
My research consisted of watching every single clip of him I could find on YouTube. I already knew a lot of his cadences from watching him on TV, and I pick up on things like that quickly. Also being around the [Wynton] Marsalis clan, I was used to that New Orleans cadence. Plus, I grew up in North Carolina, so the drawl is similar.

When I was watching Garrett on SNL, I noticed he spoke in his higher register, which meant squishing my vocal cords. But in interviews, he spoke in his lower register, which is similar to mine. That set me free to deliver a middle ground voice in the show. I am not trying to do an imitation of Garrett; it is more about letting the spirit of him use me.

What else did you discover from watching Garrett on SNL?
There is a sadness in his eyes you don’t see in other projects. He was brilliant, but those sketches can be tough to watch. It’s hard for me to know how much was because of politics, racism, or his fear of overshadowing the other cast members. I really don’t know.

Garrett has said he was not always happy about how he was treated at SNL because of his race. Can you personally relate to that feeling?
Growing up in North Carolina as the only Black guy in my neighborhood—my best friend had a Confederate flag in his room that we used to sleep under—I absolutely relate. I had to sneak around with white girlfriends or deal with people who are racists, but who say because you’re talented, you are OK. Today, I try to use people’s ignorance against them and allow them to see the bigger picture about how they are wrong.

Would you want Garrett or anyone else from SNL to come?
I haven’t figured out a way to connect with Garrett. But I think it would be interesting for [SNL creator and producer] Lorne Michaels to come see it. I’d be interested in his take, and see how our show would make him think about what he did or is still doing. Not that I want to be on SNL, but maybe he would see how Garrett and I are the same kind of young Black performer.

When do we get to see you back on Broadway?
Michael Mayer and I have something coming up soon. We talked about this project, which I also wrote, while I was doing Funny Girl with him. It’s a two-hander that is inspired by my relationship with Wynton, who is going to do music. We still haven’t cast the other part. It’s so important to me to tell specific stories about the African American experience and I can’t wait for people to see this.