KELLAMS: This is Ozarks at Large. I’m Kyle Kellams. Some friendly advice if you want to see the national tour of Water for Elephants when it arrives at Walton Arts Center in February: Maybe get your tickets now, because a lot of those seats will be occupied by friends of Grant Honeycutt.
Grant, a graduate of Greenwood High School, is cast as Wade in the production. The tour opens later this month in Baltimore, and Thursday, Wade had a brief break in rehearsals. He says he became aware of the tour’s auditions while finishing his last semester at Oklahoma City University.
HONEYCUTT: I follow Water for Elephants on Instagram because it is my favorite show I’ve ever seen on Broadway, and they said they were having auditions. I filmed some things they wanted to be filmed, sent those in. They asked me back to sing for some specific characters. I sent that in. They asked if I could come to New York and do a callback. I did, and they asked me to stay for the next day. Then, about two and a half weeks later, I found out that I got it.
KELLAMS: Wow. And for it to be the favorite show you’ve seen on Broadway, that’s extra special.
HONEYCUTT: It is. When I saw it on Broadway, right after the show finished, I said, “This is my favorite thing I’ve ever seen. I want to play Wade one day. And this show is going to tour well.” You can mark my words as the exact thing that I said. And here we are.
KELLAMS: Congratulations again. Let me ask — how long has it been since you graduated from Oklahoma City University?
HONEYCUTT: I graduated the first week of May. So just a couple months.
KELLAMS: Wow. When you’re walking across the stage and you’ve got the degree and you’re happy and you’re thinking about your future, you’re probably not yet allowing yourself to think, “I’m going to be in a touring production of one of the best musicals out there.”
HONEYCUTT: I actually came to New York to do my callback during the week of finals. I got back, did my final Thursday, graduated Saturday, and was back in New York for our New York City showcase for school on Sunday. It was a very hectic week.
KELLAMS: What was that final you took?
HONEYCUTT: Business ethics.
KELLAMS: Could you concentrate on it?
HONEYCUTT Not very well. I had just flown in the night before. It was a Gen-Ed. I’m very thankful for my education, but it wasn’t the most interesting class I took while I was there.
KELLAMS: Before Oklahoma City University, you graduated from-
HONEYCUTT: Greenwood High School.
KELLAMS: I’m sure you were on stage in Greenwood.
HONEYCUTT: Yes, I was in all of our plays and musicals there. I also did the Community School of the Arts since I was in second grade. I’ve done shows at the Little Theater and the Young Actor’s Guild. If there was a stage somewhere, I was probably on it.
KELLAMS: When you’re growing up in Greenwood and you’re on stage and you’re looking toward college, are you thinking at that point that a professional career in theater could be something you do?
HONEYCUTT: It is. I have always been a performer and actor. There’s a saying that I don’t know if I completely agree with, but they say if you can see yourself doing anything other than theater, you should probably do it. And I genuinely couldn’t. I cannot see myself doing anything else.
KELLAMS: The show opens in Baltimore, correct?
HONEYCUTT: Yes, sir.
KELLAMS: And after Baltimore — gosh, you look at the list — you’re going to be with this show for a while.
HONEYCUTT: Over a year.
KELLAMS: So how do you pack? How do you get ready?
HONEYCUTT: We get two suitcases and a backpack. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but you can shove a lot in two suitcases. The fun thing is, I can come home. I’m coming home for Thanksgiving and Christmas, so I can unpack and repack some warmer clothes or things like that. Then I’ll be at Walton Arts Center in February. Every couple months I’ll be able to switch out some clothes or shed what I don’t need anymore.
KELLAMS: That’s going to be so cool, to be on stage at Walton Arts Center with a touring production. I’m sure many people in the audience will know you.
HONEYCUTT: That is the thing I’m anticipating the most. I’m so excited to see all my friends and family. It’s also one of the closest locations to my college, so I’m hoping to see a couple of college friends there too.
KELLAMS: This production, of course, is Water for Elephants. Is it true one of your first productions was Horton Hears a Who? that also has an elephant?
HONEYCUTT: Yes. My very first show, when I was taking this very seriously, was Seussical. I was Horton the Elephant. My senior show in high school was also Seussical, where I played Horton the Elephant at Greenwood. So it’s all very cyclical.
KELLAMS: I’m just wondering, if you and I could talk in 50 years toward the end of your Broadway, Tony-winning, Hall of Fame career, what elephant-connected production we might be talking about.
HONECUTT: Maybe that’s Seussical revival. I’ll be back as Horton. Such a fun character.
KELLAMS: I love that. I am so excited for you. I cannot wait to see you in February. Have a great time seeing as much of the country as you can doing this tour.
HONEYCUTT: Thank you so much. I really appreciate that. I’ve already made a lot of amazing friends and the team is incredible, so I can only imagine the memories I’ll make.
KELLAMS: Grant Honeycutt is Wade in the about-to-launch national touring production of Water for Elephants. The musical will be at Walton Arts Center in February in between engagements in Denver and Minneapolis. Our conversation took place last week.
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