Four Inane Questions with Theatre in the Park actor Kyle Anderson

Little Shop of Horrors production shots. // Courtesy Theatre in the Park @ Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center in Overland Park

Theatre in the Park’s outdoor run might have wrapped for the season, but they’re continuing their great musical theatre entertainment indoors with the humorous, sci-fi musical Little Shop of Horrors. The show will run through October 22 at the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center in Overland Park. 

The iconic show—complete with a man-eating plant that sings—is being performed by a local cast. The performance stars Kyle Anderson, who plays the hapless Seymour who’s the owner of said carnivorous plant, Audrey II. 

It’s Anderson’s TIP debut in the leading role after appearing this spring in Vilna: A Resistance Story, at The Lewis and Shirley White Theatre at the Jewish Community Center. He’s also had roles in local productions of Camelot, Titanic, and Newsies. Oh, and rumor has it, he also does a mean Kermit the Frog impression.

We caught up with Anderson just as the show started its run last week to pepper him with our whackadoo questionnaire. He seemed surprised we wanted written answers as opposed to an interpretative dance performance. Bless. 

The Pitch: What would be—in your humble opinion—the worst allergy in the world? 

Kyle Anderson: I think I’d have to say the sun. I’m a big outdoors guy. Camping, hiking, kayaking, hammocking, horseback riding—it’s all my jam. It would be super tough not being able to enjoy God’s good creation. But if I’m being really honest, I get sunburned on a cloudy day, so I’m halfway there already.  

Coming in at a close second? It would be an allergy to sugar. Oh man, I’d have to change so many things about my diet … 

Who would win in a Thunderdome cage match—you or Rick Moranis? 

Oh, gosh. You know, there’s a reason I quit all contact sports in grade school. That being said, I am a very competitive person. I would imagine it going something like this:

Shake hands (manners are important!) … bell rings … we both stand there waiting for the other to make the first move … Icky Ricky charges … I climb to the top of the cage … he waits … I let go from the top as soon as he’s underneath me … he sidesteps my attack and then comes back to deliver a blow as I’m on my back … I smile at him, wave, and then deliver the biggest kick to the face I ever did kick … his glasses and teeth fly everywhere. 

And I raise my hand in victory.

Little Shop of Horrors production shots. // Courtesy Theatre in the Park @ Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center in Overland Park

In all truthfulness, what are your thoughts on the Greater Antilles and the Lesser Antilles?  

Ok, so I actually had to look up what these were. First of all, hot take. Why does size automatically make them “greater” or “lesser,” you know? I’ve always been a smaller guy, and I don’t appreciate lesser being tied to that. Now that I’ve said my piece on that, I’ve been to both Haiti and Dominican Republic, and so I can say Hispaniola is a beautiful place. 

Little Shop of Horrors production shots. // Courtesy Theatre in the Park @ Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center in Overland Park

The people are beautiful, the landscape is beautiful. And the sunsets?! Stop. I’ve particularly had some life-changing moments on mission trips to Haiti, so I’ll always hold those close to my heart. 

What’s the absolute hardest/most difficult song to perform in live musical theater? 

Are you kidding me? I already know I can’t narrow it down to one song.  So, here’s a smattering:

First of all, any song that you have to sing alone on stage is automatically harder in my opinion. “My Petersburg” from Anastasia is probably the song I have felt is the bane of my existence. It’s jumping registers every other beat and finishes off with a long, difficult note. “Not Getting Married” from Company is always a song I marvel at—the breath control! And The ending of Phantom of the Opera? That takes a special kind of singer.  

Bonus 5th Question: What casino game would you absolutely, positively lose the most money playing?

What’s that game where you pull the lever and you have to get three matching pictures? Dude, I would be broke. I’m a “trust your gut” kind of guy, and that game has no opportunity for me to exercise that gift. You just pull the lever and let chance take over—which it won’t because I don’t have that kind of luck. Then I’d be too stubborn to give up because I gotta make my money back. It’s a vicious cycle that I would absolutely get caught in.  

Little Shop of Horrors production shots. // Courtesy Theatre in the Park @ Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center in Overland Park