Two’s Company
An Interview with Christopher Kale Jones and Jenna Coker-Jones

Christopher Kale Jones and Jenna Coker-Jones star alongside each other in the Ford’s Theatre production of Little Shop of Horrors.  They also happen to be husband and wife!  We spent some time with them following a recent rehearsal…

What are your personal associations or histories with this musical?

Chris: This is my first time doing the show – but it’s one that I’ve always wanted to do. I love the character of Seymour, and it’s a part of I’ve wanted to play for a while. And it’s exciting to have this chance to really sort of bite into it – especially in a production that is going to do something new with the story and not just, you know, try to hash out the same old thing. I mean, it’s got all of the same music and dialogue, but at the same time the concept that Coy has put into the show I think makes it really interesting. I think audiences are really going to enjoy it, and I think it’s great that there will be something like a three-month run of the show.

Jenna: Well, at this point I’m just loving it. I’m only 4’ 10” tall, so sometimes it’s hard for people to see me in a particular light. But you know, I’m a little quirky and Audrey’s a little quirky, and she’s definitely a leading lady. And so I didn’t know if they would want to go in my direction for this character since I am a little smaller…and it was really very exciting when we both got offered the roles.

Chris: I’m also looking forward to playing Seymour because I’ve played a number of leading men, and Seymour is kind of like the “anti” leading man … he’s a little nerdy, but he’s also a main character – one of the few who you follow through the whole course of the show and kind of get to live his story.

I know one of the more interesting aspects of your being cast respectively as Seymour and Audrey is the fact that you’re married.  Have the two of you worked together like this on stage before?

Chris: We have; actually, this is our third production we’ve done together.

Jenna: We met doing a show, but we didn’t date then…

Chris: And then soon after we were married – within the first year – we ended up doing another show.  And this will be our third collaboration.

Now, in previous instances, were you involved in different aspects of the show or did you work directly with each other?

Jenna: When we met, we were playing opposite of each other

Chris: We were secondary leads in that show, but we were opposite each other, and we were supposed to be a couple; and then, our next show together was actually Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and I was Joseph…

Jenna: …and I was the narrator – so we worked closely together, but weren’t really opposite each other.

Being based out of NYC, is this the first time you’ve performed in Washington?

Jenna: I’ve been here before on tour, and my family is from Virginia Beach – but yes, I’ve been here on tour … three times I think. I’ve always wanted to do a show here at Ford’s Theatre. I remember coming to see shows here when I was a kid.  It’s like coming full circle – it’s really cool.

Chris: And I’ve never worked here before, although I’ve always wanted to. I almost did a show at the Olney Theatre, actually, a few years ago, but it didn’t work out and since then I’ve been wanting to do a show here in D.C. and I’m excited.

Jenna: It will be great because we’ll be near friends from New York who can come and visit and see us and then get back up [to NYC], but we’re also close enough to family that they can come and see us. So in that way, it’s really awesome – and the fact that we get to do the show together makes it even better.

Have you ever worked with Coy before?

Jenna: No, this is the first time for both of us working with Coy, but we have tons of friends who have worked with him and adore him. He’s been great so far as a director. He started as an actor, so he has an extra knowledge that a lot of directors don’t have. He knows what it’s like to be on the other side, and it’s really nice to have that level of communication.

Chris: It also means you feel that he has his eye on the big picture. He’s very conscious of the process and how it affects the actors, and what they’re going through, which is very nice.

I know, for instance, that Chris, you had your first big break in the national tour of Jersey Boys – how do you like life on the road with a touring production compared to something like this?  What’s your preference?

C & Jenna: (almost in unison) We prefer to be together! (then laughing)

Chris: So, if there were an opportunity for us to do a tour together that would be great. But to be honest, that’s one of the reasons I left Jersey Boys … I loved the show, it was a great cast and everything; but we had gotten married while I was out on tour, and it just got to be too much.  Again, if we could do a tour together I think we would consider it, but probably not otherwise.  It’s too much time apart because you usually have to sign on for at least six months.

Jenna: And besides, our lives are really in New York, now. Our home, our friends – we really feel like that is home.

Speaking of home, tell me about Fender the Boston Terrier!

Jenna: (Laughs.)

Chris: Absolutely – well, he’s the best dog in the world! He was actually here this past Sunday, so if you had stopped by you would have had a chance to meet him. It’s sort of funny – Jenna actually got Fender just as we were getting together, so for the whole time we’ve known each other, we’ve known Fender. He’s kind of like…

Jenna: …our son!  We take him everywhere with us.

So, is he here with you in D.C. for this whole time?

Chris: Yes, he’s here with us in housing, and he’s very well-behaved.

Jenna: Definitely. And he goes on every job with us. When Chris was out on tour with Jersey Boys, Fender was even allowed in the theatre

For both of you … would you say that the stage is your preferred medium for acting?  For instance, Jenna, I read where you have done some TV and some recordings.

Jenna: I love recording – I’d say Chris is more TV and film

Chris: Yeah, I haven’t done much, but I’d say that’s a direction I’d like to take my career in over the next few years…

Jenna: But you miss the live audience. To me, that’s so gratifying. And to know that if something doesn’t go right one night, you can fix it the next night … whereas when you do something on TV or film, once it’s done – that’s it, it’s “in the can” and you can’t really change it and you don’t get to really connect with who your audience is – you know I love that.

Chris: It [live performance] is just a much more visceral experience. When you have someone out there who is reacting in real time to what you’re doing and you can feel that on stage, there is potential for it to even affect what you’re doing as a performer – and that’s an exciting thing. You know, I heard a quote once, “Theatre makes you good, TV makes you rich, and movies make you famous.”  There is something to be said about flexing that muscle – to do eight shows a week, doing the same thing, but keeping it new, and keeping the audience involved … it’s great.

Jenna: I love recording, like in the studio though – I love that. I’ve done lots of rock stuff, and I love that, but it’s a totally different medium. Completely different because you’re not playing a character, you’re playing yourself … so it’s just different.

What’s next on the horizon for you two?

Jenna: At this point we really have no idea. We gave up our apartment in New York because we felt three months down here was a long time. So when this is done we’ll go back, find a place, and hopefully during the course of this show, we’ll go back up there on our days off to audition.

Chris: It’s one of the nice things about a long run like this is that you have some time … I’m actually going to be recording something tomorrow to send in for a show that’s taking place this summer.

Jenna: Whatever it is – it will be great!