Meet Erin Morton, Whose Viral 'Creep' Paved the Way to Her Dream Role in Heathers

Age: 21

Hometown: Jackson, Mississippi

Current Role: Erin Morton is currently playing poor, sweet Martha Dunnstock in Heathers the Musical at New World Stages.

Credits: In April, Morton's impassioned performance of “Creep,” at a college concert showcase event, went nutso on TikTok.

'I Guess It's Not My Time'
Back in the spring, Erin Morton found out that a production of Heathers the Musical was headed to New York. I have to go see this, she thought, screenshotting the announcement on her phone. A junior musical theater student at the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music, Morton also set out to score an audition—the role of Martha Dunnstock in the show being kind of a dream role. On the last day before submissions closed, however, she woke up feeling miserable and unwell. There was no way she could record and submit her self-tape in this condition. I guess, she thought, it’s not my time. 

'Are You Seeing This?'
In early April, at Jam Band, her college’s showcase concert event, Morton performed a soulful rendition of Radiohead’s “Creep,” alternating between delicacy and grit and leaning into the song’s considerable angst. The following day, a video of Morton’s performance was posted on TikTok and—with a little help from White Lotus star Natasha Rothwell—sent shock waves through the internet. For Morton, becoming an overnight internet sensation felt “like a dream.” (At the time of writing, the original TikTok has amassed 15.1 million views.) “I had to put my phone on Do Not Disturb because it was off the charts. My phone was just dinging every second. I got to school and my classmates are like, ‘Are you seeing this?’ And I'm like, ‘Oh, trust. I see what's happening.’” The following week, Heathers came calling. They had seen Morton’s viral video. Would she submit a self-tape?

Who's Up for Waffles?
Growing up in Jackson, Mississippi, Morton enjoyed singing at church services and school talent shows, but it wasn’t until high school that she discovered her true voice. “That's when I was like, OK, I think this is it.” It was discovering musical theater that made everything click. As someone who wasn’t enjoying the easiest adolescence, she relished the opportunity to lose herself in other characters. “I was able to go away for a little bit and be someone else. That's the best feeling as a kid—to just step into someone else's shoes and experience life in a different way.” The sense of community was also life-affirming. “There's nothing like a group of theater kids who rehearse a show, do the show and then go to Waffle House after.” 

Martha My Dear
Morton has a clear memory of discovering Heathers the Musical. “I went over to my friend's house one day and we watched clips and we listened to the music and I was like, 'Oh my god, what is this?'” She felt a particularly strong affinity for the character of Martha Dunnstock, the overweight girl who is given a seriously hard time by her classmates. “I felt very close to her,” said Morton. “She wants a better world and she wants to see the goodness in everyone. I struggled in high school to understand that part because the world is so cruel and people can be so cruel.” One of the key themes of the show—that damaged people inflict damage on others—was something that Morton took to heart. “It’s so important to give people grace.”

What the Hell Am I Doing Here?
After high school—and some to-ing and fro-ing about whether she should pursue dentistry instead—Morton pursued her musical theater dreams to CCM in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was her first time, she said, experiencing a proper acting class, a proper dance class, getting proper vocal coaching. “I've learned so much about myself as a person and as a performer.” Morton considered a number of songs for the April 6 Jam Band event—“Cry” by Kelly Clarkson, “The Greatest” by Billie Eilish, “All I Wanted” by Paramore—but something drew her to the visceral power of “Creep.” “It’s a cry of anguish,” Morton said of the song. “It’s just pouring out all of the dark details of your life and how ugly and harsh you can feel about yourself.” It’s no stretch to say that going viral immediately changed Morton’s life. Apart from acquiring an agent and getting spotted by the Heathers casting director, the outpouring of appreciation from a multitude of strangers was a big vote of confidence. “Junior year is a year where you really question, is this what I'm supposed to be doing? The support that I received from the video really showed me that this career was possible for me. And that I am stronger and smarter and more talented than I think.”

In a Beautiful World
A few short years after she first fell in love with Heathers the Musical and the character of Martha, Morton found herself in New York in rehearsals for that very role in the new off-Broadway production. Even more surreal, the creators Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy were in the room. It was “the best feeling in the world,” said Morton. “I was just so excited to meet them in person and be around them and pick their brains about this character.” According to director Andy Fickman, Morton had a real desire to “drill down on the character and find levels we didn't even know existed." Morton has indeed thought a lot about Martha’s offstage life. “Martha's home life is not the best. She may have had not-so-great parents.” Morton has even talked herself into sharing Martha’s fondness for unicorns. “I was like, I don't understand how a horse can grow wings? But being in character, I'm kind of like, oh, wait, they're kind of cute.”

Flying Through the Dawn
Martha’s big moment in Heathers is “Kindergarten Boyfriend.” It’s a suicide note in song—an astonishingly delicate moment for any production to navigate. On her self-tape, recorded back in Cincinnati, Morton performed the song both on the verge of and in tears. For the audition, Fickman asked her to try a different angle. What if Martha was happy, even hopeful in that moment? For Morton, the perhaps counterintuitive direction unlocked a whole new way of thinking about the song and the character. “She’s thinking about the fact that she will be in a better place, in a better world,” she said. The resulting performance is all the more haunting and poignant for Martha’s starry-eyed delivery. Since June, when Heathers began performances at New World Stages, Morton's “Kindergarten Boyfriend” has been a reliable showstopper. “It's so special,” Morton said, modestly, of the audience reaction. “It shows the warm sentiment that the audience has towards Martha.” Fickman was effusive in his praise for Morton’s performance. “I am in awe of her and love every performance knowing what she will do to that audience.” 

So Very Special
The character of Martha Dunnstock is abysmally treated in Heathers the Musical. Morton, thankfully, has had the opposite experience. The rehearsal period was empowering and the extended Heathers family has been loving and supportive. There is a very clear separation between Martha the character and Erin the actress. “When I am stepping into certain things that might be a lot, I feel safe knowing that that is not how I am perceived and treated in my day-to-day life. They made it very clear that they wanted to make sure that I was OK.” With Heathers having extended through January, Morton’s schooling is on pause for now. “We’re figuring out a plan to somehow hopefully get me to finish out my degree. But," she added, "I'm so grateful that this is where my career started—and so excited to go on this journey and see what happens next.”