Almost four years after its Broadway debut, Hamilton finally made its way to Pittsburgh and an eager audience at the Benedum Center. And even though it was the second time around for me (the first was recently at a Kennedy Center benefit for music education), all the hype about the Pulitzer and Tony award winning musical still rang true.
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you know that Lin Manuel Miranda’s musical gives history a “shot” in the arm while telling an unlikely story of America’s founding fathers. It is fixated on the political and personal battle between the imperfect hero, Alexander Hamilton, who gave us our banking system and so much more, and Aaron Burr, who just wanted “to be in the room where it happens” and, without giving away any spoilers, was “the damned fool that shot” Hamilton in a duel.
Miranda also has been joined by three of his colleagues in receiving and performing in The Kennedy Center Honors this past year, a first in its 40-plus year history. He shared musical credit with Alex Lacamore, as co-arranger and orchestrator. Just as this musical is about the birth of a nation, the music itself is the foundation or birthing point for Hamilton. Opening night immersed the audience in a massive outpouring of pulsating energy, so operatic in nature, where director Thomas Kail and choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler took full advantage of the score and frequently providing a visualization of its musical landscape.
It was jaw-dropping to watch how seamlessly all of the moving parts connected. How the choreography, rooted in a hard-hitting cornucopia of street styles, somehow still highlighted the score with such finesse. How the direction pursued the movement, even lifting furniture in swirling slo-mo designs for the next scene and even more lyrical when the story flowed onto a turntable.
In establishing a new standard for 21st century musical theater as it dipped into our history books, Hamilton became history unfiltered, seemingly unfolding in real time before our eyes. It was that compelling. But just like the real founding fathers, it broke many barriers.
Racial barriers fell like the British soldiers, so that we saw the characters for their surging passions and not necessarily for the color of their skin. Genders bent as the women in the ensemble, like chameleons, became both American and British soldiers. One became The Bullet. Class distinctions became moot as they all fought (and danced and sang) side by side.
But Hamilton not only celebrated democracy, it literally shouldered that mantle, with juicy parts for an ensemble cast of 25. Hamilton himself was Austin Scott, with matinee idol good looks and the revolutionary’s ambitious charisma to match. He tempered that with a palpable emotional concern for his wife and son, one that elicited a great deal of sympathy. (Scott also concluded his run in the role on January 6, which may have given his performance an extra sense of urgency.) Josh Tower was Burr, the foil for much of the tension and so necessary to the story. He revealed his philosophy in the dynamic Wait for It, bared his soul in The Room Where It Happens and finally acknowledged that The World Was Wide Enough for both of them.
Opening night was well-nigh perfect from the cast, with an audience that waited to really erupt until the very end, afraid of missing something or interrupting the unceasing flow of talent. It was hard to choose: George Washington (Paul Oakley Stovall), full of prerequisite authority, yet relying heavily on Hamilton and assigning him the importance he deserved or a be-bopping, energetic Thomas Jefferson (Bryson Bruce, aka Marquis de Lafayette) or the pivotal James Madison (Chaundre Hall-Bloomfield aka Hercules Mulligan).
Pittsburgh area native Peter Matthew Smith (King George) had, by its very nature, a well-deserved, show-stopping role. He belted his song like a British version of the old codger Statler from The Muppet Show, playing with the difficult skipping intervals, toying with the lyrics, milking every drop of snarkiness (“I will kill your friends and family to remind you of my love”) that the song had to offer. He also had the refrain most people sing on the way out the door (“da da da dat da…”).
Then there were the women, never really destined for a spotlight in the history books. Miranda graciously gave it to them, particularly at the end. Hanna Cruz (Eliza Schuyler) inserted herself into Hamilton’s relentless work with an unrequited love. She was the heart of this production. Stephanie Umoh (Angelica), who had to submerge her own feelings for Hamilton, was a strong, driving force here, an earth mother. Even Isa Briones, in the lesser role of Peggy, skillfully transformed herself into the woman (Maria Reynolds) who brought Hamilton down.
And that brings up the final barrier — a time/space continuum. With Reynolds, the audience is reminded of recent Clinton/Trump/Kennedy escapades. And Miranda was able to weave in a powerful homage to the current issue of immigration, “we get the job done,” since Hamilton was an immigrant himself.
Even the bows at the end were a salute to democracy as the cast formed a chorus line to bathe in the inevitable standing ovation. And yes, even King George was there in the monochromatic beige attire. The transformation was complete…
Recent Comments