Joan Marcus
“It’s time to take a shot.” The long-anticipated tour of the phenomenon that is Hamilton opened at Overture Center on Nov. 20, with all of the energy, electricity and artistry that defined the original production and made it an international sensation.
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s blockbuster is settling into Madison for an extended run through Dec. 8. The tight, extremely talented ensemble of 35 that makes up the “Phillip” cast (named for Hamilton’s son) performs all of the original, demanding choreography that dazzled audiences on Broadway in 2015, while navigating two rotating “revolves” built into the stage floor. A simple set (designed by David Korins) of exposed brick, rough-hewn beams, staircases and a few dark wood desks and chairs, easily makes the trip from New York to fill the Overture Hall stage, leaving plenty of room for the iconic gowns and uniforms, and vocal pyrotechnics showcased on the Grammy-winning cast album.
Based on the biography of Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, the story of the Caribbean-born “bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a Scotsman” who immigrated to American colonies in the 18th century, just as the country was gearing up for the War of Independence from England, is in exceptionally good hands here. The cast is led by Joseph Morales as the brash upstart Alexander Hamilton; Nik Walker as his foe, the calculating, frustrated Aaron Burr; Marcus Choi as a circumspect and introspective George Washington; and the irrepressible Warren Egypt Franklin in the dual roles of Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson.
Morales has the thankless job of trying to perform the title role with as much charisma, energy, anger and complexity as Miranda, the man who wrote and originated it. Morales succeeds most when embodying Hamilton’s more serious side — plotting with Washington about how to win the war, arguing with fellow politicians in rap battles, and realizing that obsessions will ultimately doom him. His romances — both honorable and illicit — could have used more heat. Likewise, his energy seemed low in the first half of the show.
Walker’s Burr, on the other hand, is delightfully infused with personality. The actor’s playful vocal inflections and precise hand gestures give Burr a much more varied inner life than one can hear on the cast album, making the character more complex. Burr is so animated here, he upstages Franklin’s Lafayette, an almost impossible feat. Franklin definitely has the speed and panache required for his two flamboyant roles, and plays Jefferson as a whip-smart, eccentric statesman.
As founding father George Washingon, Choi brings great weight to his scenes. Audiences can almost see the burden he struggles with during the war, and the actor allows the much lauded general to show us that he is more frustrated and pessimistic than any noble statue would let on. It’s a great approach.
Likewise, as ferociously smart and determined Angelica Schulyer, Ta’Rea Campbell has no trouble describing the “revelations” she’s looking for, or the fierce love and loyalty she feels for her delicate sister Eliza (Clemons). And of course there’s the youngest sister, Peggy. Nyla Sostre fills the gowns of both the little tag-along and the sultry Maria Reynolds, a woman who pleads for kindness from Hamilton after being ill-treated by her husband — a husband who would figure prominently in our hero’s political downfall. All three women have spectacular voices that easily scale the demands of the score, and even add extra flair to some well-known passages. Clemons’s Eliza is complicated. She is relaxed and playful while sitting at the piano with her son, and in her final moments onstage she even adopts some of Hamilton’s frantic fervor, to get all of her projects accomplished. Campbell plays Angelica as more of a maternal elder sister than a competitor for Hamilton’s love, which is a fine interpretation. Her resonant, enormous voice is a nice contrast to her two sisters.
Other standouts in the extraordinary cast include Neil Haskell as King George — a plum role that has less than 10 minutes of stage time. Playing up the ridiculous and tantrum-y elements of the mad king, Haskell has a great deal of fun sneering his songs, which were modeled on Elton John’s break-up songs of the ’70s and ’80s. And as Hamilton’s cocky son, Phillip, and his abolitionist friend, John Laurens, Elijah Malcomb, with his bright, high voice, lends his characters extra energy, youth and optimism.
Seeing the show live, rather than listening to the cast album for the 14,000th time, audiences can truly appreciate the almost non-stop movement of the core ensemble cast members, flawlessly executing Andy Blankenbueler’s clever choreography that pulls from many eras and styles. Howell Binkley’s lighting design also becomes its own character, punctuating the entire show, where large scene changes are indicated through color and intensity of lighting rather than huge set pieces or video.
So, is it worth it worth the ticket price? Worth the wait? Is it still thrilling, four years after opening on Broadway? Does it live up to the hype? The crowd that leapt to its feet in the show’s final moments certainly thought so, and I wholeheartedly agree. With lines that reference both immigrants (they “get the job done”) and a political quid pro quo jumping out of the enormous libretto with new resonance, Hamilton is an astonishing work of art that reminds us how complicated, fragile and important the “American experiment” really is.
