Cast Members From ‘Hamilton’ Discuss The Impact Of The Musical
Joseph Morales and Nik Walker will lead the second national tour of Hamilton as Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, respectively.
Joan Marcus
Audiences have one more week to be in “the room where it happens” at the Fox Theatre. After a 17 month delay, The Hamilton National touring cast is performing Lin Manuel-Miranda’s Pulitzer Prize-winning musical through September 26. The cast was supposed to take the stage in March of 2020, but the show was postponed due to the pandemic. Over the last year, excitement has grown due to the release of a filmed stage production starring the original cast of “Hamilton” available on Disney+. “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes spoke with Jared Dixon, who portrays Aaron Burr, along with ensemble member and Atlanta native Quiantae Thomas about this award-winning show.
Interview Highlights:
Synopsis of “Hamilton:”
“This is the story of Alexander Hamilton, said Dixon. “Until the musical, he was one of the lesser celebrated founding fathers. His history is caught up in scandal between a questionable relationship, adulterous relationship, with Mariah Reynolds. And his untimely death at the hand of Aaron Burr, from a fatal dual. The story of America then is told by what we call America now — which is an array of colors of cast members, a diverse cast. As many people know, our founding fathers are white men and in our show, they’re portrayed by people of color. The Skylar Sisters are also portrayed by people of color.”
What it’s like for Thomas to perform in her hometown:
“It’s amazing and really overwhelming, said Thomas. “I didn’t know how I would really take it all in. It’s been a lot of work because I am from Atlanta, so I’ve been called to do a lot of things. But when I step out on stage, I pray and I just thank God for the opportunity to do this in my home city. When I was younger, the only thing I knew about was the Fox Theatre. I didn’t know about Broadway, it was just the Fox Theatre. So, I want to be that person that a little kid can see and say ‘Oh, she’s from Atlanta, and she’s doing what she does and she’s doing it amazingly.’ Words can’t really explain how it really feels to perform at the Fox and be from here … I’m truly blessed to be able to do this.”
What it means to be a part of such a diverse cast:
“I’ve honestly learned so much about people and about the world and what it looks like outside of my bubble and my personal experiences, said Dixon. “I’ve learned to make space for other communities and other people’s experiences, as well as their struggles, traumas, their brilliance, and excellence. Having seen on display the different cultural backgrounds we come from shown on the stage as well as outside the show, has made me a better performer and better person more than any other experience.”
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