HAMILTON Principal Cast Replacements — Page 55

poisonivy2 said: "RicardoMagon said: "Great review. I'm surprised to see all the negative reviews for the current Angelica and Eliza. I think alot of people don't realize how tricky it is to play Angelica. I always think of Angelica as a baker's wife role. You have to have an amazing actress to pull it off or else she just fades in the background. Renee definitely earned her Tony because you could see so much emotion and so much regalnes and pride despite her character not given much to do in act 2. Lin said Angelica is the smartest person in the whole show. You have to believe that when she's onstage. Renee said in a different time, Angelia could have been president. You have to believe that. I think someone like Heather Headley would exude all of what Angelica should be like Renee did."

I feel like maybe Lawson and Gonzalez have gotten a bit stale? They've been with the show for a long time and just didn't exude much energy. I'd love to see, for instance, what Denee Benton could do in the role of Eliza."

They were always stale. 

I was at the Broadway show on Tuesday, and I agree with the reviews of a lot of previous posters. I last saw the Broadway production in Sept 2016, and at that time I actually really enjoyed Mandy Gonzalez and Lexi Lawson’s performances. Both of them have SHARPLY degraded.

I could barely hear Mandy, she was singing way too high during Satisfied and seemed to be phoning it in at times, especially during the last song, when she was actually smiling as Hamilton is dying/walking off the stage. I will give her this - she was fascinating to watch during Helpless, when she did display the right mix of concealed regret/sadness.

Lexi wasn’t as obviously bad but she seemed kind of robotic/bored with a lot of it. At least Joanna Jones is very good as Peggy/Maria. 

Luwoye and Breaker were on and both were fantastic. FANTASTIC. Luwoye has a magnetism that I have not seen in other Hamiltons, and his performance is highly layered (I saw Lin, Javi and Miguel Cervantes.)

I don’t think I totally appreciated the role of Laurens/Phillip until I saw Anthony Lee Medina play it. He has this intense charisma that makes his respective deaths much more devastating.

I agree with whoever said Iglehart is questionable as Laf (unusually bad accent, also seems too old for that role) but fantastic as Jeff, even if he forgot half his lines in the last song. However, I saw Colby Lewis in Chicago a few months ago and vastly preferred his more youthful energy.

Sean Green was on for Mulligan and he was fine. I was disappointed that Wallace Smith hadn’t started yet - Madison was another character I never understood until I saw his hilarious take on the role in Chicago.

I was not impressed with Euan Morton as KG3. Andy Call in Chicago is a million times funnier.

In general, if I had the choice to see Broadway or Chicago, I’d pick Chicago in a heartbeat. Not only are the tickets cheaper (or probably the same price if you count airfare), the energy from the cast is much more intense. It’s almost like this is a show that lends itself to young, scrappy, hungry actors, as opposed to Broadway veterans.  

@Trenabee, I saw your son Friday evening.  He was fantastic!!  One would never know he had just started performances a few days earlier. I'm seeing it again July 3rd.

nmlhats said: “ Lexi and Mandy are stiiiiiilllllll there."

 

FFS can Mandy leave this show already?! LOL I’m with you tho- not going back until there’s some new sisters. Still hoping for Ana Villafane as Angelica!

 

Hearing some of these reports of the current shape of the Broadway show, is it something that LMM is staying involved with? We always hear about Andrew Lloyd Webber and Hal Prince STILL going back to Phantom and making sure it's staying in good shape, it sounds like Hamilton could use a tune-up perhaps with some input from Lin himself or at least some people involved with the original staging

BroadwayMan5 said: "Hearing some of these reports of the current shape of the Broadway show, is it something that LMM is staying involved with? We always hear about Andrew Lloyd Webber and Hal Prince STILL going back to Phantom and making sure it's staying in good shape, it sounds like Hamilton could use a tune-up perhaps with some input from Lin himself or at least some people involved with the original staging"

LMM I think does stay involved BUT that wouldn't make Mandy leave. He has a professional relationship with Mandy that dates back to In the Heights. 

starcatchers said: "robskynyc said: "nmlhats said: “Lexi and Mandy are stiiiiiilllllll there."



FFS can Mandy leave this show already?! LOL I’m with you tho- not going back until there’s some new sisters. Still hoping for Ana Villafane as Angelica!

"

 



I know I’m in the minority, but that sounds...not good. She’s also a bit young.



On on an unrelated note, has anyone had any luck getting standing room recently?"

 

Angelica was 24 years old when Alexander married Eliza. 

Ana is 29, Mandy is 39. I’d say Ana is better suited for the role.

Solipsist234 said: "robskynyc said: "starcatchers said: "robskynyc said: "nmlhats said: “Lexi and Mandy are stiiiiiilllllll there."



FFS can Mandy leave this show already?! LOL I’m with you tho- not going back until there’s some new sisters. Still hoping for Ana Villafane as Angelica!

"

Rene



I know I’m in the minority, but that sounds...not good. She’s also a bit young.



On on an unrelated note, has anyone had any luck getting standing room recently?"



Angelica was 24 years old when Alexander married Eliza.

Ana is 29, Mandy is 39. I’d say Ana is better suited for the role."

Renée was in her early 40s when she originated the role, so...

Quite honestly, if you're going to cast Angelica in any production of this show, agecertainly plays a part, considering she's supposed to be Eliza'solder sister (which is why some productions have cast Eliza as a lot younger that the actress playing Angelica, i.e. Rachelle Ann Go and Rachel John in London, Ari Afsar and Karen Olivo/Montego Glover in Chicago, etc.)"

Exactly. Villafañe looks very young. (Also, to be honest, I don’t love the idea of her acting as Angelica) 

for the record, I did end up getting standing room as the matinee was starting. Jevon McFerrin was on as Hamilton. Nothing particularly standout to report, but I really enjoyed him. Gregory Treco was on as Washington and I LOVED him. I wanted to see him as Burr back in the day but never got a chance. 

Miles2Go2 said: "Didn’t I read that there is a camera installed so he can check in remotely to any performance?"

Each performance definitely gets filmed, but not specifically for Lin. I’m sure he gets the same tapes the dance captains, associate directors and stage managers get.

I wonder if Lin and co don’t want to let Mandy go, because of how close they are? I just wish Mandy and Lexi got bigger offers for another show....

Call_me_jorge said: "I just wish Mandy and Lexi got bigger offers for another show...."

I just wish they would be gracious and let new actresses take on these immensely special roles. Angelica and Eliza are too beautifully written to have actresses phoning them in two years into their runs. It's time to step aside.