Hamilton cast size

[LindaSmyth]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 4:36pm

I was looking at Hamilton's IBDB page and I was shocked at the size of the current cast.

The show has 21 tracks (so 21 performers on stage), plus 12 swings and 5 standbys (19 performers offstage). A total of 40. 

I was wondering why so many swings? Do the principals call out that often? It seems a bit disproportionate...

[haterobics]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 4:39pm

Don't they use the Broadway version to sort of get a lot of people up to speed and then shoot them off to Chicago or on tour?

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 4:45pm

A couple of the swings are Universal swings, so they swing in and out of all three productions. The only person I know for certain who has this job, is Eliza Ohman.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 4:47pm

Add Antuan Raimone to that list.  Someone posted a story about Hamilton's universal swings on ATC recently.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 4:49pm

Your math is off by 2, but your point stands. That is a lot! I also find it interesting that the Hamilton alternate is in the ensemble, rather than just making the standby also serve as the alternate, and have the 2nd cover be in the ensemble. 

[LindaSmyth]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 6:51pm

JBroadway said: "Your math is off by 2, but your point stands. That is a lot! I also find it interesting that the Hamilton alternate is in the ensemble, rather than just making the standby also serve as the alternate, and have the 2nd cover be in the ensemble. "

Whoops! Thank you for the correction. 38 people total.

There are 3 universal swings: Antuan Rimone, Eliza Ohman and Willie Smith. That still leaves you with 9 swings and 5 standbys, which is still a lot. But, hey, If the producers deem it necessary...more jobs for Boadway performers after all!

 

[asmith0307]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 7:36pm

LindaSmyth said: "JBroadway said: "Your math is off by 2, but your point stands. That is a lot! I also find it interesting that the Hamilton alternate is in the ensemble, rather than just making the standby also serve as the alternate, and have the 2nd cover be in the ensemble. "

Whoops! Thank you for the correction. 38 people total.

There are 3 universal swings: Antuan Rimone, Eliza Ohman and Willie Smith. That still leaves you with 9 swings and 5 standbys, which is still a lot. But, hey, If the producers deem it necessary...more jobs for Boadway performers after all!"

Jennie Harney is a universal standby for the Schuyler Sisters, so she jumps from company to company a lot as well. 

I know they had to bump up their number of swings post-opening because the show is hard on the dancer's bodies - they seem to be steadily increasing the number of swings for the last two years. Some may also be vacation swings as well, so the cast could be a little (for lack of a better word) bloated right now, but I don't know their situation to know for sure. 

Curious if anyone knows when they took Chappelle's male ensemble track off his plate - it was the only thing keeping him in the "swing" group. 

Updated On: 8/8/17 at 07:36 PM

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 7:45pm

Hope Endrenyi is also a universal swing.

[ahhrealmonsters]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 9:42pm

LindaSmyth said: " Do the principals call out that often?"

I don't know how often, but when I saw the show on Broadway about a month ago, there were understudies on for Burr, Eliza, and Washington, plus a few ensemble tracks.

[Rainah]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 9:56pm

The impression I got from a backstage friend is they call out a decent amount, particularly on sundays (She claims they are hoping no one will remember come tuesday) though it really depends on the actor. Some (like Medina) try really hard not to miss a show