Thoughts on the current Hamilton BROADWAY cast- Page 2

[chelseaburnside]

Posted: 10/17/17 at 6:51pm

Felt the same as many of you - having seen and loved the OBC, the replacement cast was very underwhelming. Just didn't really seem to pack the punch the way so many of the original cast members did. Also, I think this is an unpopular opinion but I hated Javier's Hamilton, compared to Lin. Hamilton felt like a totally different - way less likeable - character. I'm seeing the LA cast a few times in the coming weeks and I've heard great things so I'm very excited to see what they bring. 

[amysea]

Posted: 10/17/17 at 8:38pm

mariel9 said: "I've also found, though, that people who didn't see the OBC are happier with the current cast."

This thread has been a little disheartening for me, but I hope what you say is true! I’m just obsessed with the obc recording and could probably sing it for you word for word (albeit terribly). I actually managed to get tickets this last release and I’m finally going to see it for the first time in April and can hardly contain myself...but based on this thread I really hope the cast lives up to expectations. I know I’m not seeing the obc and there will be different takes on the characters, but I honestly can’t imagine not absolutely loving it.

[QueenTwinnied]

Posted: 10/17/17 at 8:41pm

I saw Hamilton for the first time this summer so I'll throw in my two cents:

Donald Webber Jr was a wonderful Hamilton. He has a beautiful voice and the rapping sections were on point. He plays Hamilton with a young, energetic cockiness that I really enjoyed. 

Lexi was Eliza, and I'm honestly still conflicted about her performance. Some songs were very strong (Helpless, Stay Alive Reprise, WLWDWTYS) but other songs completely lacked an emotional punch (Burn, That Would Be Enough). She has a lovely voice but she didn't really deliver the emotional gutpunch I expected from Eliza. 

Jennie Harney (Hamilton's universal Schuyler Sister) was Peggy/Maria. Anyone who gets to see her as any Schuyler Sister is lucky because she has a stunning voice. Kudos to her for being able to play all three sisters and be on call to perform in any of the three productions. She's an incredible talent!

Andrew Chappelle was Lafayette/Jefferson. I was disappointed that JMI was out, but Andrew was fantastic. His rapping as Lafayette was great and and his Jefferson was wacky but also sinister. I was thoroughly impressed by his performance. He gave me everything I wanted out of both characters. 

Anthony Lee Medina was Laurens/Phillip. Honestly one of the standout performances. Anthony is fantastic!

Jevon McFerrin was Mulligan/Madison. He was fine, but Mulligan/Madison is not a character I tend to care about tbh.

Euan Morton was KGIII. I tend to agree with people who aren't a fan. He completely drained the comedy out of KGIII, which was a massive disappointment for me because I really appreciate KGIII as a comedic character. He got very few laughs from the audience and came across as nasty. I guess that's just his take on the character, but I wasn't really a fan. 

Lastly, Bryan Terrell Clark was Washington. He has a very strong voice and a great stage presence, but I found his performance somewhat unmemorable as others have stated above. 

I saw Syndee Winters as Angelica (she has departed the company) and Gregory Treco as Burr. I thoroughly enjoyed Treco's performance and I'm glad he is performing the role full-time in Chicago.  

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 10/17/17 at 9:38pm

Hamilton, despite the ups and downs of the current cast, is still a good show to me, mainly because the show’s core is really, really good.

What we’re seeing now are the inevitable comparisons in cast members. What I’m about to say will likely ring true to many who saw the OBC and have seen a recent cast: the OBC were unicorns and the current cast are horses. Horses can be great, but they’re never going to be a unicorn. This seems most true about the Daveed Diggs vs Seth Stewart vs James Monroe Inglehart argument.  Daveed was a unicorn. His performance deserved every nomination, award, and accolade it got him. Every other Lafayette/Jefferson is trying to catch that and honestly, they can’t. I wish everyone could have seen Daveed’s performance. His Jefferson was great, but his Lafayette was amazing, I’ve seen quite a few Jefferson/Lafayette’s and Andrew Chappelle comes closest for me. His energy, swagger, and overall stage presence really works in the role. Chris Lee in Chicago has grown TREMENDOUSLY in the role. I saw a first week performance in Chicago and two other times since and it doesn’t even seem like the same guy out there. He always had a solid Jefferson, but his Lafayette his improved by leaps and bounds. JMI wasn’t bad, but I felt like he was holding back. His performance wasn’t that memorable. I didn’t like Seth Stewart’s take on the role, but loved his dancing any time he was on stage. I just don’t feel like he was the right fit.

The current cast is lucky to have Anthony Lee Medina as Laurens/Phillip. He nails it and I think his performance is as good as Anthony Ramos. I meet even give the edge to Medina. Seeing him is great.

The ladies in the show set the bar high and created what we think the roles are like. Lexi doesn’t sing like Soo did and Mandy isn’t Renee. We won’t see that again unless they ever choose to come back. Lexi is better then she was initially. Her voice has gotten stronger, but I still feel like she doesn’t always make the greatest acting choices. Her Burn and and acting in It’s Quiet Uptown didn’t have enough emotion.

Daniel Breaker is a great Burr. I don’t have much more to say then that. I think he’s one of the most underrated younger musical theater actors and I hope his stint as Burr continues to open doors for him.

I like Javi as Hamilton. I have since day 1. I think he sings better, dances better, and shows a wider array of emotions then Lin did. But Javi has been plagued by injury and illness and i’ve heard mixed reviews on the Hamilton covers. I saw Jevin McFerrin early in his run and I didn’t find much to celebrate in his portrayal, but all reports seem to indicate he’s improved.

In a perfect world, Nik Christopher will come back as Washington. He had the power, emotion, and presence that Washington needs. Clark sang well enough, but didn’t produce any of the emotions I got from seeing Chris Jackson or Nik Christopher.

if you’re familiar with the OBC, this cast will come off as very different because they are. If your exposure has been limited, I think you’ll have a great time and not get why people are complaining

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 10/17/17 at 9:48pm

oncemorewithfeeling2 said: "Hamilton, despite the ups and downs of the current cast, is still a good show to me, mainly because the show’s core is really, really good."

Yes, this. An important point. I only nitpick this show and its performers to an extreme because the material of Hamilton is so unquestionably brilliant that it deserves every aspect of a performance to be equally well-done. I've disliked a number of replacement cast members but I've never walked away disliking the show itself. It's exceptional, without fail.

On another note, does anybody know when we might expect another round of cast changes? January marks a year since Clark and Johnson joined the cast. Didn't somebody say Ana Villafañe was to be the next Angelica (pretty please!)?

[hamiltonstradition]

Posted: 10/17/17 at 11:35pm

QueenTwinnied said: "Andrew Chappelle was Lafayette/Jefferson. I was disappointed that JMI was out, but Andrew was fantastic. His rapping as Lafayette was greatand and his Jefferson was wacky but also sinister. I was thoroughly impressed by his performance. He gave me everything I wanted out of both characters."

Andrew should really be a full-time lead. He is AMAZING, in every single role he covers, Mulligan/Madison/KGIII/Burr/ and of course, Jefferson. (although maybe not Phillip due to him being so tall!)



 

[JayElle]

Posted: 10/17/17 at 11:57pm

Ah, BwayConcierge..."Iglehart felt like he was doing a karaoke club version of Daveed Diggs’ Laf/Jef. Javi is giving an exhausting performance, but you can see and feel it exhausting the hell out of him. "

I always enjoyed your Comet comments, and you succeeded in this.  I've seen Ham multiple times...>10....in it's first 18 mos.  I happened to be with folks who did the cancel line on July 4th weekend and insisted I go in with them.  I was appalled at what I saw.  Iglehart...granted older than Daveed and those that followed....couldn't dance worth a damn...I couldn't believe what I saw. I told my friends....who loved it...that I had to leave at intermission. In reality, I didn't want this performance to ruin my memory of what came before it.  Andrew Rennells was terrible as the King.  The lead roles except Javier were understudies.  

I thought it was just me b/c everyone seems so excited on the ticket lines.  I ran into one of the folks who gives out the headphones.  He saw the show a gazillion times over its performances. He likewise closed up shop since no one wanted headphones and headed out the door after the first few numbers. I consider myself lucky that I got to see all the originals leave as their time came to goRamos, Washington, Diggs, Lin, etc.  But the 3rd or 4th string....no way....I'm astounded they still get the $800.  A rep at ticketmaster told me that sales had fallen off considerably....I had called about a different show.

I guess misery loves company.  Yes, I thought it was terrible.  Even the Springsteen reviewer in the NY Times, I think, referenced how boring Ham seems in comparison....

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 12:02am

Popping back in to say it makes me so happy that every comment about Anthony Lee Medina on here has been in universal praise. He is beyond wonderful. Already can't wait to follow his career.

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 12:45am

While I understand the instinct to say "nothing can capture the magic of the originals," I don't think that's the case. Having seen the original Chicago cast and the original tour cast, they both matched the "magic" of the original cast as far as I'm concerned. Certainly there were some performers better than others here and there, but overall the experience was still terrific. The current Broadway cast is fine, and the show still works, but there's something missing.  

[Rainah]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 1:36am

I think part of it is that an opening cast is going to be stronger for any production because they have all those rehearsals together and build that chemistry that is so essential. Replacements all coming in at different times, less so. 

But part of it is also that the New York company needs to step up their casting game. The first 'new administration' of replacements contained a lot of mistakes (I don't think I've met a single person who was a fan of Seth Stewart in the role... he's great, just horribly miscast) and they're still working to improve. Lexi needs to go. Mandy either needs stronger direction or a replacement. Chris Lee in chicago showed that it is possible to follow Daveed, surely someone else out there exists who can do the role as well as those two.

Anthony Lee Medina is a gift to this production and should be offered a raise and an extension. Absolutely blew me away, and in one of the roles I am most picky about (Laurens being my favourite character). I wish Alysha would have stayed longer, she gives a fantastic performance as well. 

And for Washingtons... have yet to see one that can hold a candle to Chris Jackson. Dude was an absolute powerhouse, but they also seem to be casting for 'imposing' rather than someone who can fulfill all the requirements of the role. Cast for presence, imposing can only get you so far.

[Rainah]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 1:40am

On the other hand, happy to see the praise for Breaker as Burr. I was not a fan of BVD so looking forward to something new. 

I'm seeing the show again in January with the cancellation line, waiting to see if there's any new casting before I decide if I'm going for the cheap standing room that cut off the upper part of the stage or to spring for the full seats. 

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 7:19am

Saw the show this past weekend.

Javi - solid, proficient performance, his sheer talent and commitment carry the show well, in a sense, but...  does anyone agree that his Hamilton might lack Lin's playfulness, irresistible warmth and charisma?  I find it easy to like Munoz (why not?), but not so easy to be emotionally invested in his Hamilton.

Lexi - I so wanted to love her, but though she has a few strong moments, she mostly failed to make much of an impression on me at all

Mandy - I wanted to love her too, but I really didn't, and wonder if she's really right for the role (this may well be a case of a great talent replacing an equally great talent who was beyond dazzling and singularly right for the role)

Breaker - his very strong chops very much in evidence, but I also have doubts about the casting, especially opposite Javi; if Javi lacks warmth as Hamilton, Daniel is perhaps a bit too naturally warm as Burr (not just in his private moments when his warmth should shine through, but in his social persona); the dynamic between the characters' personalities, so central to the story, is way off balance.

JMI - His Lafayette is - no way to say this nicely - a disaster, but what a difference an intermission makes!  His Jefferson, with generally (though alas not always) better diction when he's freed from the French-ish, is delightful.

Euan- wonderful!  enjoyed him immensely and so it seemed did everyone else in the audience, he's perfectly cast and clearly enjoys himself every minute (a case of apparent actor-indulgence perfectly in line with George's own conceits), wit and style in abundance, weaving some fascinating underplay into the numbers

Nik - quite simply the best thing in the show, as all good commanders should be, commands with unforced natural authority, beautifully sung

Anthony Lee Medina - lovely and very touching, memorable as both John and Philip

Joanna - loved her!   adorable as Peggy, very sexy as Maria, sang both parts very well

Thayne - a lot of fun as Seabury, an outstanding member of the ensemble, and, it needs be said, so damn cute!









 

Updated On: 10/18/17 at 07:19 AM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 7:31am

If someone had the option to see either the Tour, Chicago or Broadway production I would tell them to go see the tour. 

[SchuylWERKsister]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 8:34am

^ I agree.

My dream cast would be the tour cast but with Karen Olivo as Angelica. Aubin Wise or Samantha Ware as Peggy/Maria, and the Chicago Lafayette. That would take all of my money.

[nolanativeny]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 8:40am

I'm glad it wasn't just me. I saw Hamilton about a year ago, and was the first of many of my friends to see it. I wanted to love it so much, but I didn't quite. I did think BVD was good, but it took me a bit to warm up to him. Really wanted to like Mandy, but it felt like something was missing. Seth Stewart completely missed the mark for me. I did like Nicholas Christopher as Washington, but he's in Miss Saigon now (how long was he in the role?). Felt like an off night to me but perhaps I was too saturated with the OBCR to be able to appreciate the new people.

That said I have listened to the Wicked OBCR countless times and always am blown away by the show (even saw it in Seoul and loved it, actually one of the Korean Elphabas was my favorite Elphaba I've seen, wish I could find my program to remember her name), so maybe it was the Hamilton cast that night not being great. 

[thebookofwhizzer]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 8:49am

I saw this show in December on a lottery win- and I was so happy with the cast because I was just in shock of the whole experience but here is my thoughts on the cast I saw

Javi- I LOVED him as Hamilton, this was pre injury and I was very happy with his performance.

Brandon Victor Dixon- He was amazing as Burr, his parts in Non-Stop were a highlight of the show. 

Mandy Gonzalez- I am probably one of the only people who actually liked Mandy Gonzalez's performance. Her satisfied was wonderful but I do prefer her in In The Heights than in Hamilton.

Lexi Lawson- Lexi was definitely not the best but I didn't mind her performance (as someone else said I might have seen her "on" night) 

Seth Stewart- Seth was definitely a weak link- I hated his Lafayette and the accent he used. I thought his Jefferson was ok, but not the best

Nicholas Christopher- I don't see people mentioning him much on here but i LOVED him in the show. His One Last Time was amazing and I hope he's doing good in Miss Saigon

Jordan Fisher- GREAT. Jordan really shone in this show. He was one of the best in the show.

Jevon Mcferin- I saw Jevon as Madison/Mulligan and he was ok. I didn't think much of him but I definitely liked his Madison better.

Rory O'Malley- he was by far the BEST performance of that night. He was magical. Can't wait to see him on tour.

the show is amazing and deserves the praise, but some casting should be changed imo.

[ladypresent]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 11:34am

the cast recording is better than the stage show. 

[michaelhale]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 12:34pm

I saw the show for the first time ever on 9/27 for the matinee, I don't have my cast slip on me but I'll comment on the people I remember:

-Mandy was... listen, I just don't get why she's doing this role. Satisfied is one of my favorite songs of the album and she seemed to be struggling during it, especially the rap sections. It was disappointing and I am hoping I get the chance to see this show again with a more suited Angelica one day. 

-I had Jevon as Hamilton and I loved him- very high energy!

-Anthony Lee Medina was great as Laurens/Phillip, I am not familiar with the originator of that role (I am a very mild Hamilton fan lol) and he seemed indistinguishable to me.

-J Quinton Johnson.... looks so young! I loved him but he felt so much younger than everyone else! He's so cute he captured my heart, though, and I plan on following his career but it just struck me a lot that he's just so tiny lol

-Joanna J Jones has such a beautiful voice her Maria was so lovely. 

-I didn't care for Lexi's Eliza but it wasn't awful. 

-I loved loved the Lafayette/Jefferson I saw but I don't know who it was, as well the Burr went from good to great performance-wise over the course of his performance, and the Washington put on a great performance. Later I'll get back with who they were, can't remember if they were understudies or not besides that Lafayette/Jefferson was an understudy for sure.

Ultimately, though: it's a good show. I was only a mild Hamilton fan before, with some major hang ups about it and had only heard half the album (which is probably why Mandy disappointed me so much, Satisfied was pretty much my most anticipated moment lol), but seeing the show was great regardless! I feel the cast is giving it their all, just that maybe the casting isn't that great in some areas? And definitely some parts are just better on the OBC recording- but it's still a worthwhile show to see. As long as you don't get too caught up in "oh but I wish I was seeing the OBC" there's some real great moments in there. 

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 2:40pm

After reading these remarks, I'm glad I caught the Broadway production twice early in its run, although Christopher Jackson was out both times. Also glad I caught the Chicago production (which I actually preferred) twice last November.

[rachelfran]

Posted: 10/19/17 at 10:27am

I saw the OBC way back when and was suitably astonished.  I've been playing the lottery ever since and finally won and went to yesterday's matinee with my daughter who had been dying to see it.  Sitting in the front row adds it's own splendor to the show which brings so much more appreciation to the chorus who work so hard throughout the show ... 

We were underwhelmed by the women -- particularly Lexi Lawson who really felt like she didn't belong on a Broadway stage .. Low energy, off tune ... just off.  Mandy Gonzalez was better but not comparable to the original.

 

Jevon McFerrin as Marquis/Jefferson had great face and mannerisms and dance but his voice as distracting and hard to understand lyrics.  Disappointing.

 

Donald Webber as AH and Daniel Breaker as Burr -- were both great.  Euan Morton as King George was funny.

Regardless -- I'd see it again in a heartbeat.

[Babe_Williams]

Posted: 10/19/17 at 11:08am

I saw it last winter with Lexi Lawson and was incredibly underwhelmed by her. Ari Ansafar in Chicago gave a much more moving performance IMO. I did not get to see Mandy, as Syndee Winters was filling in and I thought she was excellent. I did really really like Bryan Terrell Clark as Washington though. I thought he was amazing.

Updated On: 10/19/17 at 11:08 AM

[Jaina]

Posted: 10/19/17 at 8:30pm

So glad it wasn't just us that were underwhelmed! My girlfriend and I saw it twice last week, mostly because the Wednesday afternoon matinee I'd bought tickets for almost a year ago was so underwhelming, we figured the only solution was to throw more money at it and try the cancellation line on Friday. Here's who we saw and our thoughts (apologies in advance for the essay!):

WEDNESDAY MATINEE

Hamilton - Jevon McFerrin: He was fine, played the role more upbeat and funny than we were expecting, but he was enjoyable to watch. Not the best of the cast, and certainly not the worst. 

Aaron Burr - Nik Walker: TBH, he ruined the entire performance for me. I'm sure there's roles he'd be good in (I kept picturing him as Jafar), but this wasn't one of them. He either didn't understand, or wasn't capable of portraying any of the subtleties that made Leslie Odom Jr.'s Burr so relatable, and basically just played him as a straight-out villain, which I hated. Burr's my favourite character so I did have super high expectations, but his portrayal barely made it off the ground for me. His rapping also seemed to be off-rhythm, or like he was trying to change up the rhythms a bit to make them his own, but it didn't really work. His "Room Where it Happens" performance was well sung and very energetic though! 

Eliza - Lexi Lawson: Mixed feelings from both of us. I didn't like her on Wednesday, although my partner thought she was good. Her singing was good (must have improved since she started), but I just don't think anyone could have lived up to the vision of Phillipa Soo as Eliza I had in my head (having never seen the OBC live). To be fair, I did enjoy her performance more on Friday, whether it was because I was more mentally prepared, or she gave it more energy on a Friday night I don't know, but I didn't mind her so much then. On a side note - we both saw her previously in the Broadway Tour of Rent as Mimi and enjoyed her performance in that role. We also "saw" Renee Elise Goldsberry as Mimi in the filmed final Broadway performance of Rent, and didn't like her in that role at all, so I think the main issue here is miscasting. 

Angelica - Mandy Gonzalez: My girlfriend thought she was fine, wasn't blown away or anything, but thought she was decent. She didn't quite do it for me for some reason that I couldn't quite put a finger on, but I think it was because to me she looked a little too old for the role (next to Lexi and Joanna). Her singing was decent, but her rapping seemed to be a bit slow and/or off tempo. 

Washington - Carvens Lissaint: He was decent, strong voice for the most part, although it sounded like his voice was going by the end of the show both times. We enjoyed his performance for the most part though, and both of us thought he was good.

Lafayette/Jefferson – James Monroe Iglehart: 100% agree with previous comments, his Lafayette was laughable (and not in a good way), but he definitely rescued himself a bit with Jefferson. Interestingly, I read an interview with him from when he started with the cast, saying that the French accent wasn’t the hardest part for him, though I think pretty much everyone who has seen him would disagree. We didn’t mind his Jefferson, he definitely didn’t bring as much energy to the role as we were expecting, but we enjoyed watching him. I don’t think anyone will live up to Daveed Diggs though.

Mulligan/Madison – J. Quinton Johnson: He was decent. Having not seen any other actors in the role I’m going to guess that his Hercules was average, nothing really stood out for me, but he didn’t disappoint me either. My girlfriend thought his Madison was really good, I’m a little iffier, but again, definitely not disappointing in any way. A solid but probably not stand-out performance.

John Laurens/Philip – Anthony Lee Medina: He was great, definitely one of the highlights for me. Played them exactly how I pictured both characters. Although, I do wonder how much of that is because he looks so similar to Anthony Ramos? Anyway, his performance was one of two high points of the matinee for me.

Peggy/Maria – Joanna A. Jones: Not much to say other than she was the second high point for me. Amazing voice, an absolutely adorable, likable Peggy (my favourite performance of a Schuyler sister I’ve seen), and a stunning and moving Maria. A great performance, I definitely plan to watch what she does after Hamilton! Her and Medina both stood out for me, but I think she’d have to be my favourite of the two.

King George – Euan Morton: We enjoyed him, although my girlfriend describes his performance as “a little too Mr. Bean-like” for her. He definitely seemed to enjoy himself, and having been lucky enough to sit in the third row on Friday night, he was fun to watch up close.

Other: Really enjoyed watching Neil Haskell’s Charles Lee, and just his dancing in general. My girlfriend couldn’t take her eyes off of him in the ensemble. His background acting was spot-on too.

FRIDAY EVENING (if different from Wednesday)

Hamilton – Javier Munoz: So much better as Hamilton. Much better at conveying the emotion, and you could feel his familiarity and comfort with the material; not in the sense that he was bored with it, but that he could find nuances and moments that Jevon couldn’t. To be honest though, there were some of the funny moments from Jevon’s performance that would have been fun to see again, but overall this is how I pictured Hamilton in my head.

Aaron Burr – Daniel Breaker: I can’t even begin to describe how relieved I was from the moment the performance started. A much more relatable and enjoyable performance, great voice, excellent portrayal, and much more chemistry with Munoz than between Jevon and Nik (although that might be because they don’t get to perform together as often). Still didn’t live up to the vision of Leslie’s performance I have in my head, but he’s right up there.

John Laurens/Philip – Donald Webber, Jr.: Not as good as Anthony Medina, but decent. His performance didn’t really stand out as particularly good or bad, I expect he’ll get better with some more practice in the role.

 

 

[RndmAnswrs4RndmQstns]

Posted: 10/19/17 at 8:55pm

Funny, I feel the opposite about J. Quinton Johnson than your girlfriend. I thought his Madison was supremely underplayed, but his Mulligan was energized and solid. Guess different people see different things (or different days bring out different things! :) )

[Jaina]

Posted: 10/19/17 at 10:13pm

Very interesting! I guess a lot of it really does depend on the person's point of view! I think I lean your way too, although I'll admit he really didn't stand out all that much to me, either good or bad. He did seem pretty consistent between the two performances we saw though, so that was good. It was a very different experience overall the Friday night vs. the Wednesday though, but maybe we'd just tempered our expectations, lol.

[MyLife]

Posted: 10/20/17 at 9:12am

I fell in love wit Nik Walker's Burr and preferred him to Dixon and Breaker. Of the 6 Burrs I have seen, he stood out and ties for second, along with Harcourt, behind Odom. I'm sorry you didn't enjoy him. I found his Burr heartbreaking because of how subtle it was, and I loved how the subtly contrasted with his size because he's a tall dude!