Was there a role for Karen Olivo in Hamilton?

She like retired from acting in order to teach. So I'm pretty sure she wouldn't be kicking herself for doing something she wants to do.

I'd like to think Karen Olivo was offered the role of Angelica. In The Revolution, Lin said the melody of "Satisfied" was taken from a song he wrote her for a cancelled album she was working on. When I listened to the album for the first time, I thought Mandy Gonzalez would be perfect as Eliza.

The idea that Olivo is "kicking herself right now" is so silly. She retired from acting, it's not like she retired from acting because she wasn't in anything successful. She made a decision to remove herself from that world at a time she was incredibly successful. I assume she turned down Angelica, because as others have said, it seems like the role was written for her or at least very much inspired by her. But I don't know that at any point she has "kicked herself." It's fantastic that she still participates in weekend runs of shows. I wish I could go see her reprise Anita in LA at the Hollywood Bowl.

And yes, it's a real shame we'll probably never see her play Angelica on Broadway. She'd be out of the world.

A lot younger? I disagree. Entirely.



Would it be different? Sure. Would it be better? Nah. I'm sure it would be wonderful, however.



And definitley, there is no kicking herself. Olivo made choices, ones she seems very much at peace with.

Dreams don't always die, sometimes, they just change.

I think Karen would definitely be an excellent replacement choice for Pippa or Renee and I totally wouldn't put it past her to consider it. Karen has been back from moving to Wisconsin to do random gigs this would be a perfect comeback for her if she wanted to make a return for awhile.

PalJoey said: "Rather than create some icky fiction about a talented woman "kicking herself," why not celebrate the fact that in Karen and Renee we have the gift of two remarkably talented women, both of whom happen to be women of color and both of whom have been connected with developing Lin's work AND both of whom have been recognized by the overall theater community with Tony awards?

Isn't that a better story? And probably closer to reality."

^^^^THIS^^^^



Reminds me of that post a few weeks ago that said if Karen had "played her cards right" (aka ditched the husband and run off with Prince), she would have been set for life. Even though she clearly wasn't interested in or attracted to him and she retold the story to Susan Blackwell with the sentence "he looked at me like I was a pork chop."



That said, I assumed Angelica was written for Olivo, especially since Goldsberry was one of the few who had to audition. I think Mandy might read a little old for Eliza now, but I haven't seen her onstage in a while.

Call_me_jorge said: "She like retired from acting in order to teach. So I'm pretty sure she wouldn't be kicking herself for doing something she wants to do.



"

The one time I agree with Jorge. Does the OP not realize Olivo retired from Broadway? How and why would she be regretting something when it cannot even be considered? Ridiculous.

I never implied she retired from acting, which others have. I specifically said Broadway. I said it for reason... Because that's what she has said.

As PalJoey said, the OP is trying to create some bulls!t story about Olivo's choices that seeks to create a fantasy world in which Olivo turned down the role in some sort of alleged diva move and is now "kicking herself" for it, which more than silly, is a vicious and unnecessary way to twist the events.

It is very likely that Miranda was inspired by Olivo when he wrote the role of Angelica. It is very likely that she would be brilliant in the role. But the truth is that Olivo made a very public decision to step away from the pressures of Broadway--something tells me being a part of such a high-stakes show that became a wild phenomenon is exactly the sort of thing she would avoid. The truth is that Renee Elise Goldsberry auditioned for the role, and that Miranda has said that no one he saw for the part could handle the role like her. The truth is that Goldsberry is giving one of the great performances in musical theatre. The truth is that Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote one of the most brilliant female roles in the theatre, a role that actresses of color will continue to make their own and nail for as long as musical theatre exists.

Karen is not retired. She's made it clear that she is open to opportunities; she's just not actively pursuing them. That's not the same as retirement.

Could some of Angelica's music been written with her in mind? Probably. But she was never part of the development. Anika Noni Rose developed the role before Renee came in.

Co-sign, PalJoey.

funhamilton_rent said: "Yes, there was a role for Karen. She was originally supposed to play Phillip Schuyler, Eliza's brother. That character got booted along with other important characters such as: John Adams, James Monroe, John Barker Church, and John Jay. Oy vey, there were a lot of Johns.



"

haha