Under anticipation piquant tension, an audience waits.
They wait with a combustible enthusiasm. They wait for the beat to drop, the lights to flash, and for a performance worthy of the soundtrack they have played dozens of times.
They were not disappointed.
With a rich, expressive cast, each line of the musical is sung with a profound meaning, a purpose beyond the bombastic that propels the story forward swingingly.
One of the particularly outstanding contributions to this energy was the protagonist, Hamilton, played by actor Tyler Fauntleroy. With a fluid balance of swagger and awareness, Fauntleroy serves the prodigious, ambitious character with expert precision.
From his calculated naivete in “My Shot”, to the overwhelming sense of responsibility in “Non-Stop” and “It’s Quiet Uptown”, Fauntleroy paints a full, real character that bridges the gap of centuries. His performance speaks to the purpose of the musical: to connect and thereby remind the audience of the ubiquity of humanity.
The protagonist is not where the excitement stops. Jimmie “J.J” Jete delivers a classic, cautious Burr, with a strong bass and expressive vibrato. Likewise, Nathan Haydel plays John Lawrence and Philip Hamilton with optimism and charisma, which only enhances the heart-wrenching death of both characters.
However, the “moment you’ve been waiting for” explodes with the incredible stage presence of A. D. Weaver, who plays Washington.
Weaver does not enter the stage so much as pulls the stage towards him. Within the first second of “Right Hand Man”, the audience was left star-struck. Weaver’s booming voice, commanding stance, and intricate range of character invigorates the role of Washington with class and vigor.
For one of the most captivating moments of the night, Lauren Mariasoosay lights up the theater with a rousing performance of “Burn.”
A few moments before Mariasoosay took the stage, a bat fluttered in front of the curtains, encircling the theater. With a unified inhalation, the audience held perfectly still as the actress began her song, fully aware of the frantic mammal passing by her head, Mariasoosay managed to recenter the audience, purely by the silk of her voice, and exacting composure of the stage.
It was a moment not just of professionalism, but of incredible talent. Mariasoosay was not to have the scene taken from her, and with a mellifluous rendition, the audience was given right to her heart.
Noelle Wise (11), an attendee of this production that Sunday night said, “We were all really nervous, but all everyone could talk about afterward was the amount of professionalism she had, and how well she did.”
Sewing the production together in constant motion, the ensemble performed thoughtfully energetic choreography, pulling back and pouncing forward to fabricate spastic change in movement and all-encompassing intrigue.
Particularly, the twist on ballroom dancing featured in “Helpless” and “Satisfied” complemented the actresses’ voices, and epitomized the fun-loving, and technically incredible aspects of the show.
With confluent movement and captivating performances, this production is not one to miss. Don’t throw away your shot! Find more information at: https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/hamilton.
