In tip-top shape, as if no time has passed since its 2015 debut off-Broadway and immense success thereafter, the original company of Hamilton reunited for a rousing performance featuring an intricate medley of songs from the hit soundtrack, bringing the audience to its feet.
Host and Tony winner Cynthia Erivo introduced the castmembers, stating the musical “changed not just Broadway, but how Americans view their own history — or so I’m told,” to crowd laughter. Calling it a “cultural force” and “explosion of joy that spilled onto Broadway’s sidewalks,” she wasted no time in ushering the grand anniversary showcase, a true masterclass in rapid-fire onstage choreography and breathwork.
Beginning with Hamilton (Lin-Manuel Miranda) and Aaron Burr (Leslie Odom, Jr.) themselves, the medley swelled first with “Non-Stop,” with the former then taking over for “My Shot.” Enter stage left Phillipa Soo with “That Would Be Enough,” later completing the beloved trio also featuring Jasmine Cephas Jones and Renée Elise Goldsberry for a brief snippet of “The Schuyler Sisters.” Then came Daveed Diggs with “Guns and Ships” and King George III himself (Jonathan Groff, his second time on the Tonys stage tonight). The quick transitions also gave way to “Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down),” “The Room Where It Happens,” “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story” and “History Has Its Eyes on You,” ending with a short reprisal of “My Shot.” Upon the conclusion of the reunion performance, which clocked in under five minutes, the crowd broke out into uproarious applause and a standing ovation.
The reunion was announced late last month, featuring original cast members coming together to mark the 10th anniversary of the groundbreaking musical from Miranda, who led the performance alongside other original castmembers Carleigh Bettiol, Andrew Chappelle, Ariana DeBose, Alysha Deslorieux, Diggs, Goldsberry, Groff, Sydney James Harcourt, Neil Haskell, Sasha Hutchings, Christopher Jackson, Thayne Jasperson, Jones, Stephanie Klemons, Morgan Marcell, Javier Muñoz, Odom, Jr. (who will be reprising his Tony-winning role as Aaron Burr on Broadway this fall), Okieriete Onaodowan, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Jon Rua, Austin Smith, Soo, Seth Stewart, Betsy Struxness, Ephraim Sykes and Voltaire Wade-Greene.
Hamilton debuted off Broadway at the Public Theater in 2015, transferring to the Great White Way’s Richard Rodgers Theatre that year. At the 70th annual Tony Awards, it made history with a record-breaking 16 nominations and 11 wins including Best Musical. The show went on to receive the Grammy Award, Olivier Award, Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors. Most recently, its Original Broadway Cast Recording became the first in history to be certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America.
The 78th Tony Awards are being broadcast live on CBS and Paramount+ from New York City’s Radio City Music Hall this evening.
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