32 February 28 • 2019
jn

Here Comes 
Hamilton

Meet the Jews in “the room where it happens.”

H

amilton fans in the Motor City 
are celebrating as the Tony 
Award-winning juggernaut 
about America’
s newly hip Founding 
Father heads to the Fisher Theatre for 
performances March 12-April 21. 
This groundbreaking hip-hop/jazz/
rap/R&B musical, with a nod to more 
traditional Broadway tunes, captures the 
spirit of Alexander Hamilton and the 
Revolutionary War era and boasts plenty 
of Jewish contributions to creator Lin-
Manuel Miranda’
s genius production. 

Lead producer Jeffrey 
Seller, the Oak Park native 
who attended Temple 
Israel and the University 
of Michigan and recently 
donated $1 million to 
Detroit’
s Mosaic Youth 
Theatre, was a proponent 
for the project from the beginning.
“Hamilton’
s story reflects the long 
line of Jewish immigrants who came to 
America’
s shores seeking opportunity to 
better their lives,
” Seller says. “He gets on 

a boat to New York to further his edu-
cation, prospects and opportunities, and 
we see a direct line to the Jews of Eastern 
Europe who came to the United States 
for the same reason.
”
Hamilton shares the Founding Fathers’
 
compelling story. Born out of wedlock, 
he lived on the Caribbean islands of 
Nevis and St. Croix. His mother died 
when he was young, and he was aban-
doned by his father. While still a teen-
ager, he traveled to America, settling in 
New York City. 
Overcoming numerous obstacles 
along the way, he attended King’
s 
College (later Columbia University), 
co-authored the Federalist Papers (a 
series of 85 essays urging citizens to 
ratify the new U.S. Constitution), served 
as George Washington’
s aide during 
the Revolutionary War, founded the 
Federalist Party and the Coast Guard, 
and became the first treasury secretary. 
Along the way, he married and had 
seven children. 
In 1804, at age 47, he was killed in 
a duel by his rival, Aaron Burr, whose 
character’
s story intertwines with 

Hamilton’
s throughout the musical. 
Noted for its groundbreaking casting 
of non-white actors as the Founding 
Fathers and other historical figures, 
Hamilton introduces playgoers to George 
Washington, the Marquis de Lafayette, 
Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and 
others. Some of the actors play dual 
roles, switching to new characters in the 
second act. King George III provides 
comic relief.
Notably, Daveed Diggs, the son of a 
Jewish mother and African American 
father, originated the dual role of 
Lafayette and Jefferson on Broadway and 
won the Tony Award for Best Supporting 
Actor for his inspired performance. 
The Detroit cast includes Joseph 
Morales as Alexander Hamilton, Nik 
Walker as Aaron Burr, Erin Clemons as 
Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, Kyle Scatliffe as 
Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson, 
Marcus Choi as George Washington, 
Elijah Malcomb as John Laurens/Philip 
Hamilton and Fergie L. Phillips as 
Hercules Mulligan/James Madison. 
Miranda read Jewish Pulitzer Prize-
winning historian Ron Chernow’
s biog-

theater
arts&life

ALICE BURDICK SCHWEIGER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

Jeffrey Seller 

SHANE BURKE

A national 

touring cast of 

Hamilton

JOAN MARCUS

