History is happening in Manhattan, specifically on West 46th street. Since July, Hamilton, the sold out musical phenomenon, continues to revolutionize musical theatre eight shows a week. For women specifically, the show is especially groundbreaking, as much of the story revolves around The Schuyler Sisters: three passionate women who made their marks on history during the birth of America. Beyond their impact on our history, the three actresses who play the sisters, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Phillipa Soo, and Jasmine Cephas Jones, are teaching a valuable lesson to women in musical theatre about appreciating each other in a world where we are finally being ‘included in the sequel (WERK!).’
On January 13th, I was lucky enough to see Hamilton live. I had expected to be impressed by Schuyler sisters’ live performance, but I hadn’t anticipated the relationship they had with each other onstage. From the recording, one assumes that Angelica is the strongest, Eliza is the kind one who falls in her shadow, and Peggy is the whiney baby sister. However, it was immediately clear that this hierarchy was untrue. All three sisters were equals: even when the written lines eluded to a conflict, the actresses maintained only loving relationships. Although it’s easier to embody onstage siblings with petty rivalries, all their interactions were genuinely positive. They supported and loved each other, and if a sister was ever on the sidelines, another would wrap their arms around her and welcome her back into the action of the story. They were each other’s best friends, and it showed in every moment: no tension could permeate their relationship because their love for each other was stronger than any external conflict.
The Hamilton Playbill included an interview with the three Schuyler actresses, and the chemistry I noticed in their performance clearly exists offstage as well. Goldsberry explained, “[in the casting, they were] most in tune with the matching of souls…an attraction to like mind and spirits. I feel like what feeds me in the show is the moment I met these girls, I really loved them…”. The interviewer described their comfort level together, their tendencies to finish each other’s sentences and compliment each other throughout the interview. Their instant connection and appreciation for each other’s talents has made Hamilton an unforgettable experience for these actresses. At one point Goldsberry even says “I pray that we can leave that legacy on this show, that every group of sisters who play this can truly love each other”.
In processing what Hamilton means to me, I look at Goldsberry’s final quote as a challenge for us to rise up and redefine what it means to be a woman in this industry. The world of musical theatre has finally become mainstream, as TV shows have made the profession so accessible for audiences. However, shows like ‘Glee’ and ‘Smash’, teach young women the industry is about competition, cat fights, and sabotaging each other to survive. When did we start looking at other women as threats, not allies? The media chooses to emphasize the drama between women trying to succeed in show business, but being unable to work well with other women does not make anyone more castable. If we start walking in the Schuyler sisters’ footsteps, we could lessen the insecurity and judgement associated with the industry. All it takes is vowing to really get to know the people we work with for who they are outside the show’s context. If we can all make it our goal befriend the women we share the stage with, we then become more approachable for other females in the business. So ladies, let’s follow the Schuyler code of conduct shall we? This year we should seek sisterhood from our castmates and pursue genuine friendships. As they say, ‘How lucky we are to be alive right now?’ Let’s take advantage of the precedent these famous women set for us in the late 18th century, and in 2016.
