Wayne Brady’s Burr a fine fit in ever more timely ‘Hamilton’

SHARE Wayne Brady’s Burr a fine fit in ever more timely ‘Hamilton’
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The official reason for returning to the Chicago production of “Hamilton” on Tuesday night was to catch the much-heralded arrival of Wayne Brady, whose portrayal of Aaron Burr marks the first time an actor of “celebrity status” has become part of a show notable for its airtight ensemble quality and lack of “marquee names.” (Of course in New York, the marquee name was that of the musical’s creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, but more about him later.)

‘HAMILTON’ Highly recommended When: Through Sept. 17 Where: The PrivateBank Theatre, 18 W. Monroe Tickets: $65-$180 Info: www.BroadwayInChicago.com Run time: 2 hours and 45 minutes, with one intermission

So, to cut to the chase: Brady, who will only be with the production until April 9, is (surprisingly) tall and lean, and with his elegant air and bristlingly clear diction, he fits right in. His aristocratic bearing not only easily distinguishes him from Miguel Cervantes’ physically smaller and more scrappy Hamilton, but suggests a sense of entitlement. (Both men were orphaned, but unlike the title character, Burr had a trust fund he was intent on protecting.)

Wayne Brady | SUPPLIED PHOTO

Wayne Brady | SUPPLIED PHOTO

Brady brings just the right sense of hauteur and cautious non-commitment to “Wait for It,” the first act song that suggests how different he is from the impulsive, nothing-to-lose and everything-to-gain Hamilton. Throughout, he captures Burr’s mix of envy and distaste for Hamilton’s unstoppable energy and drive, as well as, later on, his rage at Hamilton’s betrayal of him in favor of political support for Thomas Jefferson. And in his most crucial second act number, “The Room Where It Happens,” he fully vents his sense of thwarted ambition. (A jump off a table at one point in the show did cause a moment of terror given the actor’s widely reported onstage leg injury two weeks ago.)

As it happened, Brady was not the only new face on the stage of The PrivateBank Theatre. In the vital role of Eliza Schuyler, Hamilton’s wife, understudy Aubin Wise took over for Ari Asfar. Whether this was some sort of crazy unofficial audition — or just one of those theatrical strokes of good fortune — it should be said that Wise was sensational. A great beauty, she also is a wonderfully focused actress whose emotions are never in doubt, and she sings and moves with the ease that is a prerequisite for every performer in this show. She gives us the traditional wife who craves her husband’s company, but she also has the inner fire necessary to carry off “Burn.”

It should also be said that the entire production feels sharper, clearer and at moments more playful than it did on its impossibly high-pressured opening night this past October. The musical has fully cooked in the best possible ways. In the marathon role of Hamilton, Cervantes has grown more audacious, edgy and even a bit reckless, which adds excitement to the character. The entire ensemble is stellar.

Not surprisingly, seeing this show in the wake of the election of President Trump, and all the chaotic events that have unfolded since his inauguration, puts a whole new dynamic into play. You hear things differently, or more intensely, whether about the makeup of a cabinet, the division of power, the horse-trading for political advantage, the tension in compromise, states’ rights versus Federalism, personal scandal or the whole concept of a president who voluntarily steps down, as George Washington did. As King George, the show’s ever-dependable source of comic relief, observes with utter astonishment: “I’m perplexed. Are they gonna keep on replacing whoever’s in charge? If so, who’s next?” And of course the audience laughed knowingly.

If “Hamilton,” with its notably racially upended casting of the Founding Fathers, initially seemed to reflect the Obama era, it now feels more like a vivid commentary on the current newbie administration, with just enough cautionary tales and calm-amidst-the-storm sentiments to generate a bit of optimism. At the same time it suggests the upheaval involved in the Revolution, and the shaping of a whole new form of government, it also serves as a reminder that we are, in many ways, still a work in progress.

Watching the show again also was confirmed the genius of Miranda’s staggeringly smart, dense, winningly caustic and alternately exuberant and anguished score that makes you catch something new at every turn. Rarely do you feel an entire audience hang on to every complex line as it does with this show. But there is a second score at work here, too, and it is the remarkably intertwined staging (by Thomas Kail) and choreography (by Andy Blankenbuehler), that sets everything spinning in a sort of perpetual circular motion that echoes the tumult of a time past, and present.

Clearly, no one involved in what has become the “Hamilton” industry is going to stand for anything less than a full-force hurricane.

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