Morgan Anita Wood is back for round two. After a bit of a scary start, Morgan was off and running with the And Peggy Tour and this week she talks about the tour leaving Puerto Rico and setting up shop in San Francisco. Morgan tells us about her experience with the Eliza Company and then coming back, or as she says, coming home to her And Peggy Company. She started as Woman 5, a role that is very close to her heart and led to some unbreakable bonds. But there was something about Eliza that really made Morgan really wanted to tell that story eight times a week. Morgan has been through a lot with Eliza, and she explains her strong connection to the role, how it's healed her, and what she's learned from the woman whose strength and courage reminds Morgan of her own mom.
Morgan Anita Wood is currently playing Eliza on the And Peggy Tour, and has been with Hamilton since 2018 when she started playing Woman 5. Morgan grew up in Indiana and was performing as young as three years old. She always had the passion for and the clarity about what she wanted to do at a very young age. She came from a family of creatives, performers, and what she calls "artistic minded people." Her determination led her to an internship at Telsey, one of the leading casting offices in the country and the office that casts Hamilton. There's an excellent chance they cast your favorite musical/play/movie/TV show/commercial/the list goes on. Morgan learned about the business as she crossed paths with people like Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jonathan Groff and after months behind the scenes, she was confident and ready when her audition (at Telsey!) finally came. From that internship to ending up in the hospital the night of her Hamilton Puerto Rico debut, Morgan takes us on quite a journey.
This week, Jason Arrow wraps up his three episode series. In his first two episodes, Jason told us about his life story thus far: he was born in South Africa, moved to Western Australia when he was about five years old, and first did theater as a teenager.
His Hamilton story starts in 2019, and it's been so fun to hear about Jason's adventures with the show. He talked about the energy from the audience, especially during a time when the Australian production of Hamilton was the only one in the world happening. We laughed about the fun moments he's been able to find on stage and he reflected on what it was like for Lin-Manuel Miranda to see the Australian company for the very first time in 2023.
As we wrap up our conversation, we talk about Rage Against the Machine, the importance of First Nations actors on stage (and particularly in Hamilton), why Jason chose psychology books over a history lesson, and we compare Mario Kart preferences. But first, this episode starts with Jason talking more about his personal take on Alexander including how and why it changes and evolves.
Jason Arrow has played Alexander Hamilton in Australia, New Zealand, and as of September 2023, he'll be in Manila in the Philippines in the Asian premiere for Hamilton.
This week, Jason continues the story of his Hamilton journey: from hearing the audience erupt when he walked on stage for the very first time, to their last performance in Brisbane, and when Lin-Manuel Miranda finally (finally!) made it to Australia to see Hamilton. It was a long time coming but it was worth the wait and wait actually worked out in their favor!
Jason also talks about fun moments he's found as Hamilton and how they've evolved over time (hint: tom cat). Plus, you'll hear about Jason's love of gaming, his still very strong connection to Aaron Burr, and stories from the stage door.
Lin-Manuel Miranda Hamilton interview with Leigh Sales | In The Room: Full Episode | ABC TV + iview