#449: Terrance Martin // Dance Captain & Swing on Hamilton's Philip Tour // Part One
The Hamilcast: A Hamilton Podcast
Release Date: 01/06/2025
The Hamilcast: A Hamilton Podcast
In Jennifer Geller's second episode, she talks about how heartbroken she was not to book Hamilton Chicago after being personally invited to audition by Andy Blankenbuehler. But when she eventually booked Hamilton's first national tour, Andy reminded her it was all about trusting the process. Easier said than done, but a good lesson nonetheless. Jennifer also goes in on how the the ensemble is an extension of Burr's mind, especially during "The Room Where it Happens" (it's fascinating, you have to hear this) and explains how Hamilton's purposeful choreography and storytelling spoils performers...
info_outlineThe Hamilcast: A Hamilton Podcast
Jennifer Geller has been in the ensemble of Hamilton since 2017 on the first national tour and she is currently on Broadway. In her first episode Jennifer talks about her fantastic experience with Bring It On and how amazing it was to tour North America and Japan doing a show she loves so much. Bring It On would eventually lead to an invitation to audition for Hamilton, but we have a lot of ground to cover before we get there including rescue dogs, deviated septums, physical therapists, and why you just gotta be nice! ///
info_outlineThe Hamilcast: A Hamilton Podcast
Shonica Gooden (Hamilton Broadway's Woman 4) first joined Hamilton in December of 2015, just in time for the full on Hamilton madness with the original cast, including that legendary trip to the White House. Shonica reflects on over ten years of Hamilton, explaining how her life experiences (being a mother, experiencing a pandemic, the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement) have changed her approach to the show. But guess what? She still looooooves it. She loves and respects all the time it took to really get it right and as Shonica says, "they didn't microwave it." Shonica also talks about...
info_outlineThe Hamilcast: A Hamilton Podcast
Shonica Gooden (Hamilton Broadway's Woman 4) was born and raised in Atlanta, where she focused on what was supposed to be a thriving modern dance career. She had zero interest in musical theatre and didn't see herself as a triple threat. Luckily, her teachers at DanceMakers of Atlanta did see her as a triple threat and strongly encouraged Shonica to audition for Bring It On. This led to callbacks and work sessions with Alex Lacamoire and Andy Blankenbuehler, and it would prove to be the start of a beautiful friendship with The Cabinet. Shonica had the incredibly unique experience working...
info_outlineThe Hamilcast: A Hamilton Podcast
This week wraps up my series with John Devereaux, a standby on Hamilton's Philip Tour covering George Washington, King George III, Mulligan/Madison, and Lafayette/Jefferson. Remember when John told the story about booking Hamilton and almost passing on it? Yeah well that almost didn't even happen because this week you'll hear about how John actually did pass on the first audition! Yep, he just wasn't that into Hamilton. But then he heard Wait For It and couldn't stop crying and decided he absolutely had to be in the show. John walks us through his Hamilton process while also giving excellent...
info_outlineThe Hamilcast: A Hamilton Podcast
John Devereaux (standby on Hamilton's Philip Tour) is back for round two and this episode is all about authenticity and being as present as possible. For John, he never wants to "lose his elasticity", so a lot of his work as an actor has to do with constantly learning and being curious about himself and the world around him. This week, John shares stories about what he describes as "being tested" in auditions (...or was it just racism? You be the judge) and discusses his fantastic experience on the Rent 20th Anniversary Tour. From the importance of integrity to the true meaning of legacy to...
info_outlineThe Hamilcast: A Hamilton Podcast
John Devereaux is currently on Hamilton's Philip Tour covering George Washington, King George III, Mulligan/Madison, and Lafayette/Jefferson. He grew up in Houston, Texas, loving sports and wanting to eventually practice medicine. In high school, he did some friends a favor by stepping in as a last minute replacement but this does NOT mean he was a theatre kid, okay?! In fact, he went out of his way to make sure his bio in the program said that acting was just a hobby and he was *really* an athlete who was going to be a doctor. But we know how this story goes, right? He stepped on that stage...
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In her third and final episode, Sabrina Imamura ties up how she landed on the Hamilton's Philip Tour after starting with the original Angelica Tour in 2017 and making stops on Broadway (twice), the Eliza Tour (the Los Angeles sit down), and the And Peggy Tour (which kicked off in Puerto Rico). Sabrina explains the importance of gigs that feed you creatively and why doing a show for the sake of it isn't really what she's about. You know what she *is* about, though? More stories about Asian people that don't revolve around war or politics or the fetishization of Asian women and people. Plus,...
info_outlineThe Hamilcast: A Hamilton Podcast
Sabrina Imamura is back for round two and she's very candidly talking about her experience with anxiety, including having daily panic attacks on stage while performing in Hamilton on Broadway. Sabrina covers it all: what sparked the anxiety, how it attached itself to Hamilton and performing in general, the weight of keeping it all a secret, and how being open about everything led her down a much safer path. The bottom line is that no one has any idea what they're doing and we're all just trying to figure it out. Sabrina has been a swing with Hamilton since 2017 starting with the original...
info_outlineThe Hamilcast: A Hamilton Podcast
Sabrina Imamura has been a swing with Hamilton since 2017 starting with the original Angelica Tour and including stops on Broadway (twice), the Eliza Tour (the Los Angeles sit down), the And Peggy Tour (which kicked off in Puerto Rico), and is currently on the Philip Tour. Sabrina started dancing and playing piano at three years old, with ballet being her first love and main focus. After a lot of success in the world of contemporary ballet and concert dancing, she graduated from the University of Michigan and began auditioning in New York City. Soon after, agents started sending her out for...
info_outlineTerrance Martin is a multi-faceted performer and activist, a founding member of the Black Artists Dance Collective, and one of the best conversationalists on the planet. Terrance is currently the dance captain and a swing on the Philip Tour, and previously has been all over the world with Hamilton. It took him six years of auditioning to get there but that's actually great because he got a ton of experience performing in other great shows during that time. We talk a lot about redefining success, and that was all a major part of it. His approach to being a swing is so fun because Terrance has detailed backstories for every role on that stage and gives us a fascinating deep dive on why the psyche of these characters is so important. Shout out to his fellow Capricorns!
This week, Terrance also talks about growing up an introvert who wanted to perform while having to learn to fight for his existence as a "Black feminine gay man in the red South." Terrance explains that his voice, his walk, his *light* didn't allow him to hide, which at the time manifested in anger and trauma but has now led him to a place of growth and strength. None of this is easy by the way, especially when you learn what Terrance went through.
Note: I jump in to remind you before it happens, but towards the end of this episode Terrance tells a traumatic story involving racism, bullying, homophobia, threats of violence, and the description of an incident that took place in a pool that includes a severe injury to Terrance's ear.
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Terrance Martin VO on Instagram
The Black Artists Dance Collective:
https://www.tbadcollective.org/
https://www.instagram.com/tbadcollective/?hl=en
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