Broadway’s Hamilton back at Chrysler Hall now through April 9th, Pierre Jean Gonzalez tells more Hamilton stories

InterviewByYiorgo

TheinternationalsensationthatisHamilton, has proudly returned to the Hampton RoadsArea.Lastweek,wespokewithPierre Jean Gonzalez who stars as Alexander Hamilton in the Broadway’s National Tour of Hamilton, appearing now through April 9th at Chrysler Hall in Norfolk, Virginia. You can read our Part I interview here https://www.militarynews.com/norfolk-navy-flagship/community/broadway-s-national-tour-of-hamilton-returns-to-chrysler-hall-next-week-pierre-jean-gonzalez/ article_08eb0c28-c8f7-11ed-824b-973be2a303e2 html For tickets, times, dates and info on a limited number of $10 Hamilton lottery tickets available for each performance, go to https://www.sevenvenues.com/events/ detail/hamilton-1

Yiorgo:Andnow,PartIIofourinterview

As Hamilton, you are actually on the stage the entire time, except for two songs. Do you have a favorite segment that you like to watchonoroffthestage?

PierreJeanGonzalez:I love the Schuyler sisters and the girl’s song at the beginning.Ijustlovewatchingit.Ialways,always, always go to the side and watch them perform because their voices are amazing, thedancing,it’sjustsuchafunbeautifulsong andIlovewatchingiteverysingletime.

You know, to be a part of Hamilton and the Philip Company in particular, everyone in it is very near and dear to my heart. This grouparenotjustincredibleartistsbutalso lovelyhumanbeingsandIamveryhonored forthat,becauseIknowhowrareitistohave agroupofpeopletraveltogetherandactually enjoyeachother’scompany.Iamverylucky tohavethat

Y: The beauty of live theater is just that, it’s live. Do you have any funny anecdotes youwanttoshare?

PJG:YesI’malittlebitclumsy I’vetripped upthestairsatepicmomentsandit’ssucha humbling experience when things like that happen, but it is live theater and it always keepsusawake.Ihaveanamazingcrewand cast around me so anytime anything goes wrong it’ssoamazingandbeautifultowatch witheverybodyclickingtogetherandproblem solving on the stage in two seconds So I’m so lucky to be able to be on stage with suchamazingartists

Y: Tell us about that time in the same day, you played Hamilton in the afternoon performance and you played Aaron Burr in theeveningperformance.

PJG:Youknowthat’sthejobofastandby, youhavetobereadyatadropofadime.You areoffstagewaitingandGodforbidanything happens to anybody or anything like that, you get up and you go on stage I was so comfortableandIwasdoingitsomuchthat I’ll never forget, they came up to me, one of the actors was not feeling well and said, “Listen, after doing Hamilton earlier, how do you feel about doing Burr?” And I said, absolutely Theyactuallygavemetheoption ofnotdoingit,andIwaslike I’mready,let’s doit Ithoughtitwasanamazingchallenge andexperienceandIwillrememberthatthe restofmylife.

Y: That just blows my mind, that you could keep each character’s lines separate in your head in the evening performance when as Burr you are talking to Hamilton and earlier in the day, you were Hamilton talkingtoBurr

PJG: I used to get notes a lot when I was firstdoingit,thatIwasmouthingthewords of the other actors I wouldn’t say it but my lipswerequiveringalittlebit.

Y: Ok lets learn about you. Where were you born and what was life like growing up asakid?

PJG: I was born in Manhattan, in New York. I am a first generation Puerto Rican and I grew up in the Bronx, New York. I grew up loving to watch TV shows and movies.FromthetimeIwasalittlekid,Iwas obsessedwithallthedramaontheTV Inmy head, I never thought I would be an actor onTVoranythinglikethat.Itwasinmiddle school and we had to act out a Shakespeare scenewithapartnerinfrontoftheclassand

TurntoHamilton, Page 2

Brazilian bandleader Sergio Mendes sambas into the Sandler Center with a bossa nova celebration

PressRelease

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va A spirit of joy pulsates through the staggeringly diverse tapestry of music that legendary Brazilian artist Sergio Mendes has created over his remarkable six-decade career Now, this iconic Grammy Award—winner brings his Latin,jazz,andfunksoundandinfectiously joyfulspirittotheSandlerCenterinVirginia Beach.

The Langley Federal Credit Union Concert Series presents Sergio Mendes: BossaNovaSambaCelebrationonWednesday, August 16 at 7:30 PM at the Sandler CenterforthePerformingArts Ticketswill go on sale this Friday, March 24 at 10 AM and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or by visiting the Sandler Center box office locatedat201MarketStreet,VirginiaBeach, VA23462.Ticketsarepricedat$39,$49,$54, and$79,plusapplicablefees Toreceivethe exclusive presale code to purchase tickets before the general public join the Sandler Center Cyber Club at SandlerCenter.org The presale for this show willtake place on Wednesday,March22from10AMthrough Thursday,March23at10PM.

Best known for his pioneering contributionstothefoundationsofbossanovaalongside the likes of Antônio Carlos Jobim, and the era-defining Latin-pop sound of his iconic group Brasil ’66 Mendes has existed as a legend on the Latin music scene for decades Creating scintillating collaborations with jazz legends like Cannonball AdderleyandHerbieMann Mendescontinuedbridginggenerationswithhischart-topping adult contemporary smash, “Never

Gonna Let You Go,” a 21st-century reinventionwiththeBlack-EyedPeasandJohn Legend, and an Oscar®-nominated theme song for the animated hit Rio Mendes’ contagiousspiritofjoyhaspervadedevery- thing he’s ever ushered into the ears of listeners

The Brazilian legend’s 2020 album is no exception On In The Key of Joy, Mendes looks back the only way he knows how by once again moving forward Released to coincide with a spectacular new documentaryonhislifebyacclaimedfilmmakerJohn Scheinfeld (Chasing Trane, Who is Harry Nilsson?)thealbumInTheKeyofJoymelds the classic Brazilian, jazz and pop sounds thathavelongcharacterizedMendes’music withstunninglycontemporaryinspirations that make the album sound at once utterly timeless and wholly of the moment. The documentary, Sergio Mendes: In The Key of Joy enjoyed a worldwide release in 2021, afteritsworldpremiereattheSantaBarbara InternationalFilmFestivalin2020.

About The Sandler Center for the Performing Arts: The Sandler Center openedonNovember3,2007andismanaged by Oak View Group (OVG360). With 1,308 seats and a soaring glass façade the buildingislocatedintheheartofVirginiaBeach’s Town Center, a hub for cultural entertainment. With local and international talent visiting the Sandler Center, performances areperfectforaudiencesofallages.Patrons will experience an intimate environment whenvisitingtheSandlerCenter,asnoseat is further than 100 ft from the stage. Learn more at SandlerCenter.org and Facebook Twitter,andInstagram.

I’llneverforgetit.Ateacherpulledmeoffto the side and said, “You’re good at performing Do you like acting?” This was the first time that someone told me that I was good at something They actually recommended atheaterschool,amagnetacademyandsaid Icouldapplyandgoforsingingandacting Y: Is that what made you fall in love with musicaltheater?

PJG: At that time, all I wanted to do was to be an R&B singer and be in a group I got accepted into the program and met my mentor Nicco Annan He is actually the lead actor now in the TV show P-Valley on ShowtimeandhejustwonanNAACPaward for his role as Uncle Clifford in it. He was a theater teacher then. I auditioned for the musical Dreamgirls I’ll never forget telling him,I’manamazingsingerandIshouldplay the lead. I was so cocky and ambitious and he put me right in the back. I was so upset but after that first experience, I fell in love withmusicaltheater.Iworkedwithhimfor about five years He became one of my best friends and always reminds me, “When I firstmetyouIhadtoputyoura Intheback to humble your a…” But he knew my talent He put so much into me artistically as a mentorandhewasmorelikeaparent.Icall him my father because he really was there for me Because of him, I started teaching dance auditioningforaconservatory,taking actingclasses hewouldsignmeupforelectiveswithhisownmoneywhenIdidn’thave any.HeisthereasonthatIaminthisposition rightnow.Hebrokeeverythingdownforme

IrememberonetimewewenttoChicago for a field trip, we auditioned with all of the conservatories and I got into all except Julliard. I did get a callback but did not get in. My second choice was Rutgers University, and they had a whole year where they studied in London doing Shakespeare. In my mind, no one in my family had been to Europe Itwassuchanamazingexperience for me. I got into the school and it was life changing I speak to Nicco everyday and I say,Ican’tbelievetheseareourlives

Y:Whatdoesitmeantoyoutobeplaying theleadinHamilton?

PJG: I mean, it goes so much deeper It feels like I am honoring my ancestors who fought to get me to this country I’m honoring and representing so much more. I am honoringallthosequeer gaymenwhowere not given the opportunity to be a leading man. This means so much more than just a part It has changed my life and my family’s life and has allowed me to create generationalwealthandithasallowedmetoleave behindabodyofworkandthatmynamewill live on I don’t take it lightly It’s still only a smallhandfulofpeoplethathaveplayedthis role anditmakesmeveryemotionalbecause I’mstilldoingitandIstillloveit.

Y: You got the lead then pandemic hit. Not staying idle, you co-founded with your fiance, Cedric Leiba Jr, DominiRican Productions. Tell us about it and what you are able to offer to the entertainment community

PJG: I am here in this position because of Hamilton. It was my first experience of seeingdifferentethnicities voicesandbody types and it helped me realize that this is capable.I’llspeakformyself,peoplelikeme, queerartistswhohaveneverseenourselves on stage, on camera or television. We are now seeing the power that we have to give accesstothepeoplearoundus I was about to debut and it was snatched from me One, it reminded me, as an artist, what do I want to leave behind? And that’s when me and my fiance Cedrick created DominiRican Productions The pandemic forced us to look at ourselves and our careers, look at the industry around us and this was around the time that the George

Floyd death happened I looked at Cedrick andsaid,whatcanweLatinxgaymenwho are Afro-Latinos too, do? So we decided to concentrate on our community We reached out to our friends and colleagues, asking them for new works and created a new division where we highlight the work ofourfriends Ourcompanyisfilming doing archivalandBrollforalldifferentBroadway housesinNewYorkCityrightnow.

Y:Howaboutapinchme,wowmoment?

PJG: Yes, it happened last October I was invitedtobeapartofalivereadinginPuerto Rico on a podcast called Love and Gravity aboutqueerLatinxstories Theotheractors involvedwithitwereLatinxactorsfromall overtheworldanditwasn’tuntilIgotthere thattherealizationhitin thatnow,Iamone oftheLatinxactorsintheworldthatpeople know. I was a fan of the people around me, but now I was part of that crew and people were fans of mine. That moment of realizing, this is my community and these are my peers,itwasdefinitelyawowmomentinmy life. And because we did it in Puerto Rico, representing the queer community, there was just no feeling like it. The goal is to be an inspiration to somebody else and when you achieve that, it means you are leaving somethingbehind.

Attheendoftheday,Iwanttobeamovie star,beinallthemoviesbutalsocreatemore space for people who look and act like me and who feel they have not been given the opportunity

Yiorgo is an arts entertainment and sports writer A stage TV and movie actor, he is also a sports entertainer, educator, motivational speaker, writer, storyteller and columnist