Tyler Fauntleroy (left) as Alexander Hamilton and Jimmie J.J. Jeter as Aaron Burr in a scene from “Hamilton” at The Academy of Music.
Photo credit Joan Marcus
By Kharisma McIlwaine
After nine years, 11 Tony Awards, two Emmys, a Pulitzer Prize, a Grammy and countless sold-out audiences, “Hamilton” continues to wow audiences all over the world.
With music, lyrics, and a book by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the musical is based on the 2004 biography “Alexander Hamilton” written by Ron Chernow. The musical follows the life of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and his role in the American Revolution. Miranda made history by blending song and rap in the one-of-a-kind musical that continues to take Broadway by storm. Hampton, Virginia native Tyler Fauntleroy landed the role of a lifetime as Alexander Hamilton in the Angelica touring cast of the show. Fauntleroy sat down with the SUN to share his experience in this dream role.
Fauntleroy’s love for singing began at an early age. Inspired by seeing his best friend in a lead role, he found his calling in musical theater.
“I was doing a lot of singing in church, but I was also afraid of my own shadow,” Fauntleroy said. “I had a lot of solo opportunities in church that I would ultimately turn down because I was just scared. Then Sunday would come around. Our choir would be singing the songs, I’d be in the choir, the other person would sing the song, and I would say, ‘I could do this.’ Fast forward, I was 13, and one of my best friends was in a musical at school. The whole year, my mom would say, ‘You need to audition for this.’ and I said, ‘I’m not trying to hear that,’ but my best friend was in it, and she invited me. I went, and there was something about the fact that those were other 11, 12, and 13-year-olds coming together to tell this story, and I had goosebumps. It was kids like me doing something extraordinary. For me, it was, like, ‘Wow, if they can do it, I might be able to do it, too.’ Since then I was bitten. I knew deep down that acting was going to be a part of my life in some way.”
With the support of his family, Fauntleroy continued doing musical theater throughout middle school and high school. After attending a summer program on a college campus, there was no doubt that musical theater was his calling.
“We had this program called Governor’s School,” Fauntleroy said. “Basically, a bunch of students from all over Virginia got to spend a summer on a college campus. You spent about a month and a half learning a specific discipline. So, I did theater and acting training. It was the first time I got formal acting training with other like-minded kids my age. I came back that summer, like, ‘Yeah, I’ve got to do this!’”
He went on to attend Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and moved to New York two weeks after graduating. With additional support from family, Fauntleroy hit the ground running in The Big Apple. In true full-circle moment fashion, an early audition for “Hamilton” would eventually lead to Fauntleroy landing the role of Alexander Hamilton.
“Thankfully, by the time I got to New York, I had some leads to chase as far as representation went,” he said. “I had done a college showcase in New York and L.A. for agents, managers and casting directors. I ended up working with a manager, who is still my manager today. Before I started working with him, I had my first “Hamilton” audition in 2017. It was my first New York City audition ever. My acting class went to New York our senior year. While we were there, The Telsey Office that cast of “Hamilton” had seen our website. They called a few of us in to audition for “Hamilton” in person. I remember being in one of my large lecture classes and getting the email about going in for “Hamilton.” I had my friend next to me, and we were just trying to keep it together.”
Fauntleroy, a long-time fan of “Hamilton,” understood the groundbreaking perspective and diversity the play brought to Broadway by intentionally casting and centering people of color as lead characters.
“I was one of those fans who was listening to it all the time,” he said. “I knew the words, I knew the harmonies… I was all in. I’ve been a fan of Lin’s work even from “In The Heights.” “Hamilton” just took that to the next level. It was exciting to be in musical theater at that time, as a Black person and to be, like, ‘Finally!’ Part of the appeal I feel like was just being able to see it because it was so hard to get a ticket. People were flocking to see hip-hop on Broadway. It was exciting.”
The pandemic extended Fauntleroy’s audition experience.
“I went in person in 2017, but that wasn’t the first time I auditioned for “Hamilton,” he said. “I sent in a couple of videos at the end of 2015, because they had opened up video submissions to everybody. I didn’t hear from them until the spring of 2016. They asked for more videos. I sent in more videos. Fast forward to 2017, when I go in person. It’s a series of auditions with, ‘Hey, do these characters.’ A few weeks later, it was, ‘Learn these characters — come to the movement call — and we’ll go from there.’ That’s kind of how it all goes. I had been in that process of things three different times. I was auditioning in person for “Hamilton” from 2017 to 2020. 2020 comes around, I have an amazing callback and it feels like this could be the one. Then the pandemic happened.”
After two years of hearing nothing, Fauntleroy was offered his dream role.
“The week before Halloween in 2022, I get a call from my agent,” he said. “My agent never calls. Typically, when I book things, it’s an email. It was my agent and manager on the phone. I’m racking my brain, because I had auditioned for something, but it was cast already. I was confused about why they were both on the phone. My agent said, ‘Hey, are you still interested in Hamilton?’ I said of course. He said, ‘There’s an opening in the Philip Company, and they’d like you to play Laurens Philip.’ I had been in for so long that they didn’t ask me to come in, because they had seen my work over the years. The way it happened, I would’ve never imagined it happened that way.”
Fauntleroy joined the Philip company in January 2023 as Laurens Philip. Halfway through the contract, he began understudying as Hamilton, and played Laurens Philip every night. Eventually, he was asked to join the Angelica Company full-time.
“It’s been incredible! It’s also humbling to be a part of musical theater history in playing the character,” Fauntleroy said. “It’s very surreal to be not only a part of this show’s history, but the history of the medium of which I get to perform.”
The physical, mental, and emotional stamina required to play this role is significant. Fauntleroy shares what the character taught him and his hopes for what the audience takes away.
“The humanity this show conveys is something we all know,” he said. “We know what it’s like to be ambitious, to be jealous, to lose, to fall in love, to grieve, to feel like you have to prove yourself. So the beautiful thing about this show, especially with Hamilton, is that it’s such an extensive role there’s really no stone unturned. There’s so many layers. It’s so full, that you really get to feel everything. That’s a really cathartic thing to get to do every night. The hardest part about playing Hamilton is probably having the mental stamina. What you’re asking of your brain for three hours… it’s a lot. I love this show and I love this role, and so I give freely, but it’s taxing. The beautiful thing about this role is that it is giving me a stronger mind in many different ways. It’s nice to go to the mental gym every night and get to work out and grow my brain. I think my time as Laurens Philip helped a lot, too. The time I spent playing that role gave me a different perspective of the show that I wouldn’t otherwise have.”
“I hope audiences leave inspired,” Fauntleroy added. “That’s what Hamilton is all about. It’s about folks that saw something and thought what if it’s this way instead of that way. So I hope that whether you’re inspired to be an artist, an activist or whatever way it hits you, I hope that something that we do will drive you to action.”
To keep up with Tyler Fauntleroy’s journey, follow him on IG @earthwindand tyler. Hamilton will be at The Academy of Music now through November 23. For more information on tickets and showtimes, visit: www.ensembleartsphilly.org.
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