The success of the 2015 Broadway musical “Hamilton” made it one of the most successful stage shows of the last decade. After the original production won eleven Tony Awards, it wasn’t surprising to find out that some fans were left grieving once the original cast members stepped down to make way for a new rotation.
But during the first COVID lockdown, the original Hamilton cast got together on a Zoom call to surprise one of the musical’s biggest and youngest fans, Aubrey. But, in case chatting with her favorite stage stars wasn’t enough to make it the best day of her life, the cast made internet history when they gave her a special, surprise performance of the musical’s opening number, “Alexander Hamilton.”
As soon as Leslie Odom Jr. began rapping the opening lines, Aubrey closed her hands over her mouth, gobsmacked and desperately trying to contain her fangirling. Then, Anthony Ramos seamlessly takes the lead rapping over the disjointed beat, before Daveed Diggs bursts into the Zoom chat to lay his addictive verse.
While star after star interweaves their spine-chilling verses and pro harmonies, Aubrey clearly can’t shake off her surprise. Lead actor Lin-Manuel Miranda enters the chat in full character, and, mixed with appearances from Jonathan Groff, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Phillipa Soo, Christopher Jackson, and more, it soon becomes no wonder how this clip has racked up over 5.5 million YouTube views!
But, as heartwarming as it is to watch Aubrey’s sweet reaction to seeing her favorite actors, there’s something uniquely special in watching Broadway stars relive their stage personas from the small stages of their own living rooms; and realizing their immense skill in tapping into old characters and songs they haven’t performed in half a decade whilst pulling it all off with these levels of raw, unfiltered talent. And the fact that the original cast formed friendships that outlasted the show makes this viral clip all the more endearing.
Once the clip made its way onto YouTube, Aubrey wasn’t the only spellbound fan. This viral video has racked up nearly 10,000 comments, with some top-liked comments joking, “Aubrey’s gonna be flexing on all her theatre kid friends,” “When you’ve accidentally entered a Hamilton rehearsal Zoom meeting,” and “This feels like the world’s longest birthday song, she just has to sit there and react.”
Others took a deeper look at the moment and shared their thoughts, commenting, “What impresses me is that the cast is as serious about performing for this little girl in their homes as they would be in costume on stage” and “This wasn’t just a gift for Aubrey. Thanks, Hamilton cast.” One final perspective brought this video into a heartwarming, real-world context when they wrote, “I’m watching this about 3 years after initially posted, and it’s a poignant reminder of how some people stepped up tremendously to help others.”
The original Hamilton cast proved their enduring magic by creating an unforgettable moment with Aubrey during the lockdown. Their heartfelt surprise performance showcased their camaraderie and commitment to fans, making history over Zoom. If you want to relive the magic and find out more about this heartwarming reunion, check out the links below.