Hamilton’s Joanna A. Jones Returns Home

“I didn’t know what to do with it at first, to be honest. I couldn’t I couldn’t really believe what was happening. Nothing like that has ever happened before, it was so unprecedented. The show always goes on and in this case the show really wasn’t going on. I think my body went into shock.” That was how Joanna A. Jones, who plays the role of Eliza Schuyler in the touring production of Hamilton, described March 19, 2020.

That was the date of the Tony Award-winning musical’s first preview upon its return to the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. One hour before the curtain was to go up the show was cancelled. It remained cancelled until last month when Hamilton did finally go on after a nearly year-and-a-half delay.

Jones, who made her Broadway debut in the role of Peggy Schuyler in Hamilton, was looking forward to returning to her hometown and getting the chance to play the woman who married Alexander Hamilton and remained by his side through thick and thin.

“I was so excited to be coming back to L.A. and California after being in New York for two-and-a-half years,” she told me during a Zoom call last week. “To have this beautiful moment delayed was a roller coaster in that I didn’t know where to place my feelings. I didn’t know if it was going to come back. I didn’t really know if I was going to get to play Eliza in the city and state that I love because we just didn’t know what was going to happen.”

Playing Peggy on Broadway allowed Jones to watch others play the role she would ultimately take on.

“My thoughts are how are they doing this and how can they do this eight times a week? It was super intimidating because it’s really hard work. The journey that Eliza goes through is very emotionally wrought, especially in act two. She goes through so much and to put yourself through that every single day, eight times a week, it’s a lot to ask of someone. So it was definitely daunting. But like I also felt like I wanted to rise to that challenge and I knew I had it in me…somewhere.”

Not only did she rise to the challenge, earning glowing praise in the Los Angeles Times review by Charles McNulty, Jones found that the role was more than just work.

“I get to fall in love. I get to get married to this amazing man. I get to experience motherhood. It just feels like I get to go on more of a journey every day. It’s exciting to bring myself to it and also just discover new things about her every day; there’s something new to discover all the time. It kind of feels like playing and I love my turquoise dress and am obsessed with it. It’s just fun.”

When we spoke Jones was surprised and pleased to learn that Smithsonian Magazine published an article in 2016 by Kat Long that argued for Elizabeth Hamilton to get her own musical. But it didn’t take her long to offer her own reasons why that would indeed make a great show.

“What I attribute her spirit to is love. I know that sounds cheesy, but her steadfast love and loyalty caused her to be able to persevere. Even when her son and her husband were killed she was able to see past that and continue on to something good. I think her heart had to be so beautiful for [it] to be able to hold all the love and support that she did for Hamilton. To forgive and get through the embarrassment of the situation that he put her through and then carry on after their death and move past. She was steadfast with love and loyalty. I feel like that is just such a strong force.”

Before assuming the role, Jones read as much as she could about the woman she’d be playing. Does she think this strong and loving woman would recognize America in the year 2021?

“I think she would be pleased to see the progress that’s happened. She would be pleased to see that we are all striving to live in harmony as far as racial disparity and stuff like that. From where she was to where we are now there’s been a lot of changes. We’ve had a Black president. That’s incredible. I think she would have been astonished and amazed by that.

“I think she would have loved to have seen how many opportunities women have in this time in America – how we can be political leaders and our voices can be heard and taken seriously. How the sacrifices were worth it, because this big, beautiful nation that was born has flourished and just become this superpower and this place of hope for many people.”

Through the seemingly endless delays it was her own hope that carried Jones through. That hope has paid off with newfound appreciation for what she’s been able to accomplish.

“That I’m capable and that fear is a lie. That I’m stronger than I thought I was. I attribute that all to God’s grace, to be honest, it’s not me. I’m so fortunate to have the support of so many friends and family. I don’t know what to say, but I love what I do. I love my job. I love the show. I love the role. And I’m just grateful.”

Hamilton is currently scheduled at the Pantages Theatre through January 2nd. For details and tickets, please go here.

Photo: Joanna A. Jones outside the Pantages Theatre on opening night of Hamilton (Photo courtesy Joanna A. Jones)