Hamilton is not opening auditions for Aaron Burr and George Washington to female performers just yet.
Update (March 4): One day “the best of wives and the best of women” will be able to audition for the leading roles in Hamilton, but not in any upcoming professional production.
Last night the casting call on Backstage.com, where we originally sourced the casting call information, was updated to reflect the changes. Here is a look at the original posting:
via Buzzfeed
Speaking to Buzzfeed, the casting director of the Philadelphia production, Bethany Knox stated, “We are so excited to find unique and outstanding people for all roles in Hamilton all around America but unfortunately, this is NOT our casting breakdown and does not reflect our current casting criteria.”
Source
Until Hamilton reaches the halls of high schools and regional theaters we will have to imagine what a world would look like with a female Lafayette/Jefferson tearing through “Guns and Ships” and sweeping the floor of a “Cabinet Battle.”
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Original story (March 3): Well, if it isn’t Aaron Burr, ma’am? That’s right, according to a recent casting call for the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania production of Hamilton, both men and women are encouraged to audition for the roles of Aaron Burr and George Washington. The musical lauded for its diverse casting is moving the line even further to include more woman in the title roles of the production. As Hamilton begins its nation-wide take over, with shows premiering in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia and many others, the “[Audition] Room Where It Happens” is about to welcome in even more people.
The role description for Aaron Burr reads, “Aaron Burr: non-white, tenor/baritone, sings and raps in equal measure. Our narrator. A cool, steely reserve. An orphan raised in wealth, plays his cards and opinions close to the vest. Slow to anger, but when he gets there, look out. Javert meets Mos Def.” How’s that for a description?
Though the pronoun use is strictly male, the casting calls for, “Males & Females, ages 20-39, African American, Hispanic, Asian, South Asian, Native American, Middle Eastern, Southeast Asian / Pacific Islander, Ethnically Ambiguous / Mixed Race, African Descent.”
Rise up, ladies. The role of General George Washington is also open to both male and female artists who are non-white and a tenor/baritone.
Want to be Washington’s right-hand man? For now, the hero of Hamilton remains open only to male actors. Other open roles at this casting call include Eliza and Angelica Schuyler.
Hamilton continues its reign as the “hottest ticket in town” on the eastern seaboard, but its grip on the world is inspiring all sorts of creative work. From Star Trek parodies, “My Spock,” to the “Parks and Revolution” Tumblr page, every corner of the fandom market is looking for ways to get Hamilton on their side.
Most recently Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda reached out to a few creative buddies, including the musical’s cast album producer Questlove to tap into the talented music stylings of the show’s biggest fans. The result? A Hamilton mix tape, featuring “remixes, covers, and inspired bys” from artists Busta Rhymes, Ben Folds, Regina Spektor, Queen Latifah, Common, Usher, Sia and Chance the Rapper, and more.
What does this mean for Broadway? Hopefully it will usher in a new age of casting calls that think outside the box.