Dalton News

From the Daltonian - Hamilton Cast Member Visits Dalton Dance and History Students

by Ema Schumer '18

Kamille Upshaw, a cast member of Hamilton: An American Musical, spoke to Dalton students and teachers this past Tuesday, November 1 in room 610 during Interval on her role as a swing—a term in theatre for someone who understudies several chorus and dancing roles—in the record-shattering musical.
Upshaw, who studied at Juilliard, has previously danced at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center as a member of the ensemble, with the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, and with Alicia Keys on the BET awards.

From actors to dancers to historians, Hamilton has garnered interest from all types of people. The presence of students from both Dance Theatre Workshop and Yom Fox’s Hamilton Independent Study during Upshaw’s visit demonstrated the diverse range of people whom the play has attracted.

Upshaw’s visit took the form of a Q&A. She received a variety of questions on an array of topics, from how she is able to adopt multiple roles, to the outside research she has conducted on early American politics to prepare for her roles, to what she believes to be her favorite song in the show.

A member of the Hamilton Independent Study and a dancer, Nora Massie (‘18) left the session feeling inspired. “Ms. Upshaw’s confidence in herself and passion for dance was so uplifting,” Massie said. “She is a perfect example of how dance can take you down completely unanticipated yet incredible paths!”

According to Upshaw, playing the role of a swing is perhaps the most interesting role in a musical. She relishes the multifaceted roles she takes on during a performance. Depending on the song, her character develops and changes in accordance with the movements. For instance, her movement in “The Battle of Yorktown” is very masculine, as she holds a gun in this number. But during “The Room Where it Happens”, she believes her feminine side comes to life as her movement becomes smooth.

Upshaw also discussed the strides Hamilton has made on Broadway by casting all-minority actors and actresses. She discussed the difficulties of being an actress of color in a primarily white industry such as musical theatre. However, she hopes Hamilton will have an effect on changing the demographic of actors on Broadway.

Upshaw joined the cast of Hamilton in September of 2015. While she has been a part of the cast for over a year now, Upshaw anticipates a future beyond Hamilton.
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