SHARRIESE HAMILTON - Making Dreams Come True
There were a few weeks left to see the multi-talented Sharriese Hamilton in the moving Chicago Children’s Theatre production of Cheryl L. West’s “The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963” when we had a conversation following a student performance on April 23rd. Hamilton plays the mother of a fun-loving family dealing with an upstart older son and the road trip from their home in Flint, Michigan to her mother’s home in Birmingham, Alabama to help turn things around. The imaginative story plays out through the observations of the Watson’s younger son as he discovers how discrimination and racism impacts his family’s life through events that occur on the trip and in Birmingham. It’s entertaining and enlightening children’s theater—a real conversation starter—dealing, as Hamilton says, “with real issues and real people.”
Earlier this season, you may have seen Hamilton in Porchlight Music Theatre’s hit production of “A Gentlemen’s Guide to Love and Murder.” In recent years, the accomplished and hard-working actor and vocalist has been busy in Chicago’s bustling ensemble theatre community in other Porchlight productions and at Marriott Theatre, Drury Lane, Chicago Shakespeare, Goodman Theatre and Firebrand Theatre. Hamilton says that being in an ensemble provides a sense of teamwork and comradery knowing that you are all moving toward a common goal and working together, adding that “Ensemble shows teach you that kind of relationship.”
All that attention to her craft has paid off with the recent announcement that Hamilton has been cast in the Australian company of “Come From Away.” The musical is drawn from the true stories of the 7,000 grounded passengers and the outpouring of support from residents in a small Newfoundland town following the 911 attacks. Rehearsals begin soon and the show is scheduled to open in Melbourne in July 2019 with Hamilton in the role of Hannah.
There is much more about the Watsons and how the events of 911 changed her life in our thoroughly engaging and heartfelt conversation with the charming Sharriese Hamilton. PODCAST
The Watsons … “The oldest boy (Byron) is acting up at school so Mom thinks it would be a good idea to take him to Grandma's house down south to get him to straighten up and act right. And they're nervous because the civil rights movement is happening and there's a lot of violence in the south, so they grapple with that. But it's finally too much and we're going to Grandma's. That's the impetus for the trip–to help Byron see a better way to live his life … along the way they encounter some joyful moments of family love bonding in the car, seeing where Mom came from and they also experience terrible racism and fear. There's a line where one of the kids says, “Mommy, are we supposed to be afraid of the police?” Which is a kid asking that question on stage. And kids in the audience are asking the same question, so we explore that.”
Chicago Children’s Theatre … “I love doing children's theater and it was so cool to do it here … the design … the stage … the costumes … the sound and just the way that Wardell walked us through the script and how we talked at the table about things that were going on back then and infusing that into the script. … Not every children’s show needs that … they took it with such seriousness and care and love … it's like a main stage show that you would see at any of the bigger theaters.”
The Car … “That was another funny thing about working with the kids. They're like, ‘So where's the car? Are we going to have a whole car on stage?’ And we're like, ‘No, no, no, no. We're using our imagination. If we sit in this car and we treat it like a car and we call it a car, it's a car!’ … It's a really cool design. The front of it is the hood of the car. And then we've got these little Flintstone seats and we use our feet to propel us. I think it's so much fun. It adds that sense of playing pretend that I think is really interesting for kids. They'd be like, ‘Oh! I could make a story like this!’”
Moon and Stars - A scene from the 2019 Chicago Children's Theatre production of “The Watsons Go To Birmingham-1963. Video: MeyerFilm, Inc.
Playing Mom … “I haven't really had a chance to play a mom, which I'm basically playing my Mom. Maybe a little bit more hyperactive–my version—but that is very much how my parent’s relationship was. They goofed around. And I feel lucky because the chemistry on stage, and portraying these kinds of parts, is something that we, the actors, do not get to choose. … I couldn't have asked for a better scene partner. Bear (Bellinger) is hilarious. He sometimes messes with me on stage, which is fine because it's that kind of show. We're playing with each other. We're playing off of each other and it is really fun. … I'm glad that people see that relationship. I think a lot of people don't get to see black families having fun. Being joyful. There's so much joy and love in being black and being in a black family.”
Drama, comedy and rapport with the audience … “We're inviting you into this story. We're going to tell you what's going on. We're going to make you laugh and make you cry. … Our success depends on being able to communicate with an audience like that. With comedy, it feels sometimes more of a bond … In a drama, if somebody is really into it, they are quiet. You can feel the energy. But with a comedy, when somebody likes it, they give you a verbal response. They laugh and you hear it. Sometimes that can be dangerous: when you're chasing laughs. That's it. You see somebody doing that and you're like: ‘That's excruciating!’ But when it starts and you feel that flow between the audience, they’re laughing, they’re understanding what's going on, they're listening to the story, and they're invested in the story, it's a wonderful feeling.”
Come From Away … “I am joining the Australian leg of the tour of “Come From Away.” I'm still so excited that I'm like, is this happening!?! Never in a million years did I think I was going to go to Australia unless, I don't know, something magical happened. And then I guess it kind of did. … This is a musical. A huge ensemble piece where everybody is singing and speaking all the time. I love singing. I love that there is a way for me to be able to perform and act and still sing. Musicals are my favorite. I just love them.”
Much more with Sharriese Hamilton on the PODCAST
Comments have been edited for length and clarity.
WATSONS PRODUCTION PHOTOS|Charles Osgood
PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE PHOTO|Michael Courier
CHICAGO CHILDREN’S THEATRE
Presents
THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM—1963
weekends through May 19th
The Station
100 South Racine Avenue
(872) 222-9555
COME FROM AWAY - MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (Summer 2019)
PODCAST available on Apple Podcasts, Libsyn and Stitcher
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