Interview: Joanna A. Jones Confidently Settling Into Her HAMILTON Home

The Los Angeles stop of the national tour of HAMILTON has already landed at the Pantages Theater mesmerizing audiences with their mastery of speeding-singing raps and intricate precision choreography. Joanna A. Jones stars as Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, the wife of Alexander Hamilton.

Had the chance to talk with Joanna about her HAMILTON history and the various other shows she's graced the stage on.

Thank you for taking the time for this interview, Joanna!

What were your feelings your first night back on the Pantages stage performing in front of a live audience?

I was so nervous. I was excited and terrified and yet so ready all at the same time. The energy from the audience was so electrifying that I felt like I would start floating onstage. It was pretty surreal. It was so clear that the art of theater and this show specifically, means so much to people. Between the audience and us it felt like a family reunion, a true celebration of being together again after a long hard year and a half.

How long did you stay in Los Angeles after theatre was locked down March 2020? How long before the cast was released to go to their respective homes?

I was born and raised in California and was L.A.-based for years before I ever moved to New York City, so I stayed in Los Angeles for the entire pandemic. My friends and family are all here, and that made things easier. The rest of the cast was released to go back to their respective homes, about a month or so into the shutdown. I felt awful for everyone who had just signed leases and then turned around and left with no idea if/when they'd be back. It was truly heart wrenching.

You made your Broadway debut in HAMILTON in 2017. What song/s did you audition for HAMILTON with?

I initially was given the Peggy/Maria material, so I sang "Say No To This." Then a couple months later I was asked to put myself on tape for all three sisters, so I sang a little bit of everything, even "Satisfied"! I think they were figuring out where to best place me. Then in my callbacks for Peggy/Maria I remember Alex Lacamoire wanted to hear something else where I could really cut loose, and so I sang Adele's "Someone Like You."

How long did you have to wait before they said, 'Yes!' and you started rehearsals?

It all happened so quickly. I hadn't heard anything for a couple of months after my initial spring auditions. Then, one summer day I got a call from my agent asking me to fly to New York City for final callbacks on Broadway. I was told it was an immediate replacement because someone was leaving. I'm pretty sure I flew out on a Thursday or so, went in a couple times for the creative team and found out by that Monday or Tuesday that I would be on Broadway. From there I moved from L.A. to New York City in the space of about two-and-a-half weeks. It was a whirlwind.

You were the replacement for the dual role of Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds. What was it like going in as a replacement vs staging it from the beginning here in L.A.?

It was challenging to come into such a large show that everyone already knew and step in as a brand-new principal. Learning it alone in a studio felt isolating and disconnected at times, but as soon as I joined the cast on stage everyone was so supportive, and it felt like home. This time around we all knew the show, so it felt like we got to build on something that was already wonderful together and make it even more wonderful. It felt like a more cohesive and connected process for me, more of a group effort.

How many times did you get to take the stage as Eliza on Broadway?

I was an emergency cover for Eliza on Broadway. I went on a grand total of four times in two years. It was so nerve-racking each time, but very exhilarating and so gratifying once I'd made it through.

Which songs do you frequently sing along to watching from the wings?

Between my numbers and costume changes, there isn't a lot of time in Act 1 for me to watch in the wings. In Act 2, I enjoy listening to "The Cabinet Battle" while I'm waiting to go on for "Take a Break." The guys are just killing it every time!

When and how did you find out you landed your current role of Eliza?

I think it was late summer of 2019 when I must have found out. Even though I had played Eliza a few times on Broadway, I was asked to come in for the creatives and audition again in person. My contract on Broadway was coming to the point of end/renewal and I decided this could be the shakeup that I was looking for. My manager called to give me the news, and I got butterflies so hard, I couldn't believe it.

HAMILTON's choreography and staging is so precise and specific for each performer. Did you have to unlearn all of Peggy's staging and choreography to learn Eliza's?

Yes, I did! It was very "rub the tummy, pat the head" because a lot of the staging between the two characters is so similar in the group numbers, just on a different count or on the left side instead of the right, etc. Andy Blankenbuehler crafted it all so intentionally that I wanted to get it right, but it was certainly a challenge. Especially when I would go on as Peggy one night, and Eliza the next!

Did you have to learn the storyline HAMILTON all over again from Eliza's perspective?

In a way, yes. Eliza's version of Hamilton is very different from Peggy/Maria's. She knew him in a way that no one else did. The impact of their intimate relationship, his actions, the heartbreak, and tragedy that she endured, made it a brand-new show for me. Many more layers to dive into, and I'm still diving today.

The night I saw HAMILTON, the audience was most receptive and vocal to all the happenings on stage. All of you were so amazing! What's the most surprising audience reaction you've experienced, either in your Broadway production or your current Pantages one??

There was a little girl fully doing the choreography to "My Shot" with us in the fourth row. I also love when people come dressed in full costume. Other people just become overwhelmed with emotion and give a passionate standing ovation on their own, it's really sweet. (And then some people are just plain DRUNK! Ha! Ha!)

Have you settled into your Los Angeles space?

I am an L.A. girl through and through. This has always been my favorite place to live. It's nice to be home again, with the beaches and the hills and the endless summers. I did have to move apartments recently, but I'm close to the theater and I'm settling in nicely.

You grew up in Nipomo, California, graduating from Nipomo High before studying musical theatre at UCLA. Tell us about your acapella group The Backbeats you formed there.

My college acapella group was called Awaken A Cappella. We were one of the oldest groups on campus and just a group of super chill music lovers. Funny enough, I met The Backbeats through our rival school USC. They were looking to build a unique group of people to compete on The Sing-Off, and they had seen a video of me and asked me to audition and eventually join.

What do you remember of The Backbeats performing on NBC's "The Sing-Off" in 2010?

I remember being so stressed I could hardly eat! Ha! Ha! It was an absolute rush. I was so young and green and had to be very brave and trust myself, but it ended up being so rewarding. Some of my dearest friends today came out of that experience. And the exposure I got opened a lot of cool doors for me.

What was it like to be working far away from your California home on London's West End in the 2012 production of the Michael Jackson musical THRILLER LIVE?

It was a huge moment for me to move to London alone in the middle of my senior year of college. Thankfully, I am English on my mother's side and our whole family lives in the countryside about a two- hour train ride from London. But this was my first big job outside of school, and I was bright eyed and bushy tailed. I just wanted to do a good job. When I look back, I am proud of myself for what I did out there. It was a very coming of age type of year for me, so very exciting.

Would you share some happy memories of performing in HAIR at the Hollywood Bowl in 2014?

Performing at The Bowl was magical. I remember it rained and the audience was covering themselves with ponchos to stick it out and finish watching the show. The cast was fire, and we got to be wild and free as hippies. It was all fun and games until I had a back spasm on closing night at the end of Act 1 and had to miss my solo as Abe Lincoln in Act 2! Unforgettable in many ways.

What's the latest on your duo Why Mona?

We have slowed down to give me a chance to settle into the show, but we did finish a couple of singles before I went into rehearsal. We'll probably roll those out in the coming months, and potentially a Christmas cover. Then, as soon as the show ends, we'll be back to regular releases.

Do you have any pre-show warm-ups or rituals?

I warm up using something called straw technique, which has saved my life during this show. I am so attached to them that I take one of my little straws around the show with me like a teddy bear and blow into it between scenes to make sure I don't push vocally. And of course, I always have my essential oils in the diffuser plus my roll-on essential oils that I put all over me. I probably smell like a spa!

Any special tchotchkes on your dressing room table?

I have a "Wait For It" mug and a little Peggy figurine in my dressing room, both of which I got in New York with the Broadway company.

Any sights on Los Angeles still on your wish list?

I'm from here! But there are still endless magical things to discover. There is a Tiktok account I follow called @pao_losangeles that shows a bunch of hidden gems in the city. I have my work cut out for me; they all look amazing. I love L.A.!

Thank you again, Joanna! I look forward to seeing your Eliza again sometime soon.

For tickets and schedule of HAMILTON through January 2, 2022; log onto Pantages Theatre Tickets | PantagesLA-Theatre.org

To read my interview with Joanna's HAMILTON leading man Jamael Westman, click here.

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