Interview: 1776's Shawna Hamic On Touring & Working With Her Idol Sting

The Center Theatre Group presents the Los Angeles premiere of the Tony Award-winning 1776 opening April 12, 2023 at the Ahmanson (with a preview April 11th). Diane Paulus and Jeffrey L. Page co-direct the cast of 27. Shawna Hamic, who plays Richard Henry Lee, found some time during her two-week run in Denver to answer a few of my queries.

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

You are reprising your 2022 Broadway role of Richard Henry Lee. Were you still playing on Broadway when you were told you would be touring 1776?

When we originally were to begin our production of 1776 back in April of 2020, the agreement was that we were all to perform on the National Tour, then the out-of-town production at American Repertory Theater in Boston and then finally end our time in the show with the Broadway run with Roundabout. A few things happened between what the original plan was and what has come to be. (Global pandemic anyone?) So it was always in my mind that I'd be touring with the show across the country. I've always felt that our show specifically could make the most impact by telling it across our nation. The diversity & abundant representation of ethnicity, gender, size and age is seldom seen all together in one show. Yet here we are. Physical representations for audience members that have rarely (if ever) seen themselves on a Broadway stage in a major production. That is incredibly special and moving to be that representation.

As one who's playing the same role on tour as on Broadway, have there been any technical adjustments to your Richard Henry Lee?

I would say the biggest change was getting used to fellow performers who I'm used to seeing as one character moving into different roles. We have quite a few of the original cast members who moved into roles they understudied on Broadway. So it was just a matter of figuring out how they would play the role and what changes I'd need to make to keep the show the best it can be!

For those not caught up on their American history, what would you three-line pitch for 1776 be?

What will it take to get two dozen powerfully passionate, exceedingly complicated, and all-too-human individuals to settle their differences, while they hold the very future of a nation in their hands?

What qualities of Richard Henry Lee would you include if you were submitting him on a dating site?

Exceeding-Lee confident southern gentleman, superior in humor and possessing of a lively disposition - Richard Henry Lee (of the famed Lees of Virginia) - is here for a good time (sorry ladies- the only 'proposing' he'll be doing is on a resolution of independency!)

What character flaws would you definitely omit?

He was a selfish man who was interested in protecting his wealth and his family above everything. He wasn't so morally superior that he proposed the resolution on independence to rid America of slavery, but rather to remove the limitations placed on it by Great Britain.

Do you have a favorite song to perform in 1776? Or are they all wonderful?

Well... I mean I have a pretty awesome song 'The Lees of Old Virginia.' It's my favorite to perform. But as an ensemble I must say that 'Mama Look Sharp' is my favorite to sing. The arrangement and the powerful vocals by Brooke Simpson are incredible. I love it every single show.

What do you remember of your original audition for 1776?

I remember most everything about the audition. I remember thinking it was odd to even get the request to audition. I was used to 1776 being solely a male heavy show. It was never on my 'must do' list of musicals. I (for whatever reason) decided to sew a vest for myself. It came out pretty well actually. I'm pretty proud of that. As actors we can't ever know what the people behind the table are thinking, but I had a wonderful time auditioning. I was only ever asked to perform the song and scene for Lee. Others in the cast had to perform a section of the Declaration as a monologue. For most who auditioned it wasn't so much a specific character they were auditioning for, but more what we could bring as humans and with our talents to the show. Some were cast with role 'TBD.' In the room with me were Diane Paulus and Jeffrey Page and David Chase (the music supervisor) who I'd worked with on a show up at Goodspeed. It felt like at least he was on my side. Turns out they all were.

There are a number of your Broadway castmates touring with you. Is it like a warm security blanket to be acting with these castmates you already know?

Over the last three years of trying to get to this point we have bonded in ways I haven't in other shows. We had the first Zoom workshop together back in April of 2020, and we kept in touch until we were finally able to be in the same room together in 2022. So to finally be there. To finally hug those people who had existed only in small boxes on my computer screen was amazing. I love these humans. Both returning company members and those who have joined us for the tour.

Any noticeable differences you're aware of working with a cast made up of only female, trans and non-binary humans in 1776 as opposed to Les Misérables or Kinky Boots?

I will say the most surprising part of being in this company has been the immediate pushback we received when the cast was first announced. We hadn't even started rehearsals and yet people were already calling for our show to be avoided. Saying it was disrespectful to our 'founding fathers.' Basically - 'HOW DARE WE?!' So we knew from the start we'd have much to overcome - merely for existing as the people we are. I certainly have never experienced that in any other show I've been a part of. Another new aspect of being part of our show is trying to figure out if we might be arrested and charged with felonies. Some legislation currently on the works (and in the case specifically of Tennessee which has already passed) our show could be considered 'drag' (according to the vague wording.) We perform in Nashville in June and we are going knowing we might be in real danger of legal issues. For performing in a musical. One that was written in 1969. I certainly never considered that might be an issue when I first knew I wanted to be an actor. I never contemplated that I'd also be living through a time when just doing my job of performing in a musical might become illegal. In the end - I'm an artist. And I stand with my company members. I will fight for their rights to exist and to live fully. To have equality in a nation that has built its reputation on being the 'land of Freedom.' I've never been more aware of how lacking that freedom is than I have been as a member of our revolutionary show. So - as an artist, as an actor - I'll do my job. As will we all. And I'll fight for that promised freedom for all. Both on stage and off.

You were Mrs. Dees in The Last Ship. Do you remember how you felt when you were presented with the brand-new second act opener Mrs. Dees Rant written by Sting especially for you?

This is a story I tell all the time because it is such a meaningful moment to me. I'd loved Sting my whole life. I had always dreamed and somehow truly KNEW in the depth of my being that we'd work together. But as I grew older, I couldn't figure out how it might happen. I was touring as Madame Thenardier on the 25th anniversary production of Les Misérables when I heard that Sting was working on a musical. Oh, how I wished to get an audition, but I never did. But then after I ended my run Les Miz, I got a call from my agent that they wanted me to come in for an audition. This story is much longer but needless to say I ended up booking the job! So not only had I achieved my ultimate dream of FINALLY performing on Broadway - it would be in a musical written by STING! All of my dreams, new and old, all coming true at once. So it was a big deal. To celebrate I decided to buy a really good ticket to see Sting perform at Madison Square Garden. As I was sitting there waiting for the show to start I looked a few rows ahead of me and saw Jeffrey Sellers - the main producer of The Last Ship. I took a breath and went to say hello. As we were chatting briefly he said to me, 'Isn't it funny- you come in to audition for a small role and then Sting goes and writes a song for you!' I replied- 'I'm sorry, WHAT?!' He said, 'Yeah! So crazy...' And continued speaking. But in my head, all I heard was the teacher from Charlie Brown. 'Wah Wah wah, Wah wah wah...' my brain completely short circuited! The lights started to dim so I went back to my seat. I just kept thinking... 'Wait... what?!' Then all of a sudden the spotlight hit center stage and there he was... Sting. I'll literally never forget that moment. Turns out it was exactly 40 days and 40 nights 'til we started rehearsal. I figured that was my own personal 'walk through the desert' to see if the song would make it to the first day of rehearsal. When I got the script the night before we started rehearsal and I saw the song list I cried. There at the top of the page right under 'Act Two' was 'Mrs. Dees' Rant' and I was Mrs. Dees. So it made it. Pretty incredible. I still remember as we were shaping the show every once in a while Sting would come over to me to try out one rhyme/joke or another one. And did I like this more than that one?! He shaped it and built it truly for me. How many people get to say a Rock ICON wrote a song for them?! I'll never stop being grateful that I'm one of them.

1776 is not your first tour. What travelling tips did you learn from touring your previous five stints (including Les Misérables and Kinky Boots)?

Oh, so many. The biggest ones I can think of here are:

1. Save your money. Yes- of course enjoy your time but save that money!

2. Protect your voice and mental health. People don't realize that on a tour we perform eight shows in six days and then our 'day off' is the travel day. I don't know about you but flying on planes across the country is not very restful. So I learned to take flights other than those with my company members. Just a little time on my own where I could choose my seat on the plane and have a little alone time was essential for me.

3. I never shared a room. I just needed some precious personal space. Sure it was a hotel room, but it was mine for a week.

4. Pack less than you think. You have to haul it from one place to another on your own. Choose what you bring wisely. Frankly - I wish I would have listened to myself on that one with 1776! I brought far too much with me.

You are also a published photographer. What did you want to be growing up?

A florist. That was the first thing. I used to stand on the side of the road as a little kid and 'sell' bouquets of wildflowers. Frankly it's a miracle I'm still here. But those were different times, I guess. But then as a kid I saw the first national tour of Les Misérables. And that was it. I wanted to play Madame Thenardier. Even then- that was who I wanted to play. And then for the 25th Anniversary Tour I WAS Madame Thenardier. I think some things are just meant to be. (If you work hard and go after them with everything you have that is.)

I love reading special skills on an actor's resume. Yours include "cat impersonation, fabulous tongue tricks, baby talking/singing and puppetry. Have you ever booked a gig due to one of these special skills? And what made you 'take up' these special skills?

I've absolutely had people in audition rooms asked me to perform some of those skills. The cat impersonation is a favorite ask. I have always liked trying things. Especially using my voice in ways other than singing. I don't know that a special skill is what took me over the edge from 'possibility' to 'booking' a job though.

You listed over ten dialects that you can do. What made you get into that many dialects? Specific gigs?

I LOVE trying to figure out accents. I think it comes from my love of animation and also dreaming and hoping one day I'd be a voice of an animated character. Hence the dialects. I wanted to be as versatile as possible. I'm still hoping I'll achieve that dream of voicing an animated character. We all need to dream. No matter how old we are.

What was the hardest dialect for you to master? The easiest?

The hardest so far has been the Geordie accent for The Last Ship. It's very specific. But it also sounds like a lot of accents nearby. So I kept drifting into another. The easiest was an Irish accent. I guess that makes sense. I am part Irish back in my family tree.

What else is on Shawna Hamic's plate?

Well as an artist, we're always looking for the next gig. I have no idea what that might be. So for now - I'm just going to enjoy this journey and keep dreaming bigger. Cause you never know when those dreams just might come true.

Thank you again, Shawna! I look forward to meeting your Richard Henry Lee.

For tickets to the live performances of 1776 through May 7, 2023; click on the button below:

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