Rachelle Ann Go brings motherhood experience to stage comeback
MANILA, Philippines — In case you missed out on this exciting news early this week, Rachelle Ann Go is reprising the role of Eliza Hamilton in the Philippine run of Hamilton in September. The Manila season will also serve as the Asian premiere of the critically acclaimed and commercially successful musical created by Lin-Manuel Miranda that opened on Broadway in 2015.
The now London-based Rachelle originated the role on West End back in 2017. It was her third West End show after relocating to the UK to pursue an international stage career via Miss Saigon and then Les Miserables.
The international production of Hamilton in Manila will also mark Rachelle’s official theater comeback after giving birth to her second child last March. She is now mom to a boy (Lukas Judah) and a girl (Sela Teruah) with husband Martin Spies.
During a one-on-one virtual interview with The STAR recently, Rachelle Ann shared that she’s bringing her motherhood experiences to her portrayal of Eliza Hamilton, the wife of American founding father Alexander Hamilton, in the hit musical that’s been praised for the inclusiveness of its cast, among other reasons.
Here’s why Filipinos should watch Hamilton, according to Rachelle.
“First and foremost, Eliza is Pinoy. Suportahan niyo naman ako,” she began.
“But I think being Pinoy, I’m really proud to be able to share this with fellow Filipinos. I’m sure many Pinoys… they probably know the lyrics to the songs.
“And for those who are not really familiar with the story, you know you will learn about American history. If you’re not interested in the politics and all that, you can still relate to a lot of the characters in the show.”
Rachelle further noted that Hamilton tackles universal themes such as love, sisterhood and brotherhood.
“I feel like after the show, the songs will still be in your head. Baka maging karaoke night! But I have a strong feeling that Filipinos will enjoy this one knowing how much we love music,” she added.
Below are more excerpts from The STAR’s exclusive chat with Rachelle.
On how she’s preparing for Hamilton:
“We were supposed to fly to New York in two weeks’ time. But something happened to the paperwork — a lot of things. So, we decided to rehearse here in London, which is easier for the whole family with two kids. Then we will go to the Philippines around September to rehearse on stage and the show opens in September.
“It’s a lot but I just need to find time during the day kasi ‘pag natutulog na ang mga kids, that’s actually my opportunity to rehearse. But of course, ‘di ako pwede bumirit-birit at home because I will wake them up. But (it’s) just really finding that time and space.
“Physically, I’ve also been doing exercises to have that stamina to last three hours, you know, every single night. Sometimes, we will do two shows (in a day) as well. So, just preparing my body and mentally as well.”
On originating Eliza Hamilton on West End and reprising the role for Pinoy audiences:
“First and foremost, this is probably the hardest role that I’ve done. It’s a lot! It’s emotional. Eliza is onstage almost the whole time. There’s no break really. But it’s such a great character! She has the joy, she has the strength, she has the grace, and she continued on the legacy of her husband, Alexander Hamilton. That’s like my favorite part of the show.
“When someone asked me, ‘Shin (Rachelle’s nickname), you have to audition for it,’ I wasn’t really sure what Hamilton was about… They said, ‘Oh it’s on Broadway.’ So, when I listened to the music, I fell in love with the character of Eliza right away! I haven’t seen the show, I just heard the music.
“For some reason, I felt that connection with Eliza. I don’t know why. But, I guess, it’s her joy, it’s her childlike moments in the show. That’s my favorite part. And I feel like she shines during the show as well, telling basically not just her story but also her husband’s story as well.
“And her love for her child… Now that I’m a mom, I feel like I have a different take. I feel like it’s going to be deeper and more emotional than how I did it before.”
On balancing motherhood and career:
“I gave birth in 2021 to my first child. I had a bit of a break. And you know, before that, the pandemic happened. I was doing Les Miserables again at that time then the pandemic happened and we stopped doing theater. Then I gave birth.
“A lot of things happened. But here and there, I’ve been doing theater. I did the Les Miz UK tour. I think it was the easiest thing to do because I didn’t need to rehearse for the show. It’s something that I’ve done. They could just call me up and I’d say, ‘OK, I’m game’ because it’s familiar and I know it already by heart.
“Yun lang ang nagawa ko actually. But I have loads of break and I feel like this season of my life, I just want to enjoy being a mom kasi nga mabilis lang lahat ito. My firstborn is already two years old and I don’t want to miss this moment.
“That’s why (with Hamilton in the) Philippines, I’m excited to be back home and also it’s not a long run. It’s only for two months. I’m excited to be home, to be with family and friends, and to eat Pinoy food and also to be a mom at the same time.”
(The international tour of Hamilton will commence at The Theatre at Solaire on Sept. 17. Tickets to the Manila season are available via hamiltonmusical.com/international-tour.)
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