An Evening with Renee Elise Goldsberry of Broadway’s “Hamilton”

By Emily Saks, Staff Writer

Renee Elise Goldsberry, actress, singer, and winner of a Tony Award, Grammy Award and Drama Desk Award for her role as Angelica Schuyler in the musical phenomenon “Hamilton,” performed for a packed auditorium on Sept. 21st in the Lang Performing Arts Center at Swarthmore College.

Goldsberry, who has also appeared in Broadway productions of “The Lion King,” and “The Color Purple,” kicked the evening off with an impressive lineup of songs. She performed “People Get Ready,” by The Impressions; “Peter Gunn (Max Sedgley Remix)”, originally performed by Sarah Vaughan; “Lord, Protect My Child,” originally performed by Bob Dylan; and an original song with lyrics based on the poem “Human Family,” by Maya Angelou.

One of the highlights of the evening was when Goldsberry spoke about what each song meant to her. She explained that her “Hamilton” co-star, Leslie Odom Jr. once wondered,“what am I going to do with my ‘golden ticket,” when contemplating “Hamilton’s” success. Goldsberry thought about what she wanted to do with her success and replied, “I want to tell the story of Sarah Vaughan.”

Vaughan was an influential jazz singer and winner of four Grammy awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award. Goldberry performed Vaughan’s version of the Peter Gunn Theme to share part of Vaughan’s legacy with the audience.

However, Goldsberry couldn’t end the night without performing anything from “Hamilton,” and followed up with crowd favorites “It’s Quiet Uptown,” and “Satisfied.” She even performed “Congratulations,” a track that was cut from the official soundtrack. As the night progressed, Goldsberry got the crowd moving in their seats, her energy and confidence captivating the audience. The last song of the night was followed by a resounding standing ovation.

Many in the audience felt moved by Goldsberry’s performance. Seetha Davis, a senior at Swarthmore College marveled at “her [Goldsberry’s] ability to make you feel the whole range of emotion.” She explained how Goldsberry is “able to access your emotional core and draw that out of you in an hour.’

“I don’t even know how to put it into words. She was glowing so much that we all started glowing,” added Shira Samuels-Shragg, a junior at Swarthmore College.

The event was part of the Cooper Series at Swarthmore College, an opportunity that allows any member of the college community to propose an event and pursue a Cooper Grant to bring the speaker or performer to campus.