The Hamilcast: A Hamilton Podcast

Here we go! The grand finale of The Hamilcast is officially underway with the return of Hamilton's mastermind choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler! Andy was the last guest before lockdown, coming over in person in February of 2020. Five years later, he's back to celebrate #HamilTEN and reflect on over a decade of working the show we are still happily dissecting all these years later.

I love talking to Andy because every single story he tells gives more insight into his incredible thought process. From getting Hamilton Broadway's original cast together for the 2025 Tony Awards performance, to the necessary changes to the "What'd I Miss?" choreography in response to the Black Lives Matter movement, to why the Hamilfilm is the best filmed version of a show ever... everything he does is so layered and as he says, "thick."

This week we get into the logistics of the famous "Andy Refreshers" and what maintenance for the show looks like after all these years, especially when he's working on other projects, including bringing the Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis concept album Warriors to the stage. I tried to keep my cool but sdlkfjsldkfj this is so exciting and based on what Andy tells us (which is a lot!) it's going to blow all of our minds into outer space. But honestly, what else is new?

This episode was recorded in October of 2025 at WTF Media Studios in Manhattan and produced with Natalie Grillo from Any Moment Productions in collaboration with Meghan Miles.

It feels very fitting that after ten years and speaking to dozens of actors who have played Aaron Burr, the very last one to grace the podcast is Hamilton Broadway's original (inimitable!) Leslie Odom, Jr. We didn't have a long time, but let me tell you... we had a GREAT time.

This episode is funny, it's moving, it's layered, it's healing, it's so much of why Leslie Odom, Jr. is such a fascinating person to talk to. He tells me about how his beautiful cover of Tonight, Tonight" by the Smashing Pumpkins came to be, his experience with Purlie Victorious, how much he loved pushing the nerd bar to a ten with Owen Tillerman in Central Park, and how playing the legendary Sam Cooke in One Night in Miami... meant the world to him.

Aaron Burr is surrounded by ghosts and Leslie Odom, Jr. is no different because when it comes to his monumental return to Hamilton ten years after his Tony Award winning run originating Aaron Burr, the ghosts are everywhere: from his fellow original cast members to his younger self (omg wait until you get to that part, you're going to lose your mind). Coming back to Hamilton after a decade was his idea and Leslie is bringing ten years of therapy, regret, loss, grief, joy and everything in between to the stage of the Rodgers. Luckily for all of us, Hamilton is a show that can handle whatever he's bringing to the room that day. And even though he's playing Burr with more frustration this time around, he promises - promises! - that every single night he's trying his very best not to kill Alexander at the end of this thing.

From his favorite Burr line to the importance of listening to your soul and why he promises to never, ever waste our time, Leslie Odom, Jr., lays it all out on the table.

This is the last throwback before we really dive in and start wrapping up The Hamilcast. Anna-Lee Craig is HamiltonBroadway's A2 (assistant sound), and when she came on the podcast all the way back in 2017, she made all of our heads explode. It actually keeps happening because I STILL hear from listeners about this conversation. I mean, she invented the famous ALC Special! And, come to think of it, listeners write not just about this conversation, but the many conversations I've had with people behind the scenes at Hamilton, in all different arenas: hair, wardrobe, management, sound, you name it. These episodes really, really highlighted that you can love theatre and love the arts and still be a MAJOR part of it without being on stage.

The main reason I wanted to repost this episode is because I really wanted to point out how important these episodes were SPECIFICALLY for women. Anna-Lee is among many, many badass women featured on the podcast, especially when it comes to behind the scenes work. I'm super proud that I was able to speak to so many of the people who make Hamilton what it is, in so many ways, and it's really important to me that so many women were able to come on and tell their stories.

If you're interested in all of that behind the scenes action (from everyone), there are manyyyyyyy episodes listed further down in the show notes.

Time for another throwback! The truly effervescent Mandy Gonzalez came on the podcast in 2017 and gave new meaning to "I'm about to change your life." It was so important that she came on the show because, duh, she is THEEEEEEEE Mandy Gonzalez. Mandy was kind, gracious, and generous, and her recording was a big turning point in the life of The Hamilcast. It was a really, really big deal that she came over. And! This is the episode that made Lin-Manuel Miranda want to come on the podcast, so yeah, life changing status ACTIVATED. This is the full, untouched episode from 2017 and below is the original description.

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Calling all #FearlessSquad members (aka #SquadKicks): We have the one and only Mandy Gonzalez on the podcast this week! Mandy talks all things #FearlessSquad, what it's like playing Angelica in Hamilton on Broadway, her experience as Nina in In The Heights, the importance of having a fight within you, and why the world is a better place with Lin-Manuel Miranda in it. You will feel so motivated by the end of this episode!

As The Hamilcast starts to wrap up, I couldn't end this thing without jumping on the mic with Michael Paul Smith and making a podcast love letter to every listener, guest, Patreon Peep, and cool experience from these last ten years. Of course I couldn't mention everything and even as I type this, I'm kicking myself for not going back and discussing every single episode and every single experience at length and with extreme detail. But this feels very self serving as it is (woof!) so please, if you're reading this, please know how much I love I have for this entire journey, and how much fun I've had with you. It has been the absolute best and even though we do get sappy at times in this very special bonus episode (no but literally, it's a Very Special Episode of The Hamilcast), I still want these last few weeks to be a PARTY. So grab your popcorn (wink!) and join us as we take this walk down memory lane and remember, to quote Thomas Kail, I made this show for you.