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    Arts

    The Hamilcast: A Hamilton Podcast

    In this podcast about all things Hamilton, host Gillian Pensavalle speaks with guests, and sometimes co-host/all time husband Michael Paul Smith, about the innerworkings of the show, how it came together, what it takes to put on all around the world, finding Hamilton references in everyday life, and much more. The Hamilcast has played host to every member of the original creative team, aka “The Cabinet”, including repeat visits from Hamilton creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda. The Hamilcast features interviews with cast members from every Hamilton tour, Broadway, and UK company–crew members, musicians, creatives, and the hard working people behind-the-scenes that keep the production alive. Plus: historians, super fans, celebrity Hamilton enthusiasts, and group cast recordings!

    When I started this podcast in January of 2016, I could not have imagined the incredible community that has grown around the show and the amazing experiences that have come my way. Thank you to everyone who has listened, appeared on the show, contributed, or reached out in any way. This podcast is for you and I absolutely love making it.

    If you have any great Ham stories or funny references that you’ve come across, let me know! Email TheHamilcast [at] gmail [dot] com, or contact me on social media @TheHamilcast. I also have a Patreon that has given rise to the loveliest corner of the internet, ever. You can learn more about how to be a part of that lovely corner, and how to submit questions to guests, and to be part of my monthly AMA’s at https://www.patreon.com/TheHamilcast

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    Latest Episodes:
    THROWBACK // Episode #77: Mandy Gonzalez (2017) Nov 17, 2025
    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.

    ///

    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!

    MandyGonzalez.com

    Mandy Gonzalez on Instagram

    Lin-Manuel Miranda and Mandy Gonzalez perform "Empire State of Mind" at Lincoln Center for "The Hamilton Mixtape"/American Songbook

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    Gillian's Website

    The Hamilcast on Twitter

    The Hamilcast on Instagram

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    Bonus B-Side: Back to Basics with Michael Paul Smith! Nov 10, 2025
    Show notes

    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.

    Michael Paul Smith's website

    Michael Paul Smith on TikTok

    Michael Paul Smith on Instagram

    Ted and Michael Read Sketches into Microphones

    Fiona on Instagram

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    Gillian's Website

    The Hamilcast on Twitter

    The Hamilcast on Instagram

    Join the Patreon Peeps


    #491: Aaron Burr, Sir(s) // #HamilTEN Event at South Street Seaport Nov 03, 2025
    Show notes

    On August 21st, 2025, I hosted a #HamilTEN event where I was asked to moderate a conversation with five actors who have played Aaron Burr over the years: Nik Walker, Donald Webber Jr., Jared Dixon, Marc delaCruz, and Deon'te Goodman. It was extra fun because they are all my friends and have all appeared on the podcast! This is the full audio of our chat, including the first announcement about the ending of The Hamilcast.

    It won't be any surprise for you to learn that this conversation was *excellent.* All of these guys have so much insight and incredible things to say; we absolutely could have kept talking for a lot longer but with subways to catch and half hour calls to make, we were on a very strict deadline. We had deep dives on deep dives into Burr the person, Burr the character, and everything that comes with the massive responsibility of playing this role. We talked about if Burr is truly a villain or really just misunderstood (and kinda valid in his thought process?!), and learned about clues into the real Aaron Burr's psyche the night before the fateful duel against Alexander Hamilton (hint: handwriting!).

    Plus, fun details about performing the role onstage, how other characters can inform the way this one is played, and you can't have a conversation about A.Burr without going in on the dreaded table jump.

    Thank you again to everyone who came to the event, to Hamilton for asking me to do this, and to the wonderful guys sharing the mics with me.

    Nik Walker's episodes: 60, 61, 130, 131, 209, 210, 211

    Donald Webber, Jr.'s episodes: 114, 115

    Jared Dixon's episodes: 236, 237, 238, 276, 277

    Marc delaCruz's episodes: 163, 164, 165

    Deon'te Goodman's episodes: 205, 206

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    Gillian's Website

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    #490: Renée Elise Goldsberry // Hamilton Broadway's Original Angelica Schuyler Oct 27, 2025
    Show notes

    Renée Elise Goldsberry is on the pod and yeah no there are no typos detected this actually happened! We covered so much ground and I am still in awe of what a warm, generous, honest, and thoughtful person Renée is.

    This episode is *packed.* Want to hear about her album Who I Really Am and what it was like to record it over four years and how Renée put her heart and soul into it? Done! How about her new Satisfied documentary, which is a deeply personal look into originating Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton while also raising small children and realizing she didn't have to choose because YEP we covered that, too. Oh hey maybe even Girls5Eva and a deep dive into Wickie Roy's whole vibe and (some of) her best lines and why women should never apologize for being ambitious? CHECKKKKK. Did I fangirl over Documentary Now!'s genius and hilarious Original Cast Album: Co-Op and tell Renée how often that episode is brought up on this podcast because we all love it so much? I SURE DID. #thebrownandthebeige #rooned

    Plus! Renée beautifully unpacks the dichotomy of her experiences as the last Mimi Marquez in Rent on Broadway and first Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton on Broadway.

    This really is such a fantastic conversation. We laughed, we got chills, and we made a date for ten years from now to "talk about what wonderful things have transpired." If you think it's not on my calendar for 2035 (with a reminder set for a year before) you don't know me at all.

    Renée Elise Goldsberry's website

    Renée Elise Goldsberry - "Who I Really Am" (Album)

    Renée Elise Goldsberry - "Satisfied" (Single)

    Renée Elise Goldsberry - "Staring"

    Documentary Now! Original Cast Album: Co-Op

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    Gillian's Website

    The Hamilcast on Twitter

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    Join the Patreon Peeps


    #489: Jennifer Simard // Part Two Oct 20, 2025
    Show notes

    Jennifer Simard is back for round two and I do not at all regret to inform you that this is now a First Wives Club fan podcast.

    As she takes questions from the Patreon Peeps, Jennifer talks a lot about her process as Helen Sharp in Death Becomes Her, from respecting the source material without doing a Goldie Hawn impression to staying true to the story that is in front of her (the script on a Broadway stage as opposed to the movie from 1992). Jennifer also dives into the what she calls "the real nougaty center of comedy" which is, say it with me! Pain! Darkness! Tragedy! I mean, come on, that's where the good stuff is! Why? Because all of those things come back to the truth. Oh hey did you know betrayal therapy is a thing? It sure is, and if Jennifer wasn't a multi-faceted and unbelievably talented performer, she'd probably be studying that area of psychology.

    Don't worry, we still have fun this week! Jennifer unabashedly loves television and talks about the people and shows she loves: Carol Burnett, Laverne and Shirley, Columbo (Peter Falk), Madeline Kahn, and an interesting tidbit about Carol Channing when she stopped by Forbidden Broadway in the nineties.

    Jennifer Simard on TikTok

    Jennifer Simard on Instagram

    Jennifer Simard sings "You'll Be Back" as Hamilton's King George III

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    Gillian's Website

    The Hamilcast on Twitter

    The Hamilcast on Instagram

    Join the Patreon Peeps


    #488: Jennifer Simard // Part One Oct 13, 2025
    Show notes

    The multi-talented Jennifer Simard is on the pod! Can you believe?! The three-time Tony nominated star of Death Becomes Her on Broadway AND bonafide TikTok sensation was generous enough to chat with me for so long that she has *two* episodes. Unreal.

    This week, Jennifer tells me her Hamilton story, talks about the beauty and madness of Tony season (especially when she was first nominated in 2016), explains the panic of realizing she had onstage seating for Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, and makes an extremely compelling pitch for why she should play King George III.

    Plus, Jennifer talks about her journey as Helen Sharp in Death Becomes Her, from her first reading to opening night and beyond, including how grateful she is for the fantastic team (both on and offstage!) that makes the campy magic that the audience absolutely loves being in on.

    Jennifer Simard on TikTok

    Jennifer Simard on Instagram

    Jennifer Simard sings "You'll Be Back" as Hamilton's King George III

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    Gillian's Website

    The Hamilcast on Twitter

    The Hamilcast on Instagram

    Join the Patreon Peeps


    #487: Daniel Pollack-Pelzner // Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Education of an Artist // Part Three Oct 06, 2025
    Show notes

    As I wrap up with author Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, we have a first for the pod! A Patreon Peep is taking questions from his fellow Peeps! The deep dive continues as Daniel shares more stories that didn't make the book (Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Education of an Artist) and even tells us more details about things that *did* make the book. Plus, Daniel nerds out about Shakespeare, talks about his incredibly inspiring students and why "the future of the form is in good hands" (seriously, you will want to see these musicals YESTERDAY), and if you thought we were done talking about the nineties you have notttt been paying attention!

    Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Education of an Artist

    Daniel Pollack-Pelzner

    What Shakespeare Actually Did During the Plague (ARTICLE)

    Art + Medicine: What Shakespeare Actually Did During the Plague (VIDEO)

    Scrivener App (Not an ad! I don't do ads! It was mentioned!)

    Agustina San Martín

    Warriors

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    Gillian's Website

    The Hamilcast on Twitter

    The Hamilcast on Instagram

    Join the Patreon Peeps


    #486: Daniel Pollack-Pelzner // Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Education of an Artist // Part Two Sep 29, 2025
    Show notes

    Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, cultural omnivore and author of Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Education of an Artist, is back for round two and the deep dive continues!

    This week, Daniel tells us all about the time Stephen Sondheim visited Lin's high school dished the dirt about West Side Story with a room full of teenage theatre kids. That's where Lin learned that not even Sondheim nails it on the first try, and the messy process can lead to something even better than the original. That could be its own episode but hell no there's so much more going on this week! Among other things Daniel talks about what *he* learned while writing the book, the power of a great cliffhanger (seriously, you'll get chills!), and the importance of finding your field of other people in bee costumes. Ahem... I trust you'll understand the reference to the 90's lore without my having to name that tune.

    Plus, Daniel fills is in about his work on Mary Kathryn Nagle's upcoming (and currently untitled) documentary film on tribal consulting tribal sovereignty in law and theater, and the often-overlooked epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW).

    Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Education of an Artist

    Daniel Pollack-Pelzner

    Hollywood: An Oral History by Jeanine Basinger and Sam Wasson

    Blind Melon - No Rain

    Mary Kathryn Nagle Changes the Story, in Court and Onstage by Daniel Pollack-Pelzner

    The MMIW Project

    Manahatta by Mary Kathryn Nagel

    Sliver of a Full Moon 2022: Live Performance and Panel Discussion

    Sliver of a Full Moon || Radcliffe Institute

    Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

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    Gillian's Website

    The Hamilcast on Twitter

    The Hamilcast on Instagram

    Join the Patreon Peeps


    #485: Daniel Pollack-Pelzner // Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Education of an Artist // Part One Sep 22, 2025
    Show notes

    Daniel Pollack-Pelzner is an award winning author, educator, and bonafide fan of culture, Shakespeare, musicals, and artists. His new book, Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Education of an Artist, is part biography, part deep dive, and part oral history. It's also a very beautiful (and honest!) tribute to Lin-Manuel and all the people and steps involved in the journey to who he is today.

    But if you think this is a boring stop on a press tour, think again! Daniel has been a Patreon Peep of The Hamilcast since 2018 and after years of writing about Hamilton's cultural impact and then talking to over 150 people about Lin-Manuel Miranda for this book, he has three amazing episodes packed with story after story after story.

    This week, Daniel talks about the origin story of the book, pitching the idea to Lin-Manuel, Lin's high school screenplay about the Hamilton-Burr duel, and why LMM's one request was that the first person to be interviewed be his mother, Luz Towns-Miranda. She is a renowned psychologist (with a focus on children and family), and her acceptance of young Lin's empathy and sensitivity became an undeniable cornerstone of his creative expression. On behalf of all of us, I say: thank you, Luz!

    Over the years, Daniel has had a lot of connections to Hamilton the show, Hamilton the person, and Lin-Manuel Miranda himself. From Joanne Freeman: Badass Historian™ to knowing old high school girlfriends, it's clear this whole thing is enthusiastically approved by The Universe.

    Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Education of an Artist

    Daniel Pollack-Pelzner

    21 Chump Street

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    Gillian's Website

    The Hamilcast on Twitter

    The Hamilcast on Instagram

    Join the Patreon Peeps


    #484: Tyler McKenzie // Hamilton Dance Captain and Universal Swing // Part Three Sep 15, 2025
    Show notes

    We're wrapping up Tyler McKenzie's episodes as he continues to take questions from the Patreon Peeps. Tyler talks about his special bond with the Charlotte arts community, his experience go-go dancing for the legendary Trixie Mattel, and we won't call it a comeback but Janet Jackson is performing again and you need to get yourself there to experience it.

    We also had to take some time to discuss the pure magic that was the start of the Philip Tour. It was such a moment in time and it was very, very special for a lot of people - and not just for the people in it. For Tyler, the Philip Company will always be home, and he talks a lot about community, boundaries, and relationships *outside* of work.

    This is still a series about reflection so Tyler very honestly talks about what it's like to leave a show that wasn't just artistically fulfilling, challenging in all the ways, and an unparalleled learning experience but let's get real: he spent eight years answering that horrifying "so what are you up to?!" question by saying: "I'm in Hamilton." I mean come on! That's one of the biggest flexes there is! But now Tyler is left wondering: who is he without Hamilton? How does he feel significant and strong without using a brand? The good news is that this recording is not Tyler's first time reflecting or meditating on any of these questions so don't worry, there's a plan and it's an awesome. (Two hints: Bali and yoga).

    Tyler on Instagram

    http://www.tylermckenzie.net/

    #106: I'm not falling behind or running late

    #130: I came as soon as I heard // #LasVegust Part Two

    #131: I came as soon as I heard // #LasVegust Part Three

    ///

    Gillian's Website

    The Hamilcast on Twitter

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    Join the Patreon Peeps


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