Hamilton National Tour
Emmanuel (Manny) Schvartzman's credits include the Broadway and touring productions of On Your Feet! and the Off-Broadway production of Real Men at New World Stages.
He's the Music Director/Conductor on the national tour of Hamilton.
To watch the interview with Emmanuel (Manny) Schvartzman, click the play button below (or click here to open the video player in a new tab/window).
Click here to display the video player on this page.
To listen to the interview, click the play button below (or click here to open the audio player in a new tab/window).
The Hamilton National Tour is currently in Chicago at the CIBC Theatre through April 26, 2026.
More information about the tour is available on the show's website.
Information specific to the Chicago leg of the tour, including tickets, can be found on the Broadway in Chicago website.
Mike Reflects
After talking to Chris Fenwick during the Kimberly Akimbo National Tour, I talked a bit about my experience with orchestral music as a (very brief) performer and theatre fan.
With this interview, I was excited to not only explore another Music Director's approach to the role, but also look at how things can change with a show that's sung-through.
In musical theatre, it's, of course, always a collaborative effort between the musicians and the actors.
But, with a show that's sung-through, the dynamic changes a bit.
In most shows, in most cases, the cues are based on the actors' lines and movements. Since dialogue makes up most of the show, dialogue (and the accompanying blocking) is how everyone tracks where in the show they are.
That gives the actors a bit of freedom to set the pacing, especially in the context of applause breaks (which can be helpful for catching their breath, if necessary).
But, when one song leads right to another, and the actors' performances are based, as singing usually is, on where in the song they are, it changes things a bit.
As I mentioned, and I can't stress enough, musical theatre is always collaborative.
But it's, at least in my mind, a bit like ballroom dancing. It's a collaboration and an art, but somehow has to take the lead.
In most cases, that's going to be the actors.
So it was really fascinating to get to sit down with Manny and explore his work on this show where that's not necessarily the case.