HISTORY HAS ITS EYES ON US

January 20, 2025.

American citizens awoke for a momentous day in their nation's presidential history: the swearing-in of the 47th President of the United States. History - and most of the world - had its eyes on the Capitol Building as the day began to unfold.

At the exact same time, one of those American citizens was having his own historical moment: he was deep in the throes of sitting down with 283 students from Decatur High School for an up close Meet The Artist Q&A chat with cast members and musicians from Hamilton: An American Musical. 

(For sake of clarity and so I can stop writing in the third person...it's me: I'm that American citizen.)

When the reservation for this Q&A was first made three months prior to this moment, I remember looking at the calendar and thinking to myself: "What better way to mark an inauguration day than by dissecting - with 283 students!! - one of the most well-written pieces of theatre of our generation that's chock-full of American history, and prominently features George Washington who had his own momentous inauguration on April 30, 1789 on the balcony of Federal Hall just a few miles from the theatre district?" I was proud to be able to provide a synchronistic experience, connecting Broadway and American political history, and to play a small role in these students' visit. 

So, when that day arrived and those young humans filed into their seats at the Theater Center on 50th Street for our chat, it all somehow felt meant-to-be. Our talk began with a focus on the day-to-day performances of Hamilton. Thayne Jasperson, the only original cast member who is still in the show, had a lot to say about that aspect as he's performed the show nearly 3,000 times. Leaning into the music side of things, Ian Weinberger, the show's musical director, provided great insight into the nuances and preparation required to achieve success with such a wordy show. And then there was me: my role in the chat was to also include any historical details that felt relevant so as to connect our conversation with the larger events of the day. 

In moderating a Q&A, especially with such esteemed guests as these, I like to strike a delicate balance: I want to play an active role in weaving all parts of the conversation together, but let the stories of our guests be the main focus. I'm not short-winded (if you've met me...you know this), so finding this balance is a skill that I've been working on for years. On this particular day, amid all of this presidential talk, one of the students posed a question to me directly that took the conversation in a different direction: How does one navigate life as an artist and a business owner, he queried. My response? "Ask me in two weeks when my wife gives birth to our daughter...whatever artist / business balance I've found will likely be thrown out the window at that point!" We all laughed, and on the Q&A went, culminating in a final group selfie before I sent the group back out into the windy, wintry streets of midtown. 

I packed up my things, thanked Thayne and Ian for their artistry and candid stories about their lives and careers, and headed back to my office. As I boarded the subway downtown, I was brought back to that singular student's question about balance. I couldn't help but imagine what my "new" life would be like with the birth of my daughter in two week's time. But, as is usually the case with the constant, active "hamster wheel" of ideas racing through my brain, it was a fleeting thought and then I was onto the next. 

I got to my office and my phone rang: it was my wife, Leah. 

"It happened. My water broke. It's time." 

And just like that, my first scheduling change. We had a game plan. We'd taken the classes. We were ready...

...for her to arrive two weeks later. 

I jumped into high gear, informed my team of the situation through a flood of tears, and raced uptown to my apartment in Hamilton Heights to get Leah to the hospital.

Sitting on the slow-crawling subway, attempting to have any shred of patience, I wanted to yell my news to every New Yorker in my train car. (I didn't.) And again, when we got to the hospital and approached the elevator that would deliver us to the sixth floor, I wanted to tell everyone to find another car as MY WIFE WAS IN LABOR. (I didn't.)

And then, in what seemed like the blink of an eye, but was actually twelve hours later - just two hours and forty-six minutes after the conclusion of inauguration day of the 47th President of the United States - the nurses handed this squirming, beautiful human to me, a small pile of hospital blankets enveloping my daughter.

We had a daughter. Bleary-eyed and tired, I stared down at this precious, delicate creation. Millie Rose Dolan - an amalgamation of a first name we both love and a middle name that honors my grandma who first introduced me to theatre - was perfect. Leah and I's story - and history - expanded the instant she was introduced to this world. 

So, with a new president - and the country's cutest new citizen  - it seemed history had its eyes on us that day as well!