‘Hamilton’s’ Jefferson gets back to what he missed: performing
When the North American touring company of “Hamilton” took the stage in San Francisco in August more than a year after the pandemic forced the popular musical to go dark, the excitement was palpable.
“Our first performance back was like a rock concert,” says Paris Nix, who plays the dual role of Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson in the show. “The audience response was deafening.
“It was amazing to hear the sound of an audience because we hadn’t heard it for so long.”
South Bay audiences will have the chance to be part of the cheering crowds when the show comes to San Jose’s Center for the Performing Arts Tuesdayoct. 31. “Hamilton” opens the season for Broadway San Jose.
Nix joined the Chicago cast of “Hamilton” in early 2019 for the last year of that production’s run, then joined North American touring company until the pandemic shuttered theaters across the continent.
When the tour resumed, Nix says, he was able to ease back into his role after considerable downtime. Given that he was performing eight shows a week before the shutdown, he adds, his muscle memory was mostly intact.
“It took a couple shows for my brain and my body to manifest it,” he admits.
Nix used his time off to visit with family in Philadelphia and to write and record his own music. He’s released two singles and has an EP coming out soon.
“I definitely had more time to focus on my passion projects,” he says. “It was a blessing in disguise.”
Still, he says he’s happy to be back doing what he loves the most.
“The theater community was down the longest out of anyone,” Nix says. “This is something we all love to do, so getting back to it was exciting.”
Nix began his stage career soon after graduating from the Girard Academic Music Program in Philadelphia in 2010. In one of his earlier roles, he played Daniel Beauxhomme in Theatreworks Silicon Valley’s 2014 production of “Once On This Island.”
“‘Once On This Island’ was definitely a bucket list show, and Daniel was a role I wanted to check off my list,” he says. “It was one of my first times working in California.”
When Nix was cast in the touring company of “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” a year later, he called Salisha Thomas, who had played his love interest in the Theatreworks show, to tell her the good news.
“She just let me go on and on,” Nix says.
With another year’s worth of tour dates left, Nix says he’s on board for the foreseeable future of “Hamilton.”
“It looks like it’s never gonna end,” he laughs. “I’ll be with it as long as I have the passion for it. … It challenges me, but it fulfills me a lot.
“I’ve seen a lot of people become jaded,” he says of life on the road, “but certain jobs help you stay inspired. This is definitely one of those jobs that helps you remember why you do what you do. You’re helping people escape reality.”
“Hamilton” runs Tuesday-oct. 31 at San Jose’s Center for the Performing Arts, 255 S. Almaden Blvd. Tickets are $49— $179 at www.broadwaysanjose.com, 800-982ARTS (2787), or at the San Jose Civic box office, 150 W. San Carlos St.