GEORGE WASHINGTON'S INTERNATIONAL TOUR DIARY

Dispatches from the globetrotting life of actor Darnell Abraham, who toured with Hamilton in Manila, Abu Dhabi and Singapore.

Actor Darnell Abraham in costume, backstage at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. All photos courtesy of Darnell Abraham

You spend enough time writing about internationally touring musicals and eventually you start to wonder: What’s it like traveling the world with one of those shows? Is it as… downright awesome as it sounds, getting paid to live in far-flung locales and explore new cultures while performing in a beloved musical eight times a week?

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To find out, I’ve spent the last several months checking in periodically with the actor Darnell Abraham about his experiences playing George Washington in the international tour of Hamilton. Launched by the Sydney-based Michael Cassel Group in partnership with the Stateside producers of Hamilton, this Broadway replica production played

• Manila, Philippines
  Sept. 17-Nov. 26, 2023
  The Theatre at Solaire, 1760 seats

• Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
  Jan. 17-Feb. 11, 2024
  Etihad Arena, 2400 seats

• Singapore
  April 19-June 9, 2024
  Sands Theatre at the Marina Bay Sands, 1680 seats

before the international cast disbanded and the physical production headed back to Sydney for an upcoming run with a cast of Australian actors.

Abraham spent nine months hitting the international road with the show (and was joined on the journey by his wife, a visual editor at a recipe website, who worked remotely while abroad). Here what’s it was like in his own words, edited here for length and clarity.

In this SPOTLIGHT STORY, you’ll find

• the daily challenges and delights of doing eight shows a week in an unfamiliar country,

• the specifics of the living arrangements,

• the globe-spanning getaways,

• where there’s a stage door culture,

• where the show sold out—and where it didn’t, and

• volcanoes, chili crab, and a rare presidential portrait.

Next stop: Manila.

Manila: Playing Mario Kart backstage | Speaking at a Hamilfans event

MANILA
NOV. 23, 2023

Thanksgiving Day

No Thanksgiving celebrations today, but tomorrow the company is hosting a Thanksgiving dinner. I’m feeling a little homesick. It’ll be three months in Manila by the time we leave.

But I love Hamilton, and it really is such a special show. The cool thing about the role of George Washington is there are so many layers. It’s been quite the growth and evolution, and I wanted to do the tour because I was curious to continue that journey artistically. That’s not always the case. Often you touch a role and you’re with it for a while, and then you’re on to the next thing. There’s also the perk of traveling the world and getting to see some really cool places.