'Hamilton' cast member discusses upcoming Springfield performance in national tour

The famed retelling of a major chapter in United States' history is coming to Springfield at the end of the month.

"Hamilton" is "one of Broadway’s biggest hits," according to Playbill. The musical focuses on Alexander Hamilton, a young immigrant who changed America. First debuting in 2015 with creator Lin-Manuel Miranda in the lead role as Hamilton himself, the cast consisted of several top-notch names, such as Leslie Odom Jr. portraying Aaron Burr, Philipa Soo as Eliza Hamilton and Renée Elise Goldsberry as Angelica Hamilton.

Millions have since seen the musical live and 2.7 million households tuned in to watch the filmed version of the Broadway original on Disney+. Springfield-area fans have the chance to see the award-winning production with the Angelica Touring Company at Juanita K. Hammons Hall Feb. 22 to March 5.

Cast member talks about first seeing 'Hamilton' in high school and the choir teacher who encouraged him to take his shot

A self-described "sports and theater kid," Tyler Belo was a senior in high school on a date when he saw the original cast perform "Hamilton."

"I hadn't seen anything like it at the time," Belo said. "I said to my friend, 'I'm going to be in the show."

"I hadn't really seen somebody on the stage who reminded me of myself," Belo said about seeing Chris Jackson portray George Washington. "I felt really seen by seeing him up on stage, but the whole cast was undeniable, just ridiculously talented."

Belo has always had confidence in himself, and that mentality was bolstered by his choir teacher, Miss Lindsley. She encouraged Belo to pursue singing since he enjoyed it so much and even gave him a college recommendation. She died while Belo was a student at Farmingdale High School in Long Island, New York.

"I decided to give it a shot, in a way for her and for myself," Belo said. "She always believed in me, so it helped me believe in myself."

Never "in a million years" did Belo believe he would land the gig of his dreams when he did. Belo joined the production in 2019 and has stayed with them since, only taking a break during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Everybody responds to the show differently," Belo said. "It's always a lot of fun to bring the story to a new place because every place has its own specific vibe and every place has its own specific energy when it comes to theater."

Belo portrays American Revolutionary War spy Hercules Mulligan and the fourth U.S. president James Madison. When he first joined the production, Belo spent time visiting historical sites in Virginia along with doing his own in-depth research.

"They want you to bring some of your own energy, but we're not necessarily playing exactly how James Madison and Hercules Mulligan were," Belo joked. "They weren't just breaking down into dance."

The upcoming run in Springfield will be Belo's first time in Missouri. The Five Towns College graduate said he hopes the audience has a good time.

"I just want everybody to go out there and have, hopefully, one of the best nights that they've ever had ― that's how I felt when I saw the show," Belo said. "I want people to feel changed, potentially, when they leave, and if not, at least they had a good time."

Visit HammonsHall.com for more details.

Sara Karnes is an Outdoors Reporter with the Springfield News-Leader. Follow along with her adventures on Twitter and Instagram @Sara_Karnes. Got a story to tell? Email her at skarnes@sprin

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: 'Hamilton' cast member discusses upcoming Springfield performance