Singaporean Nathania Ong to play Eliza in West End staging of Hamilton
West End’s rising star Nathania Ong, 25, will be the new Eliza Hamilton in the ongoing production of the ground-breaking award-winning musical Hamilton at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London.
“I am not throwing away my shot,” the Singaporean singer-actress wrote in an Instagram announcement about her coup on May 8. The line references the well-known mantra of the titular Alexander Hamilton, when he raps about his hopes and reservations for the future as a young immigrant from the West Indies to New York City.
Eliza, Hamilton’s wife, is the female lead who performs songs such as Helpless, Best Of Wives And Best Of Women and Burn. The book, music and lyrics are by American multi-hyphenate Lin-Manuel Miranda.
The biographical musical tells the story of the American founding father Hamilton’s involvement in the American Revolution (1775 to 1783).
“I just wanted to say a really, really big thank you to everyone for all of your love and support. It was honestly beyond anything that I could have imagined,” Ong said in an Instagram story after the outpouring of congratulations.
“I just feel really blessed by the kindness of people and the wonderful and nice things that people have said to me. A big thank you to whoever you are out there – be it family or friends or just people who like watching shows. You keep us afloat.”
Ong’s new role comes on the heels of her breakthrough role as the tragic Eponine in the acclaimed musical Les Miserables (1985 to present). She performed eight shows a week at the Sondheim Theatre in London. She was the first Singaporean actress to play Eponine on West End.
Her casting also comes as Hamilton premiered in Singapore at the Sands Theatre on April 19, with an extended run to June 9 due to overwhelming demand. Filipina actress Rachelle Ann Go, who played Eliza in the original production on West End, is reprising her role in the Singapore run.
Ong’s first performance as Eliza will be on June 17 and the show is now booking till March 29 in 2025 with eight shows a week. She takes over from London-based singer-actress Shan Ako, who has performed more than 600 shows.
Since Hamilton’s premiere in 2015, the musical has swept major awards, including 11 Tony Awards, seven Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album.
This is Ong’s third role on the West End as she debuted in 2021 as Jenna Rowland in Be More Chill, a musical about the trials of fitting in as high-school seniors. In an interview with The Straits Times in 2022, she talked about the multiple rejections and disruptions on her long and winding musical theatre journey to the West End.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now