Unexpectedly Encountering God on Broadway

A theatregoer of faith recounts her epiphany at Hamilton

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Back then, the show was not yet an international phenomenon — its Grammy-winning original cast recording hadn’t even been released. So every song was a surprise to me. During “It’s Quiet Uptown,” Hamilton’s ode of mourning to his dead son, when Miranda sang the lyrics, “A sign of the cross at the door. I pray; that never used to happen before,” I burst into tears. As the number continued, costar Renée Elise Goldsberry almost seemed to whisper, “There’s a grace too powerful to name.” That’s when I saw Christianity — my Christianity — represented on stage, big time.

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Hamilton opened me up to other unanticipated instances of faith at the theatre. I was awestruck by the depth of compassion and spiritual cleansing I experienced watching two characters, one Muslim, the other Jewish, harmonizing on “Itzik’s Lullaby” in The Band’s Visit. At Once on This Island, I connected to the villagers’ reliance on their gods for guidance and deliverance in the face of tragedy. In Come From Away during “Prayer,” I was moved by characters of three different faiths — Christianity, Islam and Judaism — finding common ground and compassion in a time of chaos.

I know that my heart craves reminders that I am a spiritual being, that I am not alone. You can be a person of any faith — or no faith — and feel your soul stirred at the theatre. It’s a place of empathy, community and understanding.

Amy Sapp is the late-night programming associate for Feinstein’s/54 Below. She is also a New York-based writer and producer. Follow her on Twitter at @amyesapp. Follow TDF at @TDFNYC.

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Top image: Phillipa Soo, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Anthony Ramos in Hamilton. Photos by Joan Marcus.

AMY SAPP