Krystal Joy Brown on How Hamilton and Her New Puppy Have Made Her Feel Hopeful Again
(Photos by Caitlin McNaney for Broadway.com)
In 2016, like most people, Krystal Joy Brown was feeling down about the election. “At the time I was kinda like, ‘I am really looking into Canada,’” she told Broadway.com’s Beth Stevens in a recent #LiveAtFive interview. “I was like, ‘I don’t know where to go,’ you know? I don’t know where I really belong.” And then Brown saw a little show called Hamilton.
She remembered crying as she watched Hamilton, because of the diverse cast and also the show’s “powerful” message. “Just listening to [show creator Lin-Manuel Miranda] create this story of pride—it’s a really prideful story of the ability to dream in this country and to really push yourself and excel,” said Brown. The actor is now playing Eliza Hamilton, the wife of Alexander Hamilton, in the hit musical. Brown has previously starred on Broadway in Leap of Faith, Motown the Musical (playing Diana Ross) and Big Fish, but she credits Hamilton with helping her to re-discover her love of performing after that dark period in 2016.
“For this to be thing that brought me back—it's brought me back as excited about my activism, excited about doing art that really inspires people,” said Brown, who arrived in the Broadway.com offices wearing an Alice + Olivia: #StandUpSpeakOut Stop Human Trafficking shirt. On Broadway, what’s been the most inspiring to Brown has been meeting people touched by the racially diverse show. “It shows you how much representation matters ’cause it literally is changing lives. I watch when people’s minds change and people’s hearts open, and I couldn’t ask to be a part of something better for my soul.”
Another thing that’s been especially good for Brown’s soul: she just got a puppy. For years, Brown had been flying back and forth between New York City and Los Angeles, and now that she’s staying put in Hamilton, she’s finally felt stable enough to get a dog. She bought her dog Ajay, a cavoodle, on an Amish farm (courtesy of greenfieldpuppies.com). Brown now takes her new fur baby to work. "I think he’s turned into a diva already,” she remarked. “He’s in a teething phase, he’s biting ankles.” She then added. “I’m excited to go on this puppy journey but it is work. Get a rescue that’s like one or two, or nine years old.”
Watch the rest of Brown’s #LiveAtFive interview below where she talks about her research process for playing Eliza Hamilton.
