Jersey Arts Podcast · ArtPride New Jersey

Theater Meets Mixed Martial Arts for Hamilton's Okieriete Onaodowan in World Premiere Play

·27 min·1 clip

Hamilton's 10-year reunion still made Okieriete Onaodowan feel the cast's original energy.

Maddie Orton hosts Oak on the Jersey Arts Podcast. He is in New Jersey for The Monsters, a world premiere at Two River Theater in Red Bank, co-produced with Manhattan Theatre Club. The play follows estranged siblings who find their way back to each other after years apart. Oak calls it a sibling love story, with an older brother who is an MMA fighter and a younger sister with her own history. Orton and Oak talk about how theater and sports can sit inside the same story, and the play blends physical conflict with emotional distance. He also talks about how he got his start in New Jersey. That keeps the episode tied to the place that shaped him. Orton asks about Damascus, his new series now streaming on Tubi, which the LA Times called a must-watch. The interview comes back to Hamilton again and again, because Oak originated Hercules Mulligan and James Madison in the musical. He says the cultural impact shifted for him especially after the Disney+ release, when more people were watching it at home over and over again. Oak talks about being recognized in public more often after that. He gives an example of working on set when Martin Lawrence asked for a photo for his daughter. That moment made the scale of Hamilton feel very real to him. He also talks about fan mail from people who said the show helped them through difficult stretches. The ten-year mark gave him another way to think about how long the musical has stayed with listeners. He still sees people connecting deeply with Hercules Mulligan. The conversation stays relaxed and conversational throughout. It gives Oak room to explain the work without rushing him. The result is an arts interview that moves from a local theater production to a larger story about fame, memory, and audience attachment.

As heard by us

A relaxed Jersey Arts Podcast interview about estranged siblings, MMA, and the long afterlife of Hamilton.

Maddie Orton's talk with Oak on the Jersey Arts Podcast keeps its focus on The Monsters, a world premiere from Two River Theater and Manhattan Theater Club.

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Why you'd press play

Press play if you want a Jersey arts interview with Broadway weight and New Jersey roots.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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