‘Hamilton’ Star To Perform Solo Show At Holmdel Theater

HOLMDEL, NJ — Jennie Harney-Fleming, the powerhouse vocalist known for portraying all three Schuyler sisters in the Broadway hit “Hamilton,” is coming to Monmouth County for an intimate concert experience this summer.

Harney-Fleming, who made her Broadway debut in 2016 as Nettie in the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical “The Color Purple,” will perform at the Holmdel Theatre on Friday, June 13, as part of their "Broadway at the Barn" series.

During her show, Harney-Fleming will perform songs from her theatrical career, along with a few jazz tunes, officials said.

“There’s nothing like the intimacy and sense of community at a cabaret show,” she said.

Harney-Fleming grew up with theater in her blood. Her father, Ben Harney, was a director, actor and dancer who ran a nonprofit theater in Brooklyn and performed in several Broadway shows in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

He was the Tin Man in “The Wiz” and the first replacement for Ben Vereen in “Pippin.” He also played Curtis Taylor Jr. in “Dreamgirls,” for which he won the 1982 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.

“He had a pretty fantastic career,” Harney-Fleming said. “He’s the reason I even know what musical theater is.”

Though she did eventually end up on Broadway, Harney-Fleming didn’t always plan to follow in her father’s footsteps.

After studying both dance and cosmetology, she later realized the theater is where she belonged and even had the good fortune to perform with her husband, DeWitt Fleming, when they shared the stage recently in “A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical.” Harney-Fleming played Armstrong’s second wife, Lil Harden Armstrong.

“Lil got no recognition, but she really should be considered one of the founding members of jazz,” Harney-Fleming said. “She was a band leader in the ‘20s at a time when women had no rights at all. She made huge contributions in a world that was not made for her to succeed, and I’m proud to share a fraction of her story.”

DeWitt Fleming, an accomplished tap dancer who was nominated for a Chita Rivera Award, played Lincoln Perry, better known by his stage name Stepin Fetchit, an early 20th-century vaudeville performer and tap dancer.

“I’m very proud of the work we did and the opportunity we had to work together,” Harney-Fleming said. “I’m happy we were able to share Louis Armstrong’s story with new generations to continue his legacy. Jazz music is very special to me and my husband.”

After making her Broadway debut in 2016 with “The Color Purple,” Harney-Fleming was able to work alongside stars such as Cynthia Erivo, Heather Hedley and Jennifer Holliday, which she described as “thrilling” and “affirming as a struggling artist.”

On the same week “The Color Purple” closed, Harney-Fleming went on to have her first audition for “Hamilton” and joined the company of the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical in 2017.

As part of the “Hamilton” cast, Harney-Fleming was the “universal Schuyler Sister,” serving as a stand-by for all three parts — Angelica, Eliza and Peggy. The role required her to be ready to step into any of the parts at a moment’s notice.

“I was a swing in the ‘Motown the Musical’ tour, so I had the opportunity to learn how to do that,” Harney-Fleming said. “You need to have a certain kind of brain, to be able to compartmentalize the information and be locked in mentally.”

Though Harney-Fleming enjoyed each of the three roles, she said Angelica was her favorite, and got to step into the principal role of Angelica Schuyler in 2022.

“I loved Eliza,” she said. “I was so excited to see her become emboldened. She’s the unsung hero of the show. Peggy/Mariah was fun. It was a huge turn in personalities, playing both women. But Angelica exudes power and vulnerability. She is outspoken but has a soft side.”

“You know you have such big shoes to fill when you’re in a show like that,” she continued. “I try not to get caught up in the social media of it all because it can be a popularity contest in terms of superfans. There’s a lot of comparison that you have to try not to absorb. But I’m super grateful to be part of such an incredible legacy.”

Harney-Fleming’s performance at Holmdel Theatre will begin at 8 p.m. on Friday, June 13.

To learn more or purchase tickets (which cost $57), you can visit the Holmdel Theatre Company website.

The Holmdel Theatre Company is located at 36 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel.