Get to know Hamilton cast member Alex Dreschke
Hamilton returns to Segerstrom Center for the Arts from September 28–October 16 and during its run in Segerstrom Hall, cast member, UC Irvine alumni and California native Alex Dreschke is excited to be back at the Center to bring this story to life for our Orange County audiences. As a Swing, Dreschke understudies all male ensemble roles in the show, and he was delighted to share more about his experience in Hamilton, his life while touring, and what it feels like being back in OC.
What was your journey to booking Hamilton? How long have you been involved?
I have been a part of Hamilton since the end of 2019. In October 2019, I went to the invited dance audition and was asked to stay and sing for the team. A couple of callbacks later, I was offered a Swing position in the show! I started rehearsing in December and soon after, I started performing in the show.
When and where was the first time you saw Hamilton? What did you think of the show?
I was in San Francisco visiting family in Summer 2019 and we went to see the company that was playing the Orpheum Theater. Little did I know this was the company I would be joining 5 months later. I was enthralled the entire time, I hadn’t seen anything like it before and I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I had worked with some of the cast on different shows so seeing some familiar faces on the stage was a treat.
You are a UCI alum and received the William J. Gillespie ballet scholarship. How has this training helped you prepare for your career in theater?
I owe so much of my training to the UCI Department of Dance. The training I received gave me the knowledge and abilities I needed to move to New York and ultimately find success in the theater industry. For someone like me who started focusing on my dance technique later in my teen years, a dance program with a focus on ballet technique was crucial to my success. The ballet training at UCI is impeccable, taught by teachers who have boundless knowledge and who care about their students deeply. I felt honored to study with them 5 days a week.
You’ve performed at Segerstrom Center before. What’s your favorite thing about performing in Orange County?
The weather of course! Kidding. It’s definitely the sentimental aspects that makes coming back to the Center so special. This is where I saw theater when in school. When I was training at UCI and came to see ballets or musicals at this venue, I would imagine myself someday performing on that stage. It feels surreal to come back to Costa Mesa as a professional actor.
Do you have any memories from performing at the Center or from seeing shows here?
I remember seeing the touring companies of Wicked and 9 to 5 at Segerstrom Center when I was in school and loving every minute of it. And when performing here, the memories I have are of family and friends who live in the area coming to support me on stage.
What about being a swing do you find the most challenging?
Swinging this show in particular is an immense challenge because of how much the ensemble does. There are rarely times when the ensemble leaves the stage, which makes remembering 6 different tracks a huge feat. Each track that I am responsible for knowing does an entirely unique show, so the sheer amount of information that I am required to remember is the hardest part. We have weekly rehearsals to maintain the show and run through the roles we cover.
What’s the best part about taking Hamilton across the country?
The best part for me is being able to experience cities I would have never visited if it weren’t for this job. It’s so easy to get attached to New York or Los Angeles when you are a performer, but there are so many cities that I have come to love. Seattle, Denver, Vancouver, and Portland to name a few.
Welcome Alex back to Orange County and see him perform in Hamilton at Segerstrom Center for the Arts from September 28–October 16 — tickets are available here.