By Mary Ann Bourbeau
HOLMDEL – Jennie Harney-Fleming, the powerhouse vocalist who has portrayed all three Schuyler sisters in the Broadway smash hit “Hamilton,” will perform an intimate concert at the Holmdel Theatre Friday, June 13.
Harney-Fleming made her Broadway debut in 2016 as Nettie in the Tony- and Grammy Award-winning musical “The Color Purple.”
“It was thrilling!” she said. “I worked alongside Cynthia Erivo, Heather Hedley and Jennifer Holliday. It was very affirming as a struggling artist.”
The same week “The Color Purple” closed, Harney-Fleming had her first audition for “Hamilton.” In 2017, she joined the company of the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical as the universal Schuyler Sister, serving as a stand-by for all three parts – Angelica, Eliza and Peggy. She had 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,” she said. “You need to have a certain kind of brain, to be able to compartmentalize the information and be locked in mentally.”
Harney-Fleming enjoyed each of the three roles but said Angelica was her favorite.
“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.”
In 2022, Harney-Fleming stepped into the principal role of Angelica Schuyler.
“You know you have such big shoes to fill when you’re in a show like that,” she said. “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 grew up with theater in her blood. Her father, Ben Harney, was a director, actor and dancer who ran a nonprofit theater in Brooklyn. He also performed in several Broadway shows in the 1970s 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,” said Harney-Fleming. “He’s the reason I even know what musical theater is.”
Harney-Fleming didn’t want to blindly follow in her father’s footsteps, so she studied dance and later cosmetology before realizing the theater is where she belonged. She 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,” said Harney-Fleming. “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,” said Harney-Fleming. “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.”
Harney-Fleming is looking forward to her show at Holmdel Theatre, where she will perform songs from her theatrical career along with a few jazz tunes.
“There’s nothing like the intimacy and sense of community at a cabaret show,” she said.
Harney-Fleming will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, June 13, at Holmdel Theatre, 36 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel. Tickets are $57 and are available at holmdeltheatrecompany.org.
The article originally appeared in the June 12 – 18, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
