Dan Rosales was waiting tables at Isabella’s three years ago when a man and a pregnant woman sat down in his section. It didn’t take long for the Boston Conservatory grad to recognize the man — it was Lin-Manuel Miranda, the “In the Heights” creator, out on the town with his wife, Vanessa Nadal.
But Rosales kept his cool: “I read the specials and asked if I could get them a drink. They were so pleasant. I wanted to say something, but I didn’t want to be ‘that guy’!”
One Moscow Mule and a megahit show later, Rosales, 26, is stepping into his idol’s boots: He’s the Hamilton of “Spamilton,” the off-Broadway parody of Broadway’s hottest ticket. And who should see it one night but Miranda himself? After the show, Rosales introduced himself and told the Tony winner where they’d met before. (“No way!” Miranda cried, hugging him.) And though “Spamilton” takes its shots at the star’s somewhat strained singing voice, “I laughed my brains out,” the 36-year-old tweeted.
Gerard Alessandrini (“Forbidden Broadway”) ends his “Spamilton” on a sweet note, having his cast “raise a glass to Broadway.” Rosales, who spent a year and a half waiting tables before flying off to perform in “Peter Pan,” says that’s as it should be: “ ‘Hamilton’ opened the door to so many things and shattered the barriers for minorities. This whole industry’s been revolutionized!”
“Spamilton” plays the Triad, 158 W. 72nd St.; 212-362-2590.
