Interview with Renée Elise Goldsberry ‘89

Alumna actress films documentary at Cranbrook
By Sabrina Smith '23, Associate Editor

This July, Renée Elise Goldsberry ’89 returned to campus to film a segment for her upcoming documentary, “Never Satisfied.” The school’s summer camp participants and faculty alike eagerly anticipated her arrival. Since her first musical at Cranbrook in 1987, Goldsberry’s acting career has reached new heights with her portrayal of Angelica Schuyler in the hit musical “Hamilton” on Broadway in 2015.

During her visit to campus this summer, Goldsberry reflected on her time as a boarding student at Cranbrook Kingswood. “What I remember now is how wonderful the art instruction was,” she said in an interview with the Crane Clarion, “how celebrated we are here when we’re good at math but also good at singing or dancing. It is just a beautiful community.”

Goldsberry’s artistic gifts were evident early in her time at Cranbrook. Nina Machus, Goldsberry’s Madrigals teacher, vocal coach, and mentor, was not hesitant to call Goldsberry her most talented student. Indeed, it was Machus who encouraged Goldsberry to revisit acting midway through her time at Cranbrook and try out for the musical, “South Pacific.”

“I didn’t start doing shows until I was a junior,” Goldsberry said. “I think I’d forgotten about that part of me that had loved acting from being a kid.”

Another performance that Goldsberry recalls as particularly meaningful was a production of “A...My Name Is Alice,” which was directed by one of Goldsberry’s friends. She was cast in a role which featured a big comedic monologue, instead of the beautiful ballad Goldsberry had set her heart on. Looking back, Goldsberry sees this initial disappointment as a pivotal learning moment in her career.

Goldsberry is especially grateful to how much Cranbrook has shaped her, not only as an actor, but also as an artist. “I have the opportunity to do really influential and amazing things—make people laugh, make people cry—and I also learned that at Cranbrook,” she said. Goldsberry has continued to take this lesson to heart. And for her, the true meaning of “Hamilton” lies beyond the velvet curtains and in the fact that it connects people of all generations.

“It’s a gift that keeps on giving,” she said. “The greatest thing is the opportunity to come home and be celebrated and to have a conversation with a young person who is just starting such an amazing adventure.”