The Hamilton musical is the smash hit of the century. After premiering off Broadway at The Public Theater in February 2015 for a sold-out limited engagement, Lin-Manuel Miranda's juggernaut musical quickly made the leap uptown and revolutionized Broadway. Get Hamilton tickets now.
Hamilton is about Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, who most people know as the face of the $10 bill. What they might not know is how he fought alongside George Washington in the Revolutionary War, shaped the American financial system as we know it, and even became the first politician involved in a sex scandal. The key story, however, is that of Hamilton and fellow politician Aaron Burr. In Miranda's reimagining, which takes some liberties with history, had a fraught, on-and-off friendship that would eventually lead to their famous duel. All this and more is dramatized in the Hamilton musical, which is almost entirely sung and rapped through and features a diverse cast to reflect the makeup of modern-day America.
The show's creator and original leading man, Lin-Manuel Miranda, made his mark in the Broadway theatre community for his work on In The Heights in 2008 and Bring It On in 2012, but Hamilton made him a household name in mainstream American pop culture. Hamilton also made top Broadway stars out of original cast members Leslie Odom, Jr., Renée Elise Goldsberry, and Daveed Diggs (who each took home a Tony Award in their respective categories), as well as Phillipa Soo, Christopher Jackson, and Okieriete Onaodowan. All original principal cast members have now left the Broadway production, but that hasn't stopped fans who continue to flock to the theatre for sold-out performances.
Miranda's idea to tell the story of Alexander Hamilton through hip hop, rap, and R&B,and with a multi-racial cast, captured the imagination of Americans coast to coast. For students, Hamilton would become the most revolutionary and exciting history lesson they would ever attend. The musical combines 18th-century-inspired, Tony-winning costumes by Paul Tazewell and slick, modern, Tony-winning choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler to create a fresh Broadway production to appeal to those outside the Broadway community and hardened theatregoers in equal measure.
When did Hamilton come out on Broadway?
Hamilton on Broadway premiered in July 2015, a few months after receiving its Off-Broadway world premiere. The show went on to earn a record-breaking 16 Tony Award nominations in 2016 and tied with The Producers for most Tony wins with a total of 11, including Best Musical. (That year's ceremony was dubbed "The Hamil-Tonys" since the musical had so much success.) Miranda also won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and the original Broadway cast recording won a Grammy after reaching number 3 on the Billboard charts at one point. Its companion album, The Hamilton Mixtape, later debuted at the top spot in December 2016.
How long is Hamilton the musical?
Hamilton runs 2 hours and 45 minutes, including an intermission.
If you have yet to witness "The Story of Tonight," then take your shot and get Hamilton Broadway tickets today.
Photos by Joan Marcus
