For those of you who’ve been following “Hamilton” for months but haven’t been able to make the trek to Broadway, you have much to look forward to. The show will come to Minneapolis for the 2018-2019 Bank of America Broadway on Hennepin Season.
I was lucky enough to see the Chicago production of the show earlier this month, and I left even more in love with the musical than I was before.
If you’ve somehow haven’t learned anything about the show, “Hamilton” is a musical that traces the life and work of Alexander Hamilton, one of the United States’ founding fathers.
The show, created by Tony Award winner and MacArthur Genius Lin-Manuel Miranda, blends multiple musical styles, but primarily uses rap to reflect the argumentative language of the Founding Fathers.
“Hamilton” is practically an opera — very few scenes are spoken. Having had the soundtrack memorized for months, I was expecting to love the show but know most of it.
I was wrong … about the knowing most of it part. The staging, choreography and performances illuminated the music, bringing a palpable energy to the stage.
All elements of the production worked together seamlessly. For example, the simplistic yet slightly modernized period costuming allows the performances to shine.
Joshua Henry’s performance as Aaron Burr was my favorite performance of the production.
Burr is the most compelling role, and Henry flawlessly portrays his unraveling. Henry is signed on for the “Hamilton” tour, so there’s a good chance you’ll be able to see his brilliance for yourself in Minneapolis.
Other standout moments in the show included Chris Lee’s cocky, smooth performance as Thomas Jefferson, the perfectly choreographed battle scenes such as “Right Hand Man” and “Yorktown” and the three stunning Schuyler Sisters: Angelica (Karen Olivo), Eliza (Ari Afsar) and Peggy (Samantha Marie Ware).
“Hamilton” tickets are notoriously hard to come by. The Hennepin Theatre Trust has already shared that the best way to guarantee tickets is by purchasing 2017-2018 Broadway on Hennepin season tickets and renewing the subscription for the 2018-2019 season.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a “Hamilton” novice or if you’ve been following the show since Lin-Manuel Miranda first performed the opening number at the White House Poetry Jam in 2009. No one in Minneapolis should throw away their shot to see perhaps the most important musical in recent Broadway history when it comes to town.
