Hamilton IS a Phenomenon

“Hamilton” stands by itself.

There is nothing like it, not even “In The Heights”, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s earlier, Tony winning, musical.

It’s a bold and audacious show about our founding fathers, mostly Alexander Hamilton, told in the language of today’s hip-hop, rap, and hyper-rhythmic pop music culture.

Everything about “Hamilton” is groundbreaking: the historically accurate narrative of the early days of America, the diverse casting of the actors, the use of rap and hip-hop (although, not for ALL the songs!), the innovative dancing and the resulting massive popularity of the show (4 standing productions and 2 touring companies spanning the US).

It was a festive and exciting vibe at Wharton Center when I saw the show - Hamilton’s finally here!!  But once the show began, the audience was amazingly quiet and attentive.  The words and action go so fast that people wanted to make sure they heard every word.  They were CONCENTRATING.

“Hamilton” has only one set but it’s constantly moving and evolving.  Lighting is used brilliantly to achieve mood and change of location (Director: Thomas Kail, Lighting: Howell Binkley). 

The sense of excitement you get from the production is from the relentless motion of the bodies onstage.  The actors are moving with (almost) the speed of their language, but for me, the most exhilarating part of the show was the choreography (Andy Blankenbuehler).

The dancers, dressed in unisex costumes, were like a Greek chorus, interpreting the words of the actors with their motions.  The dancing was innovative, hip, athletic, creative and dazzling.  The dancers dissolved in and out of the action with moves that you will rarely see on a Broadway stage.  And both men and women had a wide variety of body sizes – a welcome change.

The genius of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s writing would not be so apparent if the story itself were not so compelling.  There’s a lot to tell here, and you will leave the Great Hall wondering how he did it all.  Brilliant and genius almost seem like clichés to describe Miranda’s creation of “Hamilton.”

Surprises:  Although I knew the music before I saw the show, I was not fully aware of how important a role Aaron Burr (Josh Tower, who almost stole the show) played, narrating the entire story.  George Washington (an imposing Paul Oakley Stovall) was a more interesting and prominent character than I thought.

Although “Hamilton” struts its “I’m not your father’s musical” hipness, the form is not dissimilar from Rogers and Hammerstein. Several songs come back again and again in reprise, so we become familiar with them: “Alexander Hamilton”, “My Shot”, “The Room Where It Happens”, etc. And there are several beautiful and lyrical songs like “Blow us All Away”, “Helpless”.

The Schuyler sisters (Hannah Cruz, Cherry Torres) could have been stronger, but Bryson Bruce as de Lafayette and Jefferson lit up the stage with charisma and talent. Peter Matthew Smith provided great comic relief as King George in “You’ll Be Back”, a showstopper for sure.

One real disappointment was the sound mix.  The bass was booming and overpowering, often drowning out the singers.  Surprisingly, there is a string quartet in the pit along with all the synthesizers and most of that sounded good.

This is one instance when the hype came up to the show.  “Hamilton” is unforgettable and sweeps you up in the complicated story and emotion of it all.

By all means, get yourself a ticket if you can. 

Playing at Wharton Center, East Lansing until June  2, 2019