Review by Christine Thompson
Orpheum Theatre
HAMILTON CO. – HAMILTON NATIONAL TOUR © Joan Marcus Cast:Michael Luwoye, Joshua Henry, and Rory O’Malley, Rubén J. Carbajal as John Laurens/Phillip Hamilton; Jordan Donica as Marquis De Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson; Amber Iman as Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds; Isaiah Johnson as George Washington; Solea Pfeiffer as Eliza Hamilton; Emmy Raver-Lampman as Angelica Schuyler; and Mathenee Treco as Hercules Mulligan/James Madison, Ryan Alvarado, Raymond Baynard, Amanda Braun, Daniel Ching, Karli Dinardo, Jeffery Duffy, Jennifer Geller, Jacob Guzman, Julia Harriman, Afra Hines, Sabrina Imamura, Lauren Kias, Yvette Lu, Desmond Newson, Desmond Nunn, Josh Andrés Rivera, Raven Thomas, Ryan Vasquez, Keenan D. Washington, and Andrew Wojtal.
An incredible amount of detail is lobbed at you so if you are going to see the Houston HAMILTON Broadway performance, I suggest you brush up on your history lessons in order to fully appreciate the brilliance of what you are about to see. There are many reasons this play is getting the rave reviews from all over the country, but chief among them is Lin Manuel Miranda’s writing, which makes historical characters so…contemporary. Is it the fact that they are singing with rap, rhythm and blues, and pop sensibilities? That may be part of it, but it’s the transcendence through time, allowing the realization that our founding fathers, who’ve existed as figureheads mainly seen/not seen as portraits on U.S. currency, were in fact very much alive and driven by the same human drama and emotions as we are today. In fact, this is a play that you can see more than once and take away something fresh to ponder each time.
The rave reviews you’ve been hearing about the original play which launched the careers of Lin Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr., Daveed Diggs, Jasmine Cephus Jones (you can see her starring in the upcoming movie “Blindspotting”) and many others are well deserved. In fact, Miranda, who wrote the book, music and lyrics, after departing the show in 2016, went on to host an episode of Saturday Night Live—which earned an Emmy nomination—and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song for Moana. Then he wrapped filming as the leading man in Mary Poppins Returns; and composed and recorded the new theme song to Netflix’s cartoon reboot Magic School Bus Rides Again.
The Houston cast starred Edred Utomi as Alexander Hamilton, who gave a fine performance as the nuanced, driven and eager young immigrant on fire with the possibilities of change. As the familiar names in your history book came to life one by one, any pre-conceived notions or mannerisms ascribed to familiar names like George Washington, Aaron Burr, Thomas Jefferson or the Marquis de Lafayette (played with humor by the same person, Chris D’Sean Lee) are swept away as ambitions and circumstances reveal the humanity of these legendary figures. All the dazzle and all the feels are stolen at the end by Eliza Hamilton, played here by Dorcas Leung. HAMILTON is well worth your time.
There’s a digital lottery for the remaining performances of HAMILTON, so if you want to go, check out these details:
Producer Jeffrey Seller and BBVA Compass Broadway at the Hobby Center are pleased to announce a digital lottery for HAMILTON tickets will begin in conjunction with the show’s first performance (April 24) in Houston at the Hobby Center. Thirty-two (32) orchestra tickets will be sold for every performance for $10 each. The digital lottery will open at 11:00 AM CT on Sunday, April 22 for tickets to the Tuesday, April 24 performance. Subsequent digital lotteries will begin two days prior to each performance.
HOW TO ENTER
• Use the official app for HAMILTON, now available for all iOS and Android devices in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store (http://hamiltonmusical.com/app).
• You can also visit http://hamiltonmusical.com/lottery to register.
• The lottery will open at 11:00 AM CT two days prior to the performance date and will close for entry at 9:00 AM CT the day prior to the performance.
• Winner and non-winner notifications will be sent at approximately 11:00 AM CT the day prior to the performance via email and SMS (if mobile number is provided).
• No purchase or payment necessary to enter or participate.
• Each winning entrant may purchase up to two (2) tickets.
• Only one entry per person. Repeat entries and disposable email addresses will be discarded
• Tickets must be purchased online with a credit card by 4:00 PM CT the day prior to the performance using the purchase link and code in a customized notification email. Tickets not claimed by 4:00 PM CT the day prior to the performance are forfeited.
• Lottery tickets may be picked up at will call beginning 2 hours prior to the performance with a valid photo ID. Lottery tickets void if resold.
ADDITIONAL RULES
Patrons must be 18 years or older and have a valid, non-expired photo ID that matches the name used to enter. Tickets are non-transferable. Ticket limits and prices displayed are at the sole discretion of the show and are subject to change without notice.
Lottery prices are not valid on prior purchases. Lottery ticket offer cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions. All sales final – no refunds or exchanges. Lottery may be revoked or modified at any time without notice. No purchase necessary to enter or win. A purchase will not improve the chances of winning.
Tickets for HAMILTON are currently on sale. Patrons are advised to check the official HAMILTON channels and Ticketmaster.com for late release seats which may become available at short notice.
HAMILTON is the story of America’s Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and was the new nation’s first Treasury Secretary. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B, and Broadway, HAMILTON is the story of America then, as told by America now.
With book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler and music supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, HAMILTON is based on Ron Chernow’s biography of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton.
The HAMILTON creative team previously collaborated on the 2008 Tony Award® Winning Best Musical IN THE HEIGHTS. HAMILTON features scenic design by David Korins, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe, and casting by Telsey + Company, Bethany Knox, CSA.
