Review: Hamilton in Buffalo!

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

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To honor Austin Scott's last week playing Alexander Hamilton on the Angelica National Tour I thought that I would post my review of the production of Hamilton that I saw him in Buffalo at the beginning of December!

I, like seemingly the rest of world, have been a fan of Hamilton for a while. I think I first heard it in 2016 but I really have no idea. It was in the very top of it's hype, about 6 months or so before the Original cast retired. When Shea's announced that it was hosting Hamilton here in Buffalo it was kind of pandemonium. There was a run on the box office when tickets went on sale. I had signed up for the verified fan ticket process and I got through, but the tickets were just too overpriced. I passed and decided to try my luck at the lottery. Well, I lost. Twenty times. So I bought myself an overpriced ticket anyway the day before the last Friday performance. I don't at all regret it.

This isn't so much going to be a review of the play Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote but the performance itself that I was finally privy to see! This will solely be based on a hearing versus seeing it live comparison. I'll be writing about the experience itself (but there will be spoilers, of course)!

Since there are multiple tours going nationwide right now they are all named. I saw the Angelica Cast. Austin Scott was my Hamilton, Josh Tower was my Burr, and Hannah Cruz was my Eliza to give context. This cast was phenomenal! So many of them sounded so much like the original cast I was astounded! I was incredibly impressed with everyone, although some were still getting into the groove of the fast paced world they were inhabiting and no one can fault them for that!

Forgive me for this, but being in the 'Room Where it Happened' was worth every penny. I think if you love the soundtrack for what it is then actually seeing the action on stage is an odd, wonderful thing. Seeing what the actors are doing on stage as they sing the now famed songs was like nothing I could have imagined. For everything that goes on in the packed play I thought that the movement on stage would be at least as busy but it was minimal in comparison. The main company used their actions sparingly for maximum impact. The ensemble though, never seemed to cease. Their movements were so fluid and seamless that it was impossible not to admire them. The stage was minimal and used wonderfully as were the lights! The lighting of Hamilton was what surprised me most of all as it was a character in itself! I sat relatively high up so I was looking down upon the stage and I'm so glad that I was for I was able to see that during Hurricane the lights put Hamilton in the eye of the storm! Ugh, everything about this production of Hamilton was truly awe inspiring!
Me and A. Ham himself
(Austin Scott)

I am so glad that I went to see it. If it comes to your town and you are able, please go see it. I assure you all that hype really is worth it. I went by myself and I was sitting between two amazing older couples. On my right was a married couple who were fans of musicals and excited to see the play that got their grandkids into plays. They were prepared for how fast it was going to be and kept up well. On my left were a couple of friends. These women had no idea what they walked into and kindly asked if I'd give them a crash course on the history which I gladly supplied. All four of them afterward were so enthralled with what they had just seen! Hamilton can be enjoyed by all because it written to include everyone.

~Laura!
(Apparently, this is also my 300th post 
and I couldn't have chosen a better subject to have this honor!)

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