Hamilton The Musical

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton the musical tells the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton using traditional musical theatre infused with hop-hop and rap.

Hamilton musical
Hamilton the musical. Photo: Joan Marcus

Hamilton the musical has a book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and is based on Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton whose face features on the American ten-dollar bill.

Hamilton fast became a cultural phenomenon, in part due to casting of a mix of actors of colour in the roles that might have traditionally been played by caucasian actors. It has been described by Lin-Manuel as “American then, as told by America now!”

Hamilton London
Rachel Ann Go (Eliza), Rachel John (Angelica) and Christine Allado (Peggy) as The Schuyler Sisters in Hamilton West End

Hamilton the musical started life as the Hamilton Mix Tape which was supposed to be a concept album of a life told in hip hop but this quickly developed into a stage musical after the video of Miranda performing the title track at the White House for the Obamas went viral.

Hamilton premiered off-Broadway at New York’s Public Theatre. After a sold-out critically acclaimed season, the show transferred to Broadway’s Richard Rodgers Theatre where it is still playing to sell-out houses.

Hamilton London
Michael Jibson as King George in Hamilton West End

Hamilton won eight Drama Desk Awards including Outstanding Musical, Eleven 2016 Tony Awards and the 2016 Pulitzer Prize For Drama.

On its opening in London at the Victoria Palace Theatre, Hamilton the musical won the Olivier Award for Best Musical and the Best Actor Olivier for Giles Terrera who plays the show’s protagonist Aaron Burr. As this is written, Hamilton has become one of the only musical running during the pandemic with the opening of a production in Australia.

Hamilton was filmed on stage with the original Broadway cast and was streamed on Disney+

 

 

Hamilton London Announces Preview Postponement

Hamilton The Musical, News, West End
Victoria Palace Theatre

Cameron Mackintosh has today announced that previews for the London production of Hamilton will now begin on 6 December rather than the originally announced 21 November 2017. The ofiicial opening night will now take place on 21 December 2017. The delay has been caused by delays to the multi-million pound refurbishment of the Victoria Palace Theatre. Cameron Mackintosh said: “The massive redevelopment in Victoria by Land Securities and Transport For London gave me a once in a hundred years opportunity to expand and restore the Victoria Palace Theatre.  It has been an extraordinary undertaking, both thrilling and fraught, not only because of the complexity of putting what is practically a brand new building into the shell of a much loved historical masterpiece, but because it was also the ideal theatre for the most eagerly awaited American musical in decades ‘Hamilton’.  The time constraints to access the land around the theatre … Read more

Hamilton – A Beginner’s Guide Part Two

Features, Hamilton The Musical, West End
Hamilton a beginner's guide

So now we know who Hamilton was and how this theatrical juggernaut started but what about the show itself. In this second part of our Hamilton Beginner’s Guide we look briefly at the Public Theatre tryout season and the phenomena of Ham4Ham. HAMILTON: THE BASIC PREMISE Somewhere along the line as Hamilton was developed a tag line started to be used when speaking abou the production – “Hamilton is the story of American then told by Americans now”. This simple yet bold statement allowed for some of the most diverse casting in musical theatre history. Miranda said “It’s a way of pulling you into the story and allowing you to leave whatever cultural baggage you have about the founding fathers at the door.” He noted “We’re telling the story of old, dead white men but we’re using actors of color, and that makes the story more immediate and more accessible … Read more

Hamilton – A Beginner’s Guide Part One

Features, Hamilton The Musical, West End
Hamilton musical

With the imminent arrival of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical Hamilton at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London, we thought a beginner’s guide might be in order for those of you Brits who are new to the world of Hamilton. So here we go:- WHO WAS HAMILTON? Alexander Hamilton was born in 1755 (or possibly 1757) in Charlestown , Nevisto a Scottish father and mother of French/English ancestry.  Orphaned after hismother’s death and father’s abandonment, Hamilton grew up in the care of a cousin and a merchant family, later being sponsored to travel to gain an education at King’s College (now Columbia University). Hamilton was one of the founding father of the United States, the founder of the US financial system, an interpreter and promoter of the US Constitution. He was active in helping to end the slave trade and was responsible for the creation of the US Coast Guard. Hamilton was … Read more

Further Casting Announced for Hamilton at London’s Victoria Palace Theatre

Hamilton The Musical, News, West End
Jamel Westman and Michael Jibson join the cast of Hamilton in London

Producers have today announced that Jamael Westman will play the role of Alexander Hamilton whilst Michael Jibson will take on the role of King George in the upcoming West End production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s acclaimed musical Hamilton. Jamael Westman graduated from RADA in 2016 and Hamilton will mark his West End debut. He recently completed a run in The White Devil at Shakespeare’s Globe and appeared in Richard Twyman’s production of Torn at the Royal Court Theatre. Michael Jibson’s previous theatre credits include Roots at the Donmar, RoadShow and Take Flight for the Menier Chocolate Factory and Canterbury Tales for the RSC. Film credits include Beauty And The Beast, The Bank Job, and Les Miserables. Westman and Jibson join the previously announced Christine Allado (Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds), Rachelle Ann Go (Eliza Hamilton), Tarinn Callender (Hercules Mulligan/James Madison), Rachel John (Angelica Schuyler), Jason Pennycooke (Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson), Cleve September (John Laurens/Philip Hamilton), … Read more

Top 100 Greatest Musicals Poll – Number 5 – Hamilton

Features, Hamilton The Musical
Hamilton musical

There can be very few people in the world who have not heard of Hamilton: An American Musical. With book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton is a musical based on the life of American founding father Alexander Hamilton, best known to many as the face on the US $10 bill. Whilst Miranda’s original intention was to release the score as a concept album which he was planning to call The Hamilton Mixtapes, Hamilton made its stage debut Off-Broadway at the Public Theatre in February 2015 before transferring to Broadway’s Richard Rodgers Theatre later that year. Critically acclaimed Hamilton received a record-breaking 16 Tony Award nominations winning 11 including Best Musical. It won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and seven Drama Desk Awards including Outstanding Musical. With the Broadway production still playing to sold out houses, several US national tours crossing … Read more

Watch The Live Hamilton Mixtape Ham4Ham Performance Today

Broadway, Events, Features, Hamilton The Musical, News, Video
Watch the live Ham4Ham Mixtape Performance today

The Hamilton Mixtape, a new album featuring artists from the worlds of rap, pop and R & B, putting their own unique stamp on the songs from Hamilton, is being presented today in a live-streamed concert at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. The Hamilton Mixtape features artists including The Roots, Usher, Kelly Clarkson, Ashanti, John Legend, Andra Day, Dessa and Watsky amongst others is being released tomorrow. Copies can be purchased from Amazon.co.uk. Hamilton broke box-office records this week when it made the most money ever in a single week by a Broadway show, a whopping $3.3 million. Hamilton beat Wicked which held the record at $3.2 million made during a week where it held 9 performances, one more than in a normal performance week. Click on the You Tube link below to Watch the Ham4Ham live stream at approx 6pm GMT. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HAMILTON IN LONDON  

REVIEW: Hamilton The Revolution (Book) ✭✭✭✭✭

Book, Hamilton The Musical, Reviews
Hamilton The Revolution Book

Hamilton The Revolution Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter Grand Central Publishing and Melcher Media288 Pages Hardcover Order a copy of Hamilton The Revolution from Amazon As a musical theatre fan, my collection has always included a number of wonderful books about musicals, containing production photographs and all sorts of behind the scenes information on the production in question. Les Miserables, Phantom, Tommy, Aspects, Sunset Boulevard, Mamma Mia! amongst others, each beautifully put together and treasured. None though compares to the magnificent companion book for Hamilton which has become my new favourite. In terms of sheer presentation, Hamilton The Revolution takes the crown for presentation, quality, content and value for money (UK£20.40 on Amazon). Gorgeously bound as befits any book from the period in which the show is set, with rough-hewn pages, it is an absolute must for any Hamilton fan or anyone looking to get the low-down on this musical … Read more

London Production Of Hamilton To Hold Open Auditions

Hamilton The Musical, News, West End
Hamilton Broadway

Producers of the London production of Hamilton have put out a casting call notice announcing that open auditions for the show will be held in November 2016. The show which swept this year’s Tony Awards winning 11 awards including Best Musical, will open at the restored Victoria Palace Theatre in late 2017. The casting call is seeking versatile singer/actors who rap (and can move well) or hip-hop dancers (who are versatile in all forms of contemporary dance and can sing well). Men and women in their 20s and 30s of all ethnic backgrounds are being invited to apply, but they may only register for either a vocal or dance audition, not both. Performers will be contracted for one year with rehearsals beginning in August 2017. Auditionees must have a UK/EU passport and where applicable hold a full working visa for the duration of the contract. The call is for all … Read more