As a hardcore musical theater buff and by extension a HUGE Hamilton nerd, I cannot begin to express how much of a literal dream come true this pro-shot was! I got to see the touring cast in Oregon a couple of years back and even though it was amazing to see it in theater, even that has it's disadvantages as I was sitting in $300 "cheap seats" in the back because you really can't experience everything going on on-stage. But being able to see it with a crowd of other spectators was an enthralling experience and I'll always be grateful for the oppurtunity to see it live. That being said, I've always wanted to see the original Broadway Cast live but couldn't afford it/travel to see it since it was sold out and the cast members started retiring their roles. So when it was announced we were getting this pro-shot, I PARTIED!
The cast members gave wonderful performances as expected and I was super excited to see them all shine. Maybe it's just me, but those shaky bootlegs of the OBC have been so engraved in my head so much that it's almost jarring seeing everything and everyone close up in HD. I think the best thing this pro-shot did was highlight the STAGE PRESENCE! I knew it was amazing from seeing the pre-released show clips back in 2015, but in here you can really take the time to appreciate it more.
The cast... Holy crap! The insane amount of TALENT in this is just crazy. The cast was phenomenal and everyone brought something to their role. Whether it was wit, charm, charisma, comedy, or drama, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE including ensemble singers/dancers brought their A-game. I need to take the time to especially commend the performances made by Leslie Odom Jr (Aaron Burr), Daveed Diggs (Lafayette/ Thomas Jefferson), Phillipa Soo (Eliza Schuyler), Renee Elise-Goldsberry (Angelica Schuyler), Christopher Jackson (George Washington), and Jonathan Groff (King George). All of those aforementioned traits I adored I stated I heavily enjoyed here, they all represented that to the T and I now have a better understanding of why they all received the awards they did. They deserved it!
What makes this whole musical ironic and appealing is how the fictitious portrayal actually made these real life people seem LIKABLE and how it endeared people to actually study up on these people. Our Founding Fathers were horrible people personality and morality wise, but I still have to respect them because they laid down the foundation for a running government to build this country. So for people saying 'it's not historically accurate,' I mean, it's not supposed to be 100% historically accurate, but at least they tapped into people's general curiosity by making a cleverly witty and entertaining play that encourages you to learn. And as someone who has done the research, upon re-listening, this musical for the most part is pretty historically accurate excluding it's over-exaggeration of some of the character interactions and timeline of events which makes Lin-Manuel Miranda a genius deserving of all the awards he got.
The stage design, the choreography, and cinematography were PHENOMENAL! You really do feel that experience! Small details I wouldn't have noticed in the audience, I totally picked up here. The angles to some shots feel wonky and sound editing could use some work, but it works and Thomas Kail directed this great! Leaving the live audience in there was the best thing ever because you don't feel awkward watching alone. It's like watching with the crowd and I'm just vibing to it. I also got to say, the costumes were fabulous. And I really mean FABULOUS! For some reason now, I REALLY want Jefferson's coat, and all of the Schuyler sister's dresses. Because they looked aesthetically great on the actors.
All of the songs are bangers, and you'll probably find yourself humming to the tune of one of the songs later because there all so catchy. I laughed, cried, sung, and applauded! This is the one time something lives up to it's hype.
Maybe this is just my theater nerd bias speaking, and maybe this might change the more I sit on it, but overall, this pro-shot gets a solid 9.7/10 for me!
The cast members gave wonderful performances as expected and I was super excited to see them all shine. Maybe it's just me, but those shaky bootlegs of the OBC have been so engraved in my head so much that it's almost jarring seeing everything and everyone close up in HD. I think the best thing this pro-shot did was highlight the STAGE PRESENCE! I knew it was amazing from seeing the pre-released show clips back in 2015, but in here you can really take the time to appreciate it more.
The cast... Holy crap! The insane amount of TALENT in this is just crazy. The cast was phenomenal and everyone brought something to their role. Whether it was wit, charm, charisma, comedy, or drama, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE including ensemble singers/dancers brought their A-game. I need to take the time to especially commend the performances made by Leslie Odom Jr (Aaron Burr), Daveed Diggs (Lafayette/ Thomas Jefferson), Phillipa Soo (Eliza Schuyler), Renee Elise-Goldsberry (Angelica Schuyler), Christopher Jackson (George Washington), and Jonathan Groff (King George). All of those aforementioned traits I adored I stated I heavily enjoyed here, they all represented that to the T and I now have a better understanding of why they all received the awards they did. They deserved it!
What makes this whole musical ironic and appealing is how the fictitious portrayal actually made these real life people seem LIKABLE and how it endeared people to actually study up on these people. Our Founding Fathers were horrible people personality and morality wise, but I still have to respect them because they laid down the foundation for a running government to build this country. So for people saying 'it's not historically accurate,' I mean, it's not supposed to be 100% historically accurate, but at least they tapped into people's general curiosity by making a cleverly witty and entertaining play that encourages you to learn. And as someone who has done the research, upon re-listening, this musical for the most part is pretty historically accurate excluding it's over-exaggeration of some of the character interactions and timeline of events which makes Lin-Manuel Miranda a genius deserving of all the awards he got.
The stage design, the choreography, and cinematography were PHENOMENAL! You really do feel that experience! Small details I wouldn't have noticed in the audience, I totally picked up here. The angles to some shots feel wonky and sound editing could use some work, but it works and Thomas Kail directed this great! Leaving the live audience in there was the best thing ever because you don't feel awkward watching alone. It's like watching with the crowd and I'm just vibing to it. I also got to say, the costumes were fabulous. And I really mean FABULOUS! For some reason now, I REALLY want Jefferson's coat, and all of the Schuyler sister's dresses. Because they looked aesthetically great on the actors.
All of the songs are bangers, and you'll probably find yourself humming to the tune of one of the songs later because there all so catchy. I laughed, cried, sung, and applauded! This is the one time something lives up to it's hype.
Maybe this is just my theater nerd bias speaking, and maybe this might change the more I sit on it, but overall, this pro-shot gets a solid 9.7/10 for me!