Hamilton Returns to Portland!

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BROADWAY IN PORTLAND. I RECEIVED COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS TO THE SHOW. OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

King George called it….”You’ll be back!” And WOW – I was (beyond) thrilled to be back in the room where it happens. Four years ago, my husband and I experienced this REVOLUTIONARY production for the first time, and last night we were blessed to see Hamilton for the second time, during its run at the Keller Auditorium in Portland, Oregon.

HAMILTON is the story of America then, told by America now. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and Broadway, HAMILTON has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre—a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education.

Lin-Manuel Miranda (a hands-down genius in my estimation) has created something nearly Shakesperian in nature – forever impacting and changing the world through theater. Miranda’s impeccable book, music, and lyrics combined with the direction of Thomas Kail, insanely incredible choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire weave together perfectly to capture and engage theater-goers like never before.

This isn’t just a Broadway show – far from it. To quote from one of my favorite Hamilton songs, “It’s not a moment, it’s a movement.” HAMILTON is starting conversations and sparking interest in history, politics, and how and why we’ve told the stories of how our country got its start.

Hamilton masterfully humanizes our founding fathers – reminding us that the people throughout the pages of our history were people – flawed, vulnerable, and uniquely driven and motivated. HAMILTON has brought history to life – interpreting events once inaccessible and seemingly fictional through a modern lens, allowing us to recognize pieces of not only our modern leaders- but ourselves in the people of our past.

Hamilton. Jefferson. Washington. Burr. These men have been recorded as both heroes and villains throughout the pages of history, often setting them apart as almost mythical and intangible. But they were REAL people with REAL stories – stories not so unlike our own.

In them, we see glimpses of our own ambitions, or perhaps the counter to our apathy. We feel the pangs of heartbreak and the sting of betrayal. We see the reckoning of unforgiveness and the fruit of ambition pursued with wild abandon. Desire. Ego. The lure of power. The desire to leave a legacy. HAMILTON bridges the gap between who they were with who we are by reminding us of our common (and remarkably unchanging) threads of humanity.

The ensemble cast is phenomenal. Art flows through their veins, pouring creativity and emotion onto the stage with every note and every step. Their calling is clear – and through their storytelling, they like Hamilton, are leaving their mark on the world. Eyes are opening. Minds are changing. Perspectives are shifting. Curiosities are being piqued. What we once believed to be certainties are being questioned. Truth is being sought out.

And that – that right there is what makes HAMILTON stand apart. It’s a can’t-miss show that is likely to ruin you for all other theater. I will forever continue to see this show as often as I have the opportunity.

In looking back through my playbill, I would need to write out the name of EVERY. MEMBER. OF. THIS. COMPANY. were I to mention all of the stand-outs. (They’re seriously, just that good.) This cast can SING (oh lordy can they sing!), dance, and tell a story like no other. Every background player, every lighting choice (YES, the lighting contributed to the story-telling – this crew is THAT good!), every facial expression brought me into history – into these stories I’ve grown up with and made them mine.

HAMILTON is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography. (And yes, this show seriously has me considering reading an 818 page book! I genuinely want to know MORE. I want to learn. I want to ) It has won Tony^®, Grammy^®, and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors.

There are a VERY (very!!) limited amount of Hamilton tickets left for purchase, BUT…..the #HAM4HAM Lottery is still open!!!! (Seriously, GO ENTER!!!) Enter now for a chance to be in the room where it happens for just $10! For information and to enter visit https://hamiltonmusical.com/lottery/

If you’re not able to score Hamilton tickets this time around, don’t throw away your shot to see it the next time it comes to Portland. Trust me when I say this is a “can’t-miss” show. Tickets are also on sale now for Pretty Woman – headed to the Keller Auditorium May 31st-June 5th.

For information and to grab your tickets https://portland.broadway.com/shows/pretty-woman/