50 | DECEMBER 1 • 2022 

S

even years ago, 
Hamilton exploded 
onto the off-Broadway 
stage at the Public Theater 
with an unprecedented take on 
the people whose vision laid 
the groundwork for a free and 
democratic nation. Later that 
year, the exceptionally successful 
production moved to Broadway, 
sweeping the Tony Awards and 
becoming the most coveted 
ticket on the street. And the rest, 
they say, is history, a chronicle 
of the past with a message that 
transcends the era it depicts.
Today, Hamilton is even more 
relevant, after seven years that 
included a global pandemic and 
a violent insurrection aimed 
at thwarting the very ideals 
the founding fathers fought to 
achieve. But what elicits thun-
derous applause and critical 
acclaim is not the show’s history 
lesson but its unique musical 
score, groundbreaking casting 
and electrifying choreography. 
On top of that, the current pro-
duction running at the Fisher 

Theater through Dec. 4 includes 
a stellar triple-threat cast that 
can act, dance and sing.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, who 
wrote the book, music and lyrics 
and starred in the original New 
York productions, spent seven 
years developing the musical 
after reading the 2004 biography 
Alexander Hamilton by Ron 
Chernow.
Alexander Hamilton (Pierre 
Jean Gonzalez) is 19 when 
the show begins in 1776. The 
“bastard, immigrant, son of a 
whore,
” as he describes himself 
in the opening number, has 
arrived in New York to make a 
name for himself by joining the 
fight to break free from the rule 
of Britain’s King George III (Neil 
Haskell). Along the way, he 
becomes George Washington’s 
most valuable aide, falls in love 
with one Schuyler sister and 
marries another, meets his nem-
esis, Aaron Burr (Jared Dixon), 
becomes the first Secretary of 
the Treasury and devises the 
American banking system.

Directed by Thomas Kail 
and choreographed by Andy 
Blankenbuehler, Hamilton’s 
2015 off-Broadway premiere 
garnered a host of awards in 
every category, resulting in sell-
out performances for the dura-
tion of the run. After moving 
to Broadway, Hamilton received 
11 Tony Awards, including Best 
Musical and Best Actor/Actress 
wins for Miranda and several 
other cast members. In 2016, the 
show won the Pulitzer Prize for 
Drama and a Grammy Award 
for the original cast recording. 
Hamilton achieved similar 
success overseas, sweeping 
the Olivier Awards following 
its 2017 West End premiere, 
and delighting audiences and 
critics in theaters across the 
world. In 2020, a filmed version 
of the Broadway production 
with Miranda and the rest of 
the original cast released on 
Disney+ won multiple Emmys 
in addition to numerous other 
awards.
The multi-tiered set, which 
includes a rotating stage and a 
balcony spanning three sides 
of the stage, is comprised of 
rough-hewn wood and partially 
finished brick walls. The sparse-
ly decorated space transforms 
from town square to Hamilton’s 
home to government offices 
to the local saloon where the 
founders and fighters raise a 
glass to freedom.
While the show abounds 
with exceptional songs and 
dance numbers performed by 

the extremely talented cast, 
highlights include “My Shot” 
by Hamilton and the revolu-
tionaries, “One Last Time” by 
George Washington (Marcus 
Choi), “Satisfied” by Angelica 
Schuyler (Ta’Rea Campbell) and 
“The Room Where It Happens” 
by Hamilton, Burr, Jefferson 
(Warren Egypt Franklin, who 
also plays Marquis de Lafayette), 
and Madison (Desmond 
Sean Ellington, who also 
plays Hercules Mulligan), and 
the heart-rending “It’s Quiet 
Uptown” by Angelica, Hamilton 
and Eliza (Nikisha Williams).
The cast of principal actors, 
led by Gonzalez, are out-
standing, as is the ensemble. 
Campbell and Williams give 
extraordinary performances as 
Angelica, who “gave” Hamilton 
to her sister despite their mutual 
attraction, and Eliza Schuyler, 
his long-suffering but devoted 
wife with a sweet voice resem-
bling a melodic bell.
The character with the least 
amount of stage time is also 
one of the most memorable. 
When King George III (Neil 
Haskell) makes his first appear-
ance, the audience erupts in 
applause. After warning the 
revolutionaries “You’ll Be 
Back,
” he concedes defeat but 
continues to goad the founding 
fathers in comical three-minute 
song snippets. When he learns 
Washington plans to cede his 
power to the next elected presi-
dent, his incredulous response is 
hilarious. 

ARTS&LIFE
THEATER REVIEW

Warren Egypt Franklin, 
Desmond Sean Ellington, 
Elijah Malcomb and Pierre 
Jean Gonzalez in Hamilton

JOAN MARCUS

An energetic cast brings new life 
to a beloved blockbuster.
An energetic cast brings new life 
Hamilton
is Back

RONELLE GRIER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

DETAILS

Hamilton runs through Sunday, Dec. 4, at the Fisher 
Theatre, 3011 W. Grand Blvd. in Detroit. Ticket prices 
start at $59 (including facility and parking fees). For 
tickets or more information, call (313) 872-1000 or visit 
www.broadwayindetroit.com. 
A limited number of $10 seats will be available for 
every performance through a digital lottery. To enter, 
use the official Hamilton app, http://hamiltonmusical.
com/app, available through the Apple App Store for iOS 
devices and the Google Play Store for Android devices.

