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.