The First National Tour of "Hamilton"

   There is absolutely nothing I could say about Hamilton that has not already been said. It's a phenomenon and anyone with a ticket is in for the greatest performance they will ever attend. I have now seen the show twice and I can say without hesitation that Hamilton is the best show I have ever seen in my life- Both times. The show is officially a global success, with four productions currently playing in the United States and one in London. While I am sure each of the five productions is fantastic, I can't imagine that any of their companies are better than the one currently playing on the show's first national tour, which I saw during its stop at the ASU Gammage in Tempe, Arizona.

   My ultimate bragging right is being able to say that I saw Hamilton with the original Broadway company (minus Lin-Manuel Miranda, I saw the brilliant understudy, Jon Rua). Just like everyone else, I listen to the cast album constantly and have the voices of the original cast forever engraved in my mind. Going in, I was slightly afraid that my views on the touring company would be skewed by the incredible experience I had with the show's original company. I was happy to find that the touring cast was equally as phenomenal as the original company. Although nobody was copying their original Broadway counterparts, it was quite honestly the exact same show, only with different people. If you have plans to see the show and are slightly disappointed because none of the original cast is in the show, stop it. Everyone is performing at the exact same caliber and nothing was lost.

  Austin Scott is a force of nature in the now coveted role of Alexander Hamilton. He hits all of the right marks and plays an exuberant Alexander Hamilton. Scott delivers an enthusiastic performance and plays every side of the role to a tee. He is likeable in the role, but arrogant when he needs to be. He finds a great balance between both sides of the role.

Ruben J. Carbajal (John Laurens), Austin Scott (Alexander Hamilton), Bryson Bruce (Marquis de Lafayette), Chaundree Hall Broomfeild (Hercules Mulligan), and the ensemble of Hamilton in the number, "My Shot." Photo: Joan Marcus

  I do have to say, the one huge difference between the original company and the current touring company is that it feels like more of an ensemble show now. When you had performers like Lin-Manuel Miranda (the writer of the show, as if you didn't know), Phillipa Soo, Leslie Odom Jr., Renee Elise Goldsberry, and Daveed Diggs in the original cast, it is obvious who the stars of the show are. With the new cast, everyone feels like they are on the same level in terms of the size of their roles and nobody was even slightly overshadowed. It's truly become an ensemble show.

  The talents of the rest of the cast are extraordinary. Julia K. Harriman was paired well with each member of the cast as the wife of Alexander Hamilton, Eliza. Harriman blew the roof off of the ASU Gammage with her powerhouse voice and reserved portrayal of Eliza. I do not want to say that Nicolas Christopher and Sabrina Sloan were merely serviceable as Aaron Burr and Angelica Schuyler, because they were much more than that and deserve a better word for their sensational performances. However, these are the two roles that truly made the show the ensemble show that I mentioned earlier. Along with Eliza, the roles of Burr and Angelica didn't feel quite as big as they did when Phillipa Soo, Leslie Odom Jr., and Renee Elise Goldsberry were in the roles. I don't mean to make comparisons, because nobody can be Soo, Goldsberry, etc., and everyone was on the same caliber as the original cast. The show experienced no real loss, but those who have seen the original cast do come to think "I remember Eliza Hamilton, Angelica Schuyler or Aaron Burr having a larger prominence throughout the show." Once again and I'll stop repeating myself, it has became an ensemble show.

The original national touring company of Hamilton. Photo: Joan Marcus

  Chris Lee was a riot in the duel dual roles of Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson. He was clearly having a blast and makes the audience love him as Thomas Jefferson, although he is one of the villains in Hamilton's story. As George Washington, Isaiah Johnson plays the leadership that comes with the role too a tee and his relationship with Scott as Hamilton is very endearing. Mathenee Treco sang the roles of Hercules Mulligan and James Madison very well and Ruben J. Carbajal was a natural as John Laurens and Phillip, the son of Alexander Hamilton. Rounding out the cast was the wonderful, Amber Iman, as Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds, with Peter Matthew Smith's hilariously perfect King George III.

   I had a perfect seat in the ASU Gammage. I was in row 25 of the orchestra and I was able to see every inch of the stage and it almost felt as if nobody was around me in terms of my view. This confirmed that Thomas Kail's staging of Hamilton is the greatest staging of any show ever. As I said in my last review of the show, the blocking is so intricate and meaningful. With each element of the show perfectly in place, it is spectacular. Andy Blankenbuehler's choreography is insanely impressive and I feel so grateful to say that I saw each of these amazing creator's work from such a great place in the audience. I had a much better view than I did the first time I saw the show in New York and I noticed so many new things that I hadn't noticed before. I could go on about everything that I loved in the staging, choreography, and lighting design (by Howell Binkley) for hours. Each moment in every single one of these elements is phenomenal. I wish I could point out every single thing in this review, but then that would make it incredibly long, so here is a shameless plug for my Twitter, where I tweeted and still am tweeting about random things I loved about the show.

Julia K. Harriman (Eliza Hamilton), Sabrina Sloan (Angelica Schuyler), Isa Briones (Peggy Schuyler), and the Hamilton ensemble performing in "The Schuyler Sisters." Photo: Joan Marcus

   With only one set by David Korins, you don't expect to necessarily say that the show was eye popping, but everything about it is. Binkley's lighting design and Blankenbuehler's choreography complement the set so well and it is beautiful to see at all times throughout the show. The lighting design and Nevin Steinberg's sound design is just as intricate as every other element of the show. The show's use of the double turntable is now legendary and rivals the great turntable of Les Miserables. There are so many minuscule details throughout every moment of the show and it is mind blowing. I'm sure however many times I will see this show in my life, I will never fail to be mesmerized by the genius writing of Lin-Manuel Miranda and the impeccable work of Kail, Blankenbuehler, Korins, Binkley, Steinberg, and Alex Lacamoire who did the orchestrations.

  Finally getting to see Hamilton live again was extremely overwhelming, in the best way possible. I cried three times throughout the show, and not even because it was sad. I cried because I had waited so long to see the show again and the show's quality warrants every single tear of joy. There were so many things I adored about this show and I couldn't possibly put every single thing into one review. It's the best show ever. There isn't another show that I think could live up to the wonder that is Hamilton. The past few days, I have been in a trance just thinking about the show, almost exactly like I was the first time I saw the show. I am still not ready to get back into the swing of life as I write this. The show haunts me. It's that good.

  

HAMILTON 
Book, Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

For more information on HAMILTON's first national tour and the show in general, visit https://hamiltonmusical.com/us-tour/home

At the time I saw the show, the cast of the First National "Angelica" Tour of HAMILTON consisted of
Alexander Hamilton- AUSTIN SCOTT
Eliza Hamilton- JULIA K. HARRIMAN
Aaron Burr- NICOLAS CHRISTOPHER
Angelica Schuyler- SABRINA SLOAN
George Washington- ISAIAH JOHNSON
Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson- CHRIS LEE
Hercules Mulligan/James Madison- MATHENEE TRECO
John Laurens/Phillip Hamilton- RUBEN J. CARBAJAL
Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds- AMBER IMAN
King George- PETER MATTHEW SMITH
Ensemble- RAYMOND BAYNARD, DAN BELNAVIS, DANIEL CHING, JEFFREY DUFFY, JENNIFER GELLER, FRANCESCA GARNELL, SABRINA IMAURA, JENNIFER LOCKE, RAVEN THOMAS, RYAN VASQUEZ and ANDREW WOJATAL
Swings- AMBER ARDOLINO, AMANDA BRAUN, HOPE ENDRENYI, ALEX LARSON, DESMOND NEWSON, ELIZABETH RACANELLI ANTUAN MAGIC ROMAINE WILLIE SMITH III, and KENNAN D. WASHINGTON
Dance Captains/Swings- KARLI DiNARDO & JACOB GUZMAN
Standbys- RYAN ALVARADO, JENNIE HARNEY, DORCAS LEUNG, and JOSH ANDRES RIVERA


Performance Reviewed: February 18, 2018 (1:00 PM)