Gorgeous day yesterday, though hot – the temps reached 88 degrees in NYC. The next few days around here will reach the 90s. Frown.
But back to yesterday.
I left early because the bus can be late on the weekends and I wanted to make sure I arrived in plenty of time. The train is just too noisy on the weekend. Drives me crazy. So the bus it was and I arrived in NYC around 10 am.
I moseyed on over to Bryant Park and the New York Public Library.
Some views of the library – first up: ceilings.
It takes your breath away, doesn’t it?
One of the reading and research rooms.
And another.
It’s such a beautiful building.
I then bought a lunch-to-go and sat in lovely Bryant Park for an hour or so.
It’s one of my favorite places in the city and a great place to people-watch, soak up the sun or sit in the shade, like I did.
After I finished with all of that, I walked over to 46th street where I picked up my ticket at the Box Office.
Whoo hoo! I decided to hang out outside the theater and it was fascinating to see the line of ticket holders grow, see people go to the box office to buy tickets for future performances (nothing available until January 2018), and chat with some fellow attendees.
There is a Hamilton Lottery online. You can enter daily and if you win, you get in for $10. I’ve tried that lottery many, many times and it’s almost impossible to win. I talked to one guy who won yesterday’s lottery and what a great story he had! He had contributed money to a charity fund drive and if you contributed X amount of dollars you were entered in a VIP Tony Awards giveaway. He won it and he and his son, who just graduated, drove into town yesterday in preparation for their Tony Awards extravaganza. On the way in, he said to his son – “Heck, let’s try for the Hamilton Lottery. We’re going to be in town so why not?” And they won. That is one lucky guy!
When the House opened, I was delighted to see that my seat was sixth row center, on the aisle. Now, that’s a great house seat! (How lucky am I??)
How do I express how incredible this production is?
I’ve never, never seen anything like it. It is, in the true sense of the expression, groundbreaking. It is seamless in its storytelling, weaving dance and movement and music and plot in a way that makes it impossible to isolate one moment because one flows into another into another into another. From the moment the actor playing Aaron Burr walked out onstage, the show was electrifying.
I’ve seen video of “My Shot” which is one of the more well known numbers from the show. Let me tell you, nothing, I repeat, nothing you see on video prepares you for the number in real time, live on that stage. It is powerful beyond belief. I could watch it again and again.
The cast was incredible. The standby for the actor playing Alexander Hamilton went on yesterday and he was extraordinary. My friend Mandy was incandescent. That girl has some vocal chops, let me tell you.
Above all, Hamilton is storytelling at its finest. Lin Manuel Miranda weaves a story through song and dance and text and you can’t tell where one starts and one leaves off. So much of the story is sung that it’s almost like an opera. Miranda is a lover of American Musical Theater and there are references throughout to lyrics from past musicals. One example: he uses the phrase, “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught” which is the title of a famous song from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific. There were others, but I can’t remember them at the moment.
During intermission, I texted Don and said “Un-(bleep)ing Believable!!!”
It was worth every penny. This is a musical that changes the trajectory of American Musical Theater in the best possible way. It’s a thunderbolt of inspiration and brilliance that tells us of our history in a tangible, modern and visceral way that will stay with you forever.
Miranda is a genius and that is not a word I throw around. He is a genius. I can’t even comprehend having the brilliance to conceive of this idea, let alone write it.
I started my acting career in musical theater and it remains my first love. There’s not much I don’t know about its history, having spent much of my youth pouring over books about the American Musical. Oklahoma was groundbreaking because it changed the musical from a format in which there were scenes and then songs, the songs not really doing anything to help tell the story. When Oklahoma opened, audiences realized that songs could further the story, that in the case of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s vision, an actor broke into song because he had to. That moment in time was heightened, the emotions were heightened, and singing was the only choice. West Side Story – groundbreaking in its integration of song and dance. A Chorus Line – same thing. I’ve never seen Rent, but it also is considered groundbreaking.
Hamilton is all that and more.
I can’t say enough about it. It was worth every penny. I’m still immersed in the visuals and sounds I heard yesterday. I am so grateful for the opportunity to see it. If you get a chance, GO.
Stunning. Brilliant. Life-Changing.
Happy Sunday.
Thanks for sharing your amazing day Claudia. It sounds like an incredible production. Our youngest daughter will turn 25 next Spring and she is traveling all the way to London to see this show. A birthday gift from a dear friend. She is already counting down the days! Chy
She will love it, Chy!
Your excitement and love of this production just jumps off the page. I haven’t seen a lot of the productions you mentioned but I did see RENT and it was amazing. I only dream of being able to enjoy this show at some point. Seeing some of it on TV has been eye opening, I can only imagine 6th row live! Hugs!
It is mind-blowing, Linda!
Good morning, Claudia. Just back from one of my periodic self-imposed on-line “sabbaticals” to discover you’ve been one of the fortunate ones. Having spent the last year completely obsessed with the music, I too hope one day to actually see “Hamilton.” I agree Miranda is a genius. And hearing about experiencing the musical from you, with your theater background, is quite meaningful to me. Thanks for sharing all your lovely NYC pics as well.
I hope you can see it, Kay. It’s worth it.
Yes, thanks for sharing! I just knew you’d love it. But, the library ceilings!
They are incredible, Shanna!
Sounds like an utterly fantastic time. We’ve had a marvelous time ourselves…flying home tomorrow. Someday I hope to get to Broadway…that’s on my bucket list! So happy to hear you enjoyed Hamilton! ;)
So glad you’ve had a good time Donnamae!
So happy it was all and more than you were expecting. Every person I know who has seen it, or loves the music and is waiting to see it, says they can’t put into words how they feel.
The only “person” I have ever heard say a bad thing about Hamilton was The Idiot in Chief. But I would consider that to not be necessarily a bad thing, as he knows not one iota of the history of our nation ~~ and we know if it doesn’t sparkle with 24k gold, he finds it useless.
Have a wonderful Sunday, Claudia. It is SO HOT here, as well….. through next Friday. ugh.
That’s because they spoke out against the Ban on Muslim Immigration during Pence’s visit to the show, isn’t it? That rotten excuse for a human being didn’t like that so he did his usual trashy tweet. He just looked even more idiotic than usual. You’re right – he knows nothing about our history. He knows nothing about NOW, either. He had no idea idea we had a base and troops in Quatar.
So HOT! I just went grocery shopping and I’m staying in the rest of the day. Watered early, will probably water again late in the afternoon.
I love live theatre! We even have some here in the hinterlands of MO, we’re not all bigots and rednecks, LOL. Thank you for sharing your day with us. Very hot here too, for this early in June. I’ve already walked and watered my flowers.
Too hot and I think it’s going to hang around for 3 days! I’ve already watered, too!
sounds like you had a wonderful day. i am happy for you!
hope everyone who wants to see “hamilton” (and “escape to margaritaville” and others) gets to do so, too!
I do, too. Hamilton is a must-see if at all possible. And I’ll get to see Margaritaville soon!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your accounting of your day and the play. I know another friend who saw it and was every bit as impressed as you were. I’ll probably never get to see it in person living in the hinterlands of Oregon.. but it sounds wonderful. 45 has decided not to go to England.. lucky Queen. :-) ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
The Queen is far luckier than we are!
Oh, you’ve had such a wonderful experience; so happy for you…and thank you for the NYC photos, always a treat for us readers.
You’re welcome!
Your review counts for a lot, given your knowledge and background about theater. I’m so happy you had such a fun, mind-blowing day!
I sure did!
Some friends of ours are seeing Hamilton in Chicago very soon. Very exciting! So glad your day turned out so nice.
I was in northwest OK this weekend visiting my older daughter and family. I was watching my 14 yr old grandson play baseball while have listening to the conversation behind me of a group of men. One man’s voice sounded so familiar. I asked Katy about him. She said he was from Seminole about 30 miles north of where we live! Talk about knowing a dialect from home! I did indeed. I thought of you coaching those actors getting the voice just right! Have a good evening Becky
Good for you, Becky! Good ear!
From what I’ve read and heard about Hamilton I know it is wonderful. Perhaps I’ll see it one day. So glad you had the opportunity. What an experience. Hopefully you rubbed elbows with the guy who won the two ticket lotterys anf his luck rubs off on you☺️
It is incredible, Karen.
I am trying to get tickets to the Hamilton production here in Cleveland. I’m sure it will be wonderful. Playhouse Square here is just spectacular; one of the city’s gems.
I had just seen a clip of Ben Platt singing and thought how wonderful he was; glad he won last night. And…what did you think of Bette Midler’s speech?
He was terrific. I loved Bette’s speech and I’m glad she kept talking. I really don’t like it when they start playing music when the winner is speaking.
Thank you for sharing your trip to New York City. I love those library pictures. Would love to go to the reading and research room do some genealogy research.
Marilyn
That would be neat!