Your independent guide to the best shows in Detroit
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The first act is almost exclusively rap. Be prepared to miss a significant portion of the story line and character development. The second does have some conventional music. The story is great. The staging and choreography are good. Hamilton did not live up to my expectations.
Feel ripped off from Atlanta, Georgia
2 YR WAIT NOT WORTH IT
This was a long wait for a show my wife and I looked forward to seeing being history fans. This was so bad my wife was ready to leave at intermission. The only highlight for us was King George. I dozed off multiple times. The rap was aweful at times making it hard to understand what it was they were saying. Thomas Jefferson was portrayed like a pimp.
Carrie Winters from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
UNDERWHLEMELD
The best thing about it was our seats, second row balcony, the cost was $495 for three seats, OUTRAGOUS for what we experienced. The sound was not good, lots of static, voices going in and out, and trying to understand the rap, IMPOSSIBLE! We left the Benedum wondering what we just witnessed as it was too hard to follow a storyline with being unable to understand it. We talked to people around us at intermission (ages 14 and up) and thankfully they said the same thing, they could not understand or hear, it wasn't just us! The best character and easiest to understand was the king and even that wasn't great. I truly would not recommend this show to anyone but that is my opinion. We do not understand what all the hype is about and honestly we feel totally ripped off. Side note, $25 for parking, beyond acceptable.
DMS from Spokane, Washington
INTERNAL VOICE, "WHAT DID THEY JUST SAY?" (ON INFINITE LOOP.)
So very, very disappointed. Hamilton requires... absolutely requires... intelligible lyrics. Without lyric clarity, there is no play. No story. All of the creative language, word-play, humor, character development... i.e. "Hamilton" never made it past the orchestra pit in Spokane. Leaving... a cast of stand-ins and ensemble actors jumping energetically about a static stage set or standing bravely on wooden boxes rhythmically belting out... what may as well have been a recitation of the table of elements. Having seen Hamilton via streaming, I had very high hopes for the live show. This version... the sound engineers/facility utterly failed the performance. The first act was akin to acoustic punishment. Left at intermission. Appreciated the night out, but what a shame. If you can't technically support a Broadway production, don't book it. Seems simple. Disappointed enough to write a review hoping the facility will step up the quality of their product. Would not recommend. Sad.
John H from Boston, Massachusetts
THE SOUND WAS A FACTOR (AND UNFORTUNATELY SO)
I'm 39 and definitely not losing my hearing; however, I was in the upper deck and could
understand about 25% of what was said. The song tempos are relatively fast and I'm
sure the actors were enunciating their lines, however, it didn't definitely sound that way.
Much of it sounded like gibberish. My father (71 years old) understood about 5%. It
became a material part of our experience - too bad! I encourage a headphone option.
from Des Moines, Iowa
IM GLAD I WENT
im glad that i went, but i was let down when i heard
hamilton and aaron burr trying to “rap.” the actors
sounded like they had never even heard the original
cast. they had very little emotion if any and there
were a lot of parts where they were off rhythm. i
could have been a better aaron burr.
Cathy from Columbus, Ohio
UNDERWHELMING
My husband and I were greatly looking forward to this... but we ended up leaving during intermission.
First, the positives: King George was easy to love, and the choreography was a delight.
Unfortunately, the rest of the production fell flat. The rapping was mostly unintelligible, and cast members were both off-key and lacked compelling singing voices. The acting was also a miss. The writing / dialogue left much to be desired despite the acclaim, and I found that the jokes generally fell flat. (I have seen a number of Broadway shows in New York and they were all vastly higher in quality.) It was probably the most disappointing musical I have been to - possibly because my expectations were so high. I would save my money up for another show.
Dan Kilgore from San Antonio, Texas
HAMILTON HYPE
Lots of hype around the show maybe raised expectations too high. The show was good, but not spectacular. Hard to follow the rap pace, plus the phrasing used in rap, so the story gets lost. Choreography is minimal and the majesty of typical musical numbers just isn’t there.
Have been a season ticket holder for 10 years and would rank this show in the bottom 25% of shows.
Gail from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
TOO BAD WE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND THE WORDS
My husband and I were excited to see Hamilton in Milwaukee. Our seats were excellent, but when a play’s story is dependent on the audience understanding what the actors are singing, it fell short. My husband understood nothing and I struggled to pick out words. Very disappointing.
Rona Tattersdill from Naples, Florida
HAMILTON
What a disappointment! The in house sound system was totally unbalanced. As an orchestral musician with excellent hearing I struggled to hear the words. The solo songs were drowned out by just the violins at times and generally the singers voices were almost inaudible.
There was no power in the performance which was happening on the stage but failed to reach or include the audience.
Such a shame because the costumes, set and choreography were excellent.
Susan from West Palm Beach, Florida
OVERHYPED AND UNDERWHELMING
This was all about the hype. The production was mediocre at best. This great story was lost amid poorly developed characters and rhythm. Most of the story takes place behind the scenes with the characters merely telling telling us about it in Dr Seuss-like fashion. For a few minutes, the first act after the intermission gave me hope. What a shame we weren’t shown more historical action and debate. It wasn’t always clear who each of the characters were. The women characters seemed to have been brought in as an aside, and did nothing to add to Hamilton’s story. Even Hamilton’s son death story was under whelming. Overall, it was boring, and certainly not worth the ticket price.
Harry from Toronto, Ontario
VERY WEAK CASTING
I saw Hamilton a few years ago in London not knowing a thing about the play except all the hype and I left blown away! I would have given it 5 of 5 stars. I was very excited when it finally came to Toronto and went with my family...to huge disappointment. The casting was well below what we are used to in Toronto and the biggest shame was that Hamilton himself was probably the worst of the worst. He lacked charisma and spunk. The second key actor, his wife, was probably the second weakest performer?!?! The rest were average to fantastic - The king, Burr and Jefferson were fantastic. Anyway, I had huge expectations after seeing it in London and this production, uncharacteristically for a Mirvish Production, failed big time.
John from Miami, Florida
GO TO NY
We saw HamIlton Last night in Miami. Wow, I will go to New York next time. Poor acoustics. I could not understand what was said at all times. Not ready cast. Scenography can be recreated fir $500 at Ikea. Ziff Theater is horrible and to top it off two seats from me there was a woman sneezing and coughing so much that people tokd het she should have stayed home. Not worth it at all.
Mary Stone from Toronto, Ontario
JUST OKAY
While the individual performances were great, overall I would give Hamilton a pass. Much of the singing was rap, with very loud music, making it difficult to understand, and follow the dialogue. Not being from the U.S. and familiar with their history, made it difficult to relate to.
Season ticket holder from Sacramento, California
HAMILTON
I didn’t know it was a rap. If your young and enjoy rap I’m sure it was great but I did not enjoy it.
I could not understand most of the characters, Thomas Jefferson was the worst I never understood a word he said. The heavy sit guy was hit and miss as was the others.
Plus our forefathers were not black, and definitely did not know what rap was.
So sorry I wasted my money on this show.
Stacy from Los Angeles, California
DISAPPOINTMENT
I couldn’t wait to see it and was so disappointed. I couldn’t understand much of the singing, so I was lost most of the play. Amazing voices and acting, but I would not recommend to anyone.
Robin Gerken from Tucson, Arizona
HAMILTON
During the first Act it was impossible to hear the singing over the music. I have never seen the play or the movie and not being able to understand the story that was being told was very disappointing. Centennial Hall on the University of Arizona Campus in Tucson AZ was able to make adjustments for the 2nd Act, but at this point we are 2 hours in and my excitement for the night was gone. Very disappointing
Greg from Austin, Texas
VOICE CLARITY WAS POOR FRIDAY 12/10/2021
I love the show and have seen 3 times. I hope Bass Hall and the staff can dial in the voice quality. I could not understand 85% of the words. Music is great, but it overpowered all the artist's voices. I hope the artist can slow down just a little to better dial-in Bass Hall's somewhat poor vocal acoustics.
Malunda from Memphis, Tennessee
POOR SOUND QUALITY
My son and I waited for months with great anticipation to experience Hamilton in the famous Orpheum theater. However, the overall experience was such a huge disappointment that we left during intermission. The most obvious shortcoming was the sound system. It was weak and distorted. It had very little bass and the vocals were almost inaudible. As I'm sure many know that the Hamilton soundtrack has a hip hop feel to it, so hearing those songs without the proper amount of bass simply reduced the experience to that of a mediocre high school production. Oh and don't get me started about the tiny, bumpedy seats from the original "Ford's Theatre." C'mon Orpheum. Time to upgrade.
Anne from Denver, Colorado
COULDN'T HEAR THE WORDS
I lived in NYC for many years and regularly went to Broadway and off-Broadway plays and musicals...I love the theater! I've never before had the experience of not being able to hear/understand what was happening on stage for an entire production. At times, the overall volume seemed low, at other points the music (and bass) overwhelmed the actors rapping so what they were saying was unintelligible. My friend expressed the same problem at intermission. It was hugely disappointing and frustrating. This morning I am left with the strange experience of having seen a hit show last night and not having a clue what actually happened in the plot. The actors were talented and had a lot of energy, but if you don't already know the score well, you'll likely be lost.
Ann B from Charlotte, North Carolina
DISAPPOINTING
After a 7 year wait and paying a king’s ransom for a ticket to Hamilton at the Belk Theater in Charlotte, I wished I had stayed home and watched it again on Disney +. There were a few good seasoned performers (Burr, Washington and the Schuyler sisters) who could not carry a too-young cast who didn’t have their hearts in it. The performance did not live up to the opus nor the history it portrayed. I’m inclined to think it can’t survive without Miranda.
DJ from St. Louis, Missouri
FIRE YOUR SOUND DIRECTOR.
This is the third production I've seen of Hamilton, and second at the Fox... and oh my, how has this quality fallen off.
There is serious talent in the casts of these shows, and it is evident in certain pieces, but the technical production has taken a nose dive. Mics not functioning, sound unbalanced, and everything far too quiet.
This is a show designed to fill the theatre with sound, and it was very difficult to even hear these actors... over the sounds of their footsteps and squeaking boots.
There must have been a speaker blown at some point that went unfixed... because snare drums shouldn't sound like bees, and bass shouldn't sound like it's from next door.
Jessica Scott from Boston, Massachusetts
HAMILTON WAS GREAT, BUT THE BOSTON OPERA HOUSE FELL SHORT
I'm not hard to please, and as I said above I enjoyed watching
Hamilton. It was very entertaining: I've never seen anything quite
like it. I rate both the Lion King & Les Miserables higher, but it's in
the top 5 for most memorable shows.
The Boston Opera House, however, actively tried to spoil that
experience by treating theater goers more like sardines being
crammed into a can than people who were paying a lot of money
for a once in a lifetime experience. Mobil tickets (displayed on your
phone & not printable beforehand) are the in-thing now, & it's hard
enough bringing each barcode up on your phone if it's more than
just you. For the 4 people in my group I had to show each of our
tickets 5 times to get to our seats. It's expected at the door, but the
ushers are supposed to help, not block your path and demand to
see your tickets repeatedly. Someone in the wrong seat in a full
house will be caught: the harassment is uncalled for and rude. It
made a 5 star show a 3 star experience.
Leslie from Boston, Massachusetts
DISAPPOINTED
My husband surprised me with Hamilton
tickets. I was beyond excited. I spent the day of
the show in a state of giddy anticipation. But,
sadly, I was underwhelmed. We got the
understudy for Hamilton, and he was very flat
to me. At first I thought I was just used to Lin-
Manuel Miranda from the original cast
recording and that I would adapt after a few
numbers, but to me he lacked the energy and
charisma the role requires. I thought the actor
who played Aaron Burr played the role too
broadly and was miscast in general. Similarly, I
felt the actress who played Eliza wasn’t right
for her role and lacked vocal chops. And
overall, the rapping wasnt’ that great. I’m glad I
saw it, but I can’t say that this touring
production was worth the ticket price. .
Gary Christopher from Atlanta, Georgia
SADLY-OVERHYPED
The sets and choreography are very well done,
acting is solid, and the history is so so. King
George was hilarious. Why did it leave me
wanting more for the exorbitant price I paid?
First of all several initial songs were hard to
follow for my untrained ears...some were
unintelligible. Others were in the same place as
me. There is a wonderful story to be told that
was wanting because of the new age rap and
street culture feel.. It is a musical but unlike
any other musical I have witnessed. I yearned
for more substance.
It seemed to me that some people cheer more
for the political statement being made about
today than the treasure present in real life in
the past. I have seen Jersey Boys 5 times,
Carole King three times, The Million Dollar
Quartet 4 Times, The Sound of Music 6 times,
Memphis and Dream Girls several times.. I love
musicals and I am a history buff, particularly
founding father history. This one just did not
resonate with me even though I wanted it to.
Gina from Atlanta, Georgia
3.5 STARS FOR OVERHYPED HAMILTON
I saw Hamilton at the Fabulous Fox in Atlanta. When the show began,
there was thunderous applause from the audience... before they saw
the show. That speaks to the hype and the bandwagon fans. The
main complaint is that I concentrated very hard to hear what was
being sung and still could only understand about half so I barely
followed. I truly don’t understand why people cried. Did you not pay
attention in history class? Spoiler alert, Burr shot Hamilton in a dual. I
am a crier but didn’t feel touched at all. On the positive side, there was
a lot of talent on the stage, actors, dancers, singing. The production
was quite grand, but after re-listening to the music, talking to people,
reading about the inception of the show, etc., I still don’t understand
why the actors were multi-racial. Couldn’t Hamilton’s abolishionism
have been better served had he been white?And Jefferson... he had an
affair with a slave and produced a child, a cleaner story had he been
white.
Disappointed from St. Louis, Missouri
HAMILTON - APRIL 21, 2018
For the money I paid, I was severely underwhelmed. I took my daughter, who is a big
fan of the original cast and the songs. However, this cast, was really not that good.
Hamilton, was okay. Handsome, but just okay. Eliza was good in the first act, but was
much better in the second act. Angelica was amazing in both acts. My biggest
complaint would be Washington. He was so hard to understand. I had no idea what
he was singing. A very handsome man who looked the part, just couldn't understand
him. Lafayette/Jefferson was very funny, and not as hard to understand, but still was
challenging to understand every word he was singing. Also the actor who played
Madison, he too was hard to understand. I felt for all the money I paid, the cast
would be top notch. The best performance was King George. He was spot on and
truly a talented actor.
I wish I could get my money back. I feel very cheated from what I saw. I never have
spent so much money to be this disappointed.
Annie from St. Louis, Missouri
NOT SO GOOD
While the show was unique and dancing exceptional, the audio was not. I
was sitting in orchestra section and could not understand the dialogue being
sung.
It was loud enough, but spoken so rapidly, it was like listening to another
language. I actually dozed off a few times during the show from boredom.
Certainly not your typical musical, but not for audiences over 35 unless you
are really into rap music and can understand the almost incoherent verbiage.
A friend of mine purchased the audio tape in January and was glad. She was
at the same showing and had a much better understanding of the dialogue,
thought she too could not make out some of the words being sung. Guess
the new age of music requires a study before viewing. .
Amy from Columbus, Ohio
MORE THAN I EXPECTED & LESS THAN I EXPECTED
I was extremely disappointed by the choice Eliza's character made to shave half of her head before the show. It looked terrible and I thought her performance was only so-so. Her ending gasp sounded ridiculous rather than moving. The king over-reached and seemed more about himself rather than the performance. The dancers, however, were absolutely remarkable in bringing to life the emotional charge that was somewhat lacking with the performers. I did greatly enjoy the characters of Hamilton, Washington, and Jefferson.
AJ from Tampa, Florida
TOTALLY OK
Went to see Hamilton in Tampa, unfortunately we got the stand by performer for Alexander Hamilton. The show is good and historically interesting. We have seen many shows and we are struggling to get this show in our top 10. Sorry this does not hold a candle to Les Mis
Jude from Cincinnati, Ohio
HAMILTON IN CINCINNATI
SURPRISINGLY HORRIBLE VOCAL ABILITIES OF SOME CAST MEMBERS.
I have seen many great performances here. This was not one of them.
This was by far the biggest disappointment of any. While the story is awesome, the music and orchestra great, the costumes wonderful, and the choreography beautiful, some of the vocal abilities of major characters shocked me - in a really bad way. Eliza’s vocal abilities were so bad that it ruined the entire show for me.
I saw Hamilton in Chicago, and this Cincinnati performance was ruined by 2 of the main characters, specifically Eliza and George Washington. So sad for the rest of the cast who are very talented and no doubt work hard - unfortunately Eliza and Geo W made the entire show a failure. I have never heard a worse voice in a performance than the Cincinnati Eliza. How in the world did these 2 performers get their roles? Hamilton on tour must be desperate. Sorry, but true. I feel very cheated, knowing how great this should have been.
C. Marie from New Orleans, Louisiana
DISAPPOINTED IN VOCALISTS: 3 AND HALF STARS
I went to the Thursday night showing. I get it: the lyrics are fast and tongue twisting and some actors rap with a french accents. However, I wasn't impressed. The cast needed to enunciate their words more. I was shocked the caliber of vocalists weren't as high as the cost of the tickets (I was 14 rows back from the stage). Also, the music often drowned out the voices of Hamilton and Burr (this should be fixed BEFORE the show). In this regard, I felt cheated; I couldn't enjoy the show anymore because I was stressed about IF the cast members would be intelligible in the next scene and IF I'd be able to hear them. I know the lyrics by heart but my family does not, and it was heartbreaking when one turned to me, threw up his hands in frustration and said "I have no clue what they're saying". Solid acting. Beautiful dancing. The Eliza and Angelica actresses NAILED their parts. But the lyrics in particular are what make the show unique and we couldn't hear half of them. I'm devastated.
Grace from Boston, MA
HOW DISAPPOINTING
I saw Hamilton a few months ago in New York and was blown away, so I sprung at the chance to see it close to home. I saved up and bought a ticket in the orchestra section. I was horribly disappointed. Thomas Jefferson was the only truly enjoyable performance. It seems like the cast had never heard the original Broadway recording - they changed notes, pitches, and even a few words! Eliza seemed to be holding back, and she cried through the entire performance of “Burn” to the point that I was just waiting for it to be over. The acting was non existent. If a performer wasn’t in the ensemble, they barely moved. A far cry from what I was expecting and I wish I’d saved up to take a trip to see the New York performance again instead.
Joe from Schenectady, New York
UNDERWHELMING AT PROCTORS - SCHENECTADY., NY
I saw Hamilton at Proctors, in Schenectady, NY on August 14, 2019. I was so filled with anticipation, yet walked away disappointed. No one told the people in the sound booth that when balancing the sound system, the singers should be louder than the orchestra, not the other way around. Fortunately, I knew the words, and was able to follow along. But, when most of the people sitting around me, whom I did not know, started looking at each other asking, "Can you hear them singing?", I knew it wasn't just me. Plus, many of the leads were not enunciating their lyrics, which made it even worse. The song tempos were too fast in a few songs, making it difficult for the performers to keep up. With that being said, there were captivating moments, especially in Act 2. The slower songs with minimal orchestration were the best...because they could be heard. Shame on the Hamilton tour for not getting the sound correct, especially for the high ticket price.
Gail from Tulsa, Oklahoma
POOR SOUND QUALITY
I was excited to see such a highly rated show, but the rap was mostly unintelligible. The actors are extremely talented dancers and singers but due to the poor sound quality, many of the the jokes were missed and the show was not enjoyable. Stay for the second half. It is better after the intermission. King George was hysterical.
Cindy from Omaha, Nebraska
UNINTELLIGIBLE
I went with my husband, our two teenage daughters and my mother. Our daughters were very familiar with the songs and loved the show! My mother and I expected to love it but could only understand about 5% of the words. After struggling for 90 minutes to comprehend what was going on, the two of us finally gave up and left during the intermission. My husband was able to enjoy it somewhat. Thankfully, we drove two cars. We noticed several other people who left during intermission also.
Tom Nicholas from Madison, Wisconsin
A GREAT PLAY TURNED MEDIOCRE (FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY!)
OK, I know it was the night before thanksgiving, but to have the top four parts being performed by understudies shows contempt for an audience that was paying top dollar. The Hamilton understudy actually was great but Burr, Washington, and Eliza parts were emotionally kind of dead. There also might have been replacement or missing musicians that night as well. The timing was sometimes off and barely audible at times. Several of the other characters were spectacular and I am guessing that the performance was great the other nights. So why did we Wednesday customers lose out? You don't expect a regional touring show to match the Broadway or Chicago versions, but I expect the same effort. Didn't get it the night before TG.
Angeline from Toronto, Ontario
TORONTO HAS BEEN WAITING FOR THIS! BUT...
We have been enormous fans of this production since its debut (learning lyrics well enough to support any ill or vacation-wanting cast member) Our hopes for greatness were high! Major roles of Washington & Burr were outstanding, but Hamilton himself lacked an ability to connect with his peers and this audience. We found the Schuyler Sister act needed some adjusting. The role of Angelica was owned by the actress that sang her spot to the top but switching Eliza for Peggy was a hope. Eliza over sang in a pitchy nasally tone which came out like a shrill most times and we left wanting more of the actress that sang with richness & grace from the artist who was Peggy. With Hamilton finally making it to Canada’s Broadway city the Ed Mirvish theatre was the perfect venue for this production. In the True North we are home to world class theatres, halls and stadiums. We love our music, theatre, diversity and inclusion, the story of this musical speaks to that. Sorry it took so long to get here.
Maxine Walker from Toronto, Ontario
MY FRIEND FELL ASLEEP
I am glad that I went to see what all the hype is about, I give Mirvish some extra stars for their advertising, but disappointed in the overall performance. The rap is very difficult to understand, First Act dragged mercilessly, I would of walked out if not with friends, 2:45 hours I will never get back. The set is the same throughout the play, which was also disappointing, considering it started in the West Indies, to Washington, even his house was the same background, just a change of desks. On the plus side, the costumes were excellent, all actors hit their cues. Would I recommend it? Probably not, the price is too high for the quality.
Nailah from Los Angeles, California
HAMILTON AFTER COVID
I saw Hamilton at the Pantages four times, 1st 3 OUTSTANDING. Actors, orchestra, choreography, staging, set, writing, lighting, Pure BRILLIANCE!
This time the set/lighting/choreography, amazing. The writing is still brilliant except where characters changed lines. Alexander said meow instead of "that's true" and other examples plus lines being left out.
I question the casting decisions. Burr, Angelica, and Eliza lacked luster and vocal ability. They missed notes. The actor playing Burr lacked presence and vocal ability that must come with Burr. It is Broadway in Los Angeles not a home town show.
Outstanding performances were from Carvens Lissaint, Ruben Carbajal, and Rory O’Malley. Westman gave a decent performance.
Maybe they were having a bad day. Another review I read made similar remarks about the cast. The most disappointing part was the music. There wasn't a full live orchestra. There was only one person in the pit.
You can still feel the genius that is Miranda's work.
Joanne Thompson from Tempe, Arizona
LUDICROUS
I have a problem with taking actual historical that lived portraying them in caricatures that are absolutely nothing like them in any way, shape or form. What next, a blond, blue eyed, petite white woman as Martin Luther King, Jr.?
The music, actors and orchestra was great, but the whole premise is just preposterous.
from Tempe, Arizona
HAMILTON IN TEMPE
It was fun seeing Hamilton later in their fist week. We saw the alternate Aaron Burr in this production. It must have been an off night as the sound was very uneven. Sometimes i heard a lush chorus and sometimes not. The actors seem to change octaves or keys periodically and the dancers were good though not always in sync. It was a collection of talented people who had glimmers of great but not quite. I cant wait to see them after they have had a chance to work together for awhile and find their way. Characters like Lafayette and King George would begin a song in their characters accent then fall into an american accent. During a duel scene i could swear a part of the singing was missing. There was a silent gap in the piece for a moment. It was definitely a room full of talent. I cant wait to see what they do.
Janet McConnell from Tempe, Arizona
ENUNCIATE AND/OR SOUND ISSUES
I liked the energy, the costumes, the lighting, and the singing- when I could understand it. I was in. VIP seating, row 9 and sometimes I couldn’t hear, much less understand what they were saying. Those around me agreed. This was the first time I’ve ever seen it, so the enunciation was important to me. Tip to others, learn the songs before you go
Disappointed in JAX from Jacksonville, Florida
GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS
The show was what I expected but the actors’ portrayals were lacking in energy & enthusiasm. Actors seemed tired & disinterested. King George was the bright spot. The audience deserved better.
Doug from Los Angeles, California
GREAT WRITING, GREAT DANCING, SOME GREAT PERFORMANCES, MUCH OF THE SINGING UNTELLIGIBLE
Saw this at Hollywood Pantages on 10/16/21. I read all of the lyrics the night before, and am I ever glad I did. The only performer who was easy to understand was King George. The Washington character was so disappointing, since physically he had stage presence but he couldn't be understood. The Eliza character had good musical tone but was also hard to understand. Hamilton was good (and generally easily understood) but not outstanding. Burr was pretty good but not great. For all the hype and great reviews this show has received, it is inconceivable to me that such mediocre performances be acceptable. With so much incomprehensible singing, you will be totally lost if you don't pre-read the lyrics and synopsis of the story and it won't be enjoyable at all. Having said this, the music and dancing are top rate and it is a very creative and enjoyable adaption of Hamilton's story.
Tamara from Greensboro, North Carolina
HAMILTON GREENSBORO
The singing was great. The cast at the April 7th matinee lacked the diversity of the original musical. The tone and the delivery of many lines did not sound natural.
Terrie from St. Louis, Missouri
HAMILTON
It was a good performance, but not what I expected. My friends and I have season tickets to the Fox and were looking forward to this show. If I would have listened to the sound track before hand it might have been more enjoyable. It was hard to follow since most of the words in the songs were hard to make out. We saw the Sunday afternoon show on 4/24, and all I can say is that I was a little disappointed that it was hard to follow the charaters words since you couldn't understand what they were saying when they were singing.
Delilah Janes from Toronto, Ontario
AWESOME, WOW.
I didn't even know what "Broadway" was before September of 2016, the first
time I heard of 'HAMILTON'. I was introduced by a friend, and I think it
changed my life, digging up my love for singing and musical theatre.
HAMILTON inspired me to find a part of me that I didn't even realize existed,
which is quite inspiring. At this point, barely a year after, I don't listen to
Shawn Mendes or Justin Bieber anymore. My iTunes consists of Hamilton, in
the Heights, The Little Mermaid: the Musical, Legally Blonde, Dear Evan
Hansen, Wicked, Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, Heathers,
Something Rotten!, The Colour Purple, and many more. Thank you, Lin-
Manuel Miranda! :)
Jay from Boston, Massachusetts
GREAT SHOW WITH A COUPLE OF MIS-CASTS
Saw the Boston production of Hamilton last week. The show,
music and dancing are phenomenal. The actors who portrayed
Lafayette/Jefferson and King George III stole the show with
overflowing talent. I felt that both the actors who played Burr
and Hamilton were mis-cast. The Burr actor demonstrated a
beautiful tenor range during Dear Theodosia, but during the
song Non-Stop, there is a forceful entrance that Burr makes
when he finally has gotten angry. Those notes are more in the
baritone range and I feel the actor couldn't deliver the intensity
and volume required to portray that anger. There were a few
other times I noticed he didn't have a strong lower range and I
feel this detracted from his portrayal. I feel The actor who
played Hamilton played him too politely. Hamilton is described
as "obnoxious" but I didn't get that feeling from the actor. This
was especially notable when the character is delivering what
are supposed to be snide remarks. With that said, was
enjoyable.
Marin from Cleveland, Ohio
POOR AUDIO
Saw it last night at Playhouse Square Cleveland and enjoyed it. I have to say though
that the audio was poor. If Hamilton is to thoroughly be enjoyed the rapping and
singing have to be understood. I could not understand the words they were singing
half the time and it greatly reduced my enjoyment. I was very close to the stage so
it wasn't like I was in the last row. I was glad to read others felt as I do. I have seen
scores of Broadway shows at Playhouse Square and enjoyed the majority of them.
I never experienced not being able to understand the dialogue though.
Arby from Detroit, Michigan
THE KING MADE THE THING
I got lost in the rap. King George made the show for me.
Alan Broad from Grosse Pointe, Michigan
IMPRESSIVE 2ND PERFORMANCE IN DETROIT
It's always a challenge to be fair to a play that is based on a book you loved and have read. Ron Chernow, the author of the amazing biography Hamilton, writes with power, grace and authority. The play is a very creative tour de force, but a derivative at best. The first Act could use some work. The second Act was brilliant. Always good to be at the iconic Fisher Theater.The sound system could use some tweaking.
Jessie from Schenectady, New York
ORCHESTRA OVERWHELMS VOICES
Wonderful acting, singing and dancing But was frustrated by inability
to understand half the songs. Words were muddled, maybe a combination
of acoustics, speed of the song, orchestra louder than the singers.
As much as I enjoyed overall show, I feel like I missed a lot of the content
from San Francisco, California
AMAZING! WORTH THE WAIT!
I have been excited to see this show since I first heard it was coming to
San Fran. It was worth all the excitement. The show is fast moving and the
actors are phenomenal. I loved the amazing energy in the crowd from the
first moment A. Burr walked on stage until the final curtain calls.
This is a must see
Dan from Santa Rosa, California
EXCEEDED SKY-HIGH EXPECTATIONS
My wife and I read the book, listened to the soundtrack, and bought the entire SHN
season just to make sure we could get tickets to Hamilton. Our expectations simply could
not have been higher. But the sheer energy of the performance, the pin-point
choreography, the incredible voices, and of course Miranda's writing, combine to
absolutely shatter our expectations and create an experience that simply must be
witnessed to be believed. Hamilton is a production that will be taught in university
courses for centuries and it deserves every bit of the attention is has received.
To those who have yet to see it, I highly recommend listening to the soundtrack a few
times beforehand. A little familiarity with the lyrics will allow you to better enjoy the rest
of the production -- you'll be able to use less mental energy to understand what's being
sung, and more to appreciate the staging and performances.
It's awesome. Simply awesome.
Mark Stivers from Sacramento, California
I GIVE IT ALL THE STARS IN THE SKY
I've been playing and watching musical theatre all my life and it's tempting to say that
this is my favorite show of all time. The combination of subject matter, innovation,
respect for tradition, and stellar execution, resulting in the highest critical and
commercial success, will not be repeated for a long time. When I watch the opening of
Hamilton, I get the same frisson of excitement that I get when I see "The Dance at the
Gym" from West Side Story. This is Broadway history; this is a show for the ages.
James from Baltimore, Maryland
LIFE CHANGING: BELIEVE IT! WORDS TO DESCRIBE IT.
Saw it on Broadway and it changed my perception of
the world and my life, I will come to Baltimore!
Here are just a few words to describe it.
Happiness
Pride
Greed
Honor
Money
Legacy
Lust
Love
Children
Satisfaction
Glory
Fear
Death
Country
Strength
Sex
Dishonor
Brothe rhood
Wonder
Envy
Blood
Freedom
Tyranny
Adultery
War
Parenting
Orphanin g
Scandal
Politics
Extortion
Shame
Hope
Sisterhood
Sickness
Retirem ent
Fear
Genius
Weakness
Rest
Law
Slavery
Harmony
Wealth
Regret
Pain
Death
Mistakes
And
History....
= HAMILTON.
David Bell from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
CONTENT AND DIVERSITY
One of the best productions I have seen in my 75 years. What
distinguishes it from the rest is the diversity of the cast. We have finally
seen that the race and nationality of the cast rarely has to reflect the
reality of the historical facts. A production dealing with such a
complicated historical period is never easy. "Hamilton" succeeded
beyond expectations. As a lifelong Philadelphian I recommend
spending several days here to see and feel one of the historic settings
Anna from Stanfod, California
HELPFUL SECURITY STAFF!
I saw Hamilton several weeks ago--the cast was incredibly talented! I'd also like to note
how helpful the security staff was at the Orpheum at the beginning and end of the
show. They were friendly and very attentive to any needs or questions I had. I will
definitely be coming back to the Orpheum soon!
Nicole Roper from New Orleans, Louisiana
IT'S BETTER THAN SLICED BREAD.
OH MY GOSH!!! I love this musical so much. It's so new and it connects to the next
generation. It's a family friendly show (with a couple exceptions). My family loves
the show and my daughter loves playing role in the show. She is Eliza, because
she has a lot of solos. Gosh, we love this show so much.
Valerie from San Francisco, California
INSPIRATIONAL
This is the second musical I've seen in my life, and I have my friend, who got me the
ticket, to thank for that. Seeing this musical was like one of those moments that just
stick with you for the rest of your life. The music was well orchestrated and the
choreography was amazing, along with the lighting, humor, and costume. It was
definitely a life changing moment. And the seats were amazing too! My friend had
given me seat in row S, which is the Orchestra area. While it was pricey, I was able to
get a good view of the people performing. Of course, due to the profanity of this show I
wouldn't recommend children unless you're one of those parents who are really chill
about it, but I would take someone who is okay with that kind of language. That day I
didn't have time to eat somewhere nearby because I was coming from school, but I
remember when I was watching something else around the area, I ate at Alexander's
Steak House (Ha, get it? Alexander Hamilton?) and it was really good.
Aquamarine from Tamworth, New Hampshire
AWESOME!!
I'm a 15 year old Latina and this musical is the musical that inspired me, it basically said
to me "don't give up your dreams, cause no matter what you look like, you can get
there, you can be on that stage." So, yeah, I can't wait for this to come. Not that I'd
afford it.
Bridget from San Francisco, California
BEYOND EXPECTATIONS
I've been listening to the soundtrack of
Hamilton since it was made available. I loved
the musical initially from it's brilliant lyrics
and style. I could not have imagined how
impactful the performance would be live. The
actors and choreography make you want this
theater experience to never end. There are
several actors who performed their roles on
Broadway including Emmy Raver-Lampman (
heart breaking Angelia), Isaiah Johnson
(commanding George Washington), Michael
Luwoye (perfect Hamilton), Joshua Henry
(shining complex Burr) and hilarious Rory
O'Malley as King George. Go for the same day
tickets or do whatever you can to see this
show.
Broadway sf guy from San Francisco, California
HAMILTON IS THE MUST SEE EVENT OF THIS YEAR IN SN FRANCISCO
I went to the first two previews on friday and saturday march 10 and march 11. The
show itself exceeds all the substantial hype and praise and is truly one of the very
best of the 200+ musicals Ive seen on broadway and tour-its fast moving, musically
brilliant, deeply emotional and will take you on a journey of one of the most
incredible rivalry's in history between Burr and Hamilton. Often tour casts are not
quite at the level of broadway casts-not the case here AT ALL. Joshua Henry as Burr
and Michael Luwoye as Hamilton could do these roles on broadway today and
probably will in the future. The cast also includes the fantastically funny tony
nominated Rory OMalley as King George...hilarious. Yes the tickets are pricey, and
yes its well worth it, Hamilton is an entertaining tour de force that will be regarded
as a milestone in musical theatre achievement and impact-go see it before it leaves
town!
Lori Watermelon from Boston, Massachusetts
DESERVES EVERY AWARD POSSIBLE !!
With all broadway shows they go above and beyond, although with
Hamilton, it makes all the other shows look like low-budget high school
productions. The amount of energy, and ferocity was insane, and I
simply could not wait to see it a second time. Or third. Or fourth. Really,
I will never get tired of this performance. "Jazzy J's" whistle register
simply knocked me out of my seat but not only that, it was also how she
could control the audience's emotion with a single tear, or perfect
placed crack in the voice while singing "Say No To This." I could talk
about every single actor and actress in the production, but MY GOD the
ensemble I think blew us all away(no pun intended) … I will say again,
the energy was phenomenal, and I really could not think of a better
place I would want to be in the World. Amazing Job.
from San Francisco, California
HAMILTON X 2
Adored it in New York and then loved it in Chicago. I know SF will be
brilliant. Don't miss it. It's everything people say, and more.
Susie M from Orlando, Florida
HAMILTON: BEST. SHOW. EVER.
Had the great opportunity to see this show in
Chicago over the weekend of the Fourth!
Incredible - best show / best soundtrack / a
MUST see. I'm at the airport now flying back to
FL and am already looking for tickets in 2018,
closer to home! Can't wait to see this show
again!
Eileen from McCandless Pennsylvania
OUTSTANDING, EXCEPTIONAL
I was not sure what to expect so I listened to the sound track along with printed lyrics
on youtube. It made all the difference in my enjoyment. I understood the plot and
the sung lyrics. Yes, the singing was fast and hard to keep up with but you will enjoy it
much more If you take the time to listen to the sound track with lyrics before you
attend. All said, best musical I've ever seen and at 72 I've seen more than a few.
Faith from Hartford, Connecticut
HAMILTON
An incredible production with amazing singing, dancing and content! A
must see. To help understand what’s going on a little better, I’d
suggest reading a little bit about Hamilton on the internet before
seeing this fast paced spectacular! If you have seats in the balcony ,
bring binoculars!
Arlene from Fripp Island, SC
HAMILTON
Wonderful, amazing production. I knew the music and lyrics from a CD, but was blown away
by the physicality of the show and the terrific choreography and dancers. The transitions
among the many scenes were seamless. I have recommended the show to friends. I drove
almost 5 hours to see the show and it was completely worth it (but Greenville is a great
destination). I was grateful to learn of the production dates from friends who live in
Greenwood.
WmW from Buffalo, New York
GLAD WE LIVED TO SEE THEIR GLORY
Shea is a wonderful place to experience this mesmerizing performance
by an incredible cast. True: you should expect a rather fast paced rap,
at times, but even the unaccustomed ears should have little trouble
picking it up, in particular if you treat yourself to the soundtrack
upfront. We enjoyed it immensely, and Lafayette/Jefferson, Eliza,
Hamilton, and the King were particularly outstanding. We attended the
Nov 21 Matinee (I.e., day after Buffalo premiere), and had 1st row Loge
seats, with perfect stage view and sound. The audience in the sold out
theatre seemed to love it, too. I recommend you arrive early, to take in
the stunning decor inside of Shea’s - another real treat.
Sarah from Boston, Massachusetts
JUST FABULOUS!
Excellent show and stellar cast. I would see it
again in a heartbeat. It lived up to the hype.
For those worried about not understanding
every word, familiarize yourself with the story
history wise and you will be fine. It was a
memorable trip to the theater for sure! Bravo!
Maggie from Boston, Massachusetts
AMAZING
Loved it would go back to see it again such historical facts I did not
know
Robin Hession from Boston, Massachusetts
BRILLIANT OPENING NIGHT PERFORMANCE IN BOSTON
The Angelica Touring cast hit the stage at the Boston Opera House in fine form!
The acoustics (including additional portable speakers) were superb and the production itself,
flawless.
A first rate company presented this genius piece of art with big personality and flair.
The seating is tight like many older theatres , with stunning ambiance
Bravo!
from Minneapolis, Minnesota
SO GREAT!!
The MN cast was wonderful and the show is so
well done. Most of the cast was fabulous and
King George was so truly perfect. He made the
show even better than it already was.
Jean Thompson from Indianapolis, Indiana
THE BEST
Hamilton is as superlative as Les Mis was. I have seen it twice, trying to set up the 3rd,
and listen to the score all the time. Lin Manuel Miranda with team of Questlove and
Tarik from Jimmy Fallon's the Roots are fabulous in the musical production.
Lynn from Minneapolis, Minnesota
AMAZING
My grandson(12) has been so excited to see this show. He has learned almost every line so I wanted to take
him. Tickets are way out of my price range. It would be amazing if thickets were more affordable so kids that
are inspired can have their dream come true
Sandy Tijerina from Las Vegas, Nevada
HAMILTON
The show was awesome saw a t last weekend.
Can't wait to see it again.
Mary Washington from Las Vegas, Nevada
HAMILTON
I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t read any of the reviews. I
completely enjoyed the play. I am not a hip-hop fan, but the hip-hop,
pop, dance, rythim, was great. I’d love to see it again someday.
Spencer D. from Salt Lake City, Utah
TALENT TO SPARE
I was so impressed with the cast that I
wanted to be sure convey how impressive
they were in a way that perhaps they might
be able to read it themselves. They were
absolutely phenomenal! I suppose anyone
would expect the best performers at this
kind of a venue and they did not disappoint!
Bill from Orlando, Florida
AMAZING
Saw on Broadway. Worth the money and wait...Simply awesome...can't
wait to see again.
Reghan Bailey from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
ONE OF THE BEST SHOWS EVER
I recently saw Hamilton in New York!!!!!! And it
was one of the most amazing things I have
ever seen!!!!!! I was speechless and balled my
eyes out, it was so beautiful
Jasminepfeahler from Cincinnati, Ohio
CAN'T WAIT!
My friend and I are really big fans and can't
wait to see Hamilton live. Its totally worth
the wait.
Anne from Powell, Ohio
MUST SEE
We just saw Hamilton in New York and it is indescribable. The music, characters,
choreography, storyline, depth of emotion from pathos to humor---all these and more
create an experience that is not to be missed. I hope to see it again in Columbus!!
GG from Los Angeles, California
AMAZING PERFORMANCES
Played with the full heart and soul of
the entire cast this is a show that
should not be missed, performed by a
remarkably talented group of artists.
Bravo to all of you.
This was the best birthday gift ever
from my beautiful daughter!
Thanks to all for a memory that will
last for the next 69 years.
ML Anderson from Columbus, Ohio
HAMILTON
The Feb.2, performance at the Ohio Theatre of Hamilton was musical theatre at it’s best. All the elements that make musical theatre were so well done: acting, singing, Instrumentals, costumes, sets, props, lighting, sound, choreography, dancing, etc. I honestly don’t think I could have seen it better performed on Broadway. Bravo to everyone involved in this truly diverse ensemble production. Lin-Manuel Miranda is truly a genius as well as a humanitarian. ( I am 72 and was seated in the mezzanine.)
from Columbus, Ohio
HAMILTON
WOW
Payton from Columbus, Ohio
AMAZING!
Everything was AMAZING! I saw this twice and I satisfied each time! I loved all the songs each person who was cast did an amazing job! I was so inspired by this show! Not only was it outstanding, but it also helps you learn the history of Alexander Hamilton! My mother, friends, aunt, cousin, and I were blown away with the performance! I loved all of the characters but my favorite were Alexander Hamilton, Lafayette, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison! These characters were what I was expecting and even MORE! They did an outstanding job had so much expression and emotion! Their singing was also very astounding as well!
Tricia Cruise from Cincinnati, Ohio
HAMILTON
What a profound performance...
I have heard that historically it is quite accurate.
Need to see a few times to engage fully!
Well done!
Chancellor Wyman from Detroit, Michigan
FAR SURPASSED MY EXPECTATIONS
The one thing that makes this score amazing is that it's completely sung/rapped throughout so that pretty much the entire show is caught on the OBC recording. I had listened to it a few times because I was afraid I wasn't going to catch what was going on live as a result but I was totally wrong. My wife and I were fully engaged with the staging, the musical and lyrical genius of Lin Manuel Miranda, the emotions, and just the overall swagger of the performances. King George III was a hilarious standout along with Jefferson. I also loved that the actor who played Washington, Paul Oakley Stovall, kept a more authoritative bearing as opposed to engaging in the street level squabbling that happened between Hamilton and Jefferson, among others. I didn't want it to be over. I definitely need to see it again.
Mazzy from Detroit, Michigan
HAMILTON WITH A LITTLE DETROIT FLARE
I have owned the soundtrack (which gives you the whole show) for years and have listened to it... a hundred?? times by now, so I know I have expectations of how the songs should be sung. This Company sings them a little faster and overall with a little more edge, but I didn't mind it at all. Instead I felt it was Hamilton delivered with a little Detroit flare sprinkled on it. The same with the dance moves, based on clips the different Ham accounts have posted on YouTube. This Company does an excellent job of giving you the same great Broadway play but puts their own stamp on it, which has to be really hard to do on such a well recognized work, so I applaud them 1000x over for achieving that.
The ONLY concrit I would give is that the orchestra plays the songs a little fast and the conductor should read his/her actors better on that front. I didn't totally mind the faster speed (just slightly - like a beat to 1.5 beats faster tempo) since it went throughout the entire play BUT it did cause some lines to get muddled in the hurried delivery (two of our 4 party hadn't ever heard the songs and didn't catch some awesome key lines like 'when I meet T.J...include women in the sequel' because of the speed). The faster speed also doesn't seem to allow the actors to make their own acting choices about maybe holding or emphasizing a note for the development of their character. I noticed what I thought was this issue in the song 'Burn'. It's a very emotional and powerful song and the orchestra and actress didn't sound in sync in the first few lines, causing the actress to have to (like a pro!!) catch up without making it obvious. I think the Conductor of the Fisher orchestra needs to correct here to allow the actors to hold or emphasize, or even slow for dramatization, the notes as they see fit for the purposes of their portrayal of their characters. I understand that has to be incredibly hard to achieve that balance in a live show but hopefully they will get that worked out in future rehearsals.
Obviously the play is world renowned with many awards so everyone already knows it's a great show.
Manjula Bagli from Cincinnati, Ohio
EVEN BETTER THAN NEW YORK !
My son and I went opening week and we both loved it. We saw Hamilton in New York in 2017, (not original cast). We felt this one was better, especially Eliza. I could understand every word, and so could many people around us even though many don't listen to hip hop/rap.
MS from New Orleans, Louisiana
GREAT SHOW!
Went into the show with indifference. From the opening act to the finale, Hamilton was very entertaining, very interesting and very different from the typical Broadway musical. There was an energy from the cast that transferred to the audience. Perhaps the rap musical format did it because that was quite different. Can’t vouch for the accuracy of the history and the cast representation of historical figures was unusual and different. Nonetheless, Hamilton exceeded the pre-show hype for us. If you like theater, this play is a must.
Ben from Dallas, Texas
SHAKESPEAREAN
Lin-Manuel Miranda has channeled Shakespeare with Hamilton! Each character is real, witty and relatable! This is well worth the time to enjoy musical theater at it's best. Rivals Rogers and Hammerstein and Andrew Lloyd Webber!
Charlotte Web from Hartford, Connecticut
AMAZING!!
I saw this show in 2018. It’s the best show I’ve ever been to, and I hope to see it again! Would definitely recommend!!
Laquita T. from Louisville, Kentucky
MY FIRST SHOW
This was my first show that I have ever attended. I did not know what to expect, but I am a fan. I loved the show from beginning to end!! Nothing short of amazing the cast was so great the dancers, lighting, music I loved everything about it!!!
Marcella Simon from Baltimore, Maryland
BETTER THE SECOND TIME AROUND
I saw it several months ago in London and I came back wiser after hearing the CD a few dozen times and reading up on the history. It was magnificent in Baltimore, the touring company interpreted a few songs differently but it added to the overall production. When people criticize, I don't think they understand it is not meant to be biographical or a social critique of the time. It is an allegory that is based on history. It presents America as a vision and an ideal, that is still alive today despite always being threatened by forces within and without. One that we always have to work toward. To that end, it succeeds brilliantly.
Danielle R. from Wichita, KS
ALL STAR CAST ESPECIALLY NIK WALKER WHO TOOK IT TO ANOTHER LEVEL OF GREATNESS
I secretly worried I was setting myself up for disappointment by owning the original soundtrack and obsessing over everything Hamilton months before I actually saw the play in KC. But I had nothing to worry about. The cast was amazing and everything that went into the production was top notch. A special shout out to Mr. Walker for his exceptional performance. Your rendition of "Wait for it" had me in tears and by the end of the show...man I was rooting for Burr! hahaha. Go see this play. You won't regret it.
Tracy Shelton from Memphis, Tennessee
GREAT PERFORMANCE -HAMILTON
The costumes, the performers, THE SHOW! I travelled two hours to see one of the best performances in my life. Truly grateful to see the diversity not only on the stage but in the audience. Thankful for Lin-Manuel Miranda💕
Catherine from Plymouth, MA
SPECTACULAR!!
A history lesson in song, just remarkable!! I laughed (the King cracked me up), I cried and I continuously marveled at the talent. Their voices were ridiculous!!! So glad I was able to see such a phenomenal show!
This is what our reviewer, Nicola Quinn, had to say when she saw Hamilton on Broadway in 2015: Lin-Manuel Miranda was inspired by his love for 90's rap and hip hop, and Broadway - it's in this mash-up that we experience music which moves by lyrics, beats
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