Here’s what you should know about ‘Hamilton,’ Broadway’s hottest musical that’s up for a record 16 Tony nominations
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Everybody wants to see “Hamilton.”
“Hamilton” is the most coveted Broadway show right now, and tickets are sold out for months in advance.
The musical — created and composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda — features a multiracial cast rapping and singing the story of Alexander Hamilton, America’s founding father and first secretary of the treasury.
It took six years for the musical to come together, but since it has there’s no stopping it.
“Hamilton” won a Grammy earlier this year for best musical theater album, and the cast performed at the White House for an education initiative. Celebrities and politicians, including Kerry Washington, Amy Schumer, and the Obamas, have been gushing about the show, and many have seen it more than once.
With an album that has reached gold status, a mixtape set for release later this year, and a behind-the-scenes book, “Hamilton” is everywhere, even if you are unable to secure (or afford) a ticket.
Not surprisingly, the show is up for best musical — as well as a record 15 other nominations — at the Tony Awards, which take place June 12.
Here’s what you should know about Broadway’s hottest ticket:
Created and composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the musical is based on “Hamilton,” a biography about Alexander Hamilton written by Ron Chernow.
Miranda read the entire biography while on vacation in Mexico in 2008, but he discussed the idea for a hip-hop musical based on Hamilton’s life with Jeremy Carter, a former theater critic, a week before he even went on vacation.
Source: Hamilton: The Revolution
In 2009, Miranda performed a rough version of the first song that would eventually open the musical at the White House.
In 2011, Carter joined the artistic staff at the Public Theater and recommended Miranda and the idea for a Hamilton musical as a potential show.
Source: Hamilton: The Revolution
In 2013, Miranda performed the first act and a couple other songs at a Vassar workshop. Miranda and cast members Daveed Diggs, Chris Jackson, and Javier Muñoz would continue to perform in both the Off-Broadway and Broadway productions.
Source: Bloomberg
Six years after the idea first formed, the musical took shape and became the most coveted ticket on Broadway.
It first previewed Off-Broadway at the Public Theater in January 2015, and opened February 2015. Official Broadway previews began July 2015, and the show opened in August.
Miranda stars as Hamilton. The musical features a diverse, multicultural cast. Original Broadway members also include Leslie Odom Jr., Phillipa Soo, and Renée Elise Goldsberry.
It was originally supposed to be called “The Hamilton Mixtape,” but Jeffrey Seller, the musical’s lead producer, convinced Miranda to change the name to simply “Hamilton.”
Source: New York Times Magazine
The Broadway run earned $61.7 million at the box office between July 2015 and April 3, 2016.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
A breakdown of the profits shows that it earns about $1.5 million weekly in sales, with 40% going towards rent, salaries, and other expenses.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
This means that the show earns an average of $500,000 in profit every week.
Source: New York Times Magazine
It’s estimated that the musical could pull more than $1 billion in just New York.
Source: New York Times Magazine
Standard tickets start at $139 and premium tickets start at $549, but secondary tickets can go for upward of $2,000 via third-party sources like StubHub, unless you’re lucky enough to win the $10 tickets given out in a digital lottery.
Source: Hamilton
Demand for the lottery tickets is so high that the digital lottery crashed the first day it launched.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
The cast album dominated the Billboard charts, reaching No. 1 on the rap charts, debuting at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 chart, and topping the Broadway cast albums chart. The album has gone gold, meaning more than 500,000 copies have been sold.
Source: Billboard
The cast performed at the 2016 Grammy Awards and won the award for best musical theater album.
They also performed at the White House in March, as part of an educational program.
With 16 nominations, the musical set a record for most Tony Award nominations.
Source: Business Insider
Lin-Manuel Miranda is preparing to leave the show July 9, so tickets are in even more demand.
Source: Business Insider
Love for the musical has even extended to Chicago, where a baby camel at the Lincoln Park Zoo was just named Alexander Camelton, as “a nod to the Founding Father and the hit musical.”
Source: Twitter
The Bactrian #camel calf born May 9 receives a nice nuzzle from mom Nasan in our #PhotoOfTheWeek! http://pic.twitter.com/0XUXirllLu
— Lincoln Park Zoo (@lincolnparkzoo) May 27, 2016
As tickets for the Broadway musical continue to be a hot commodity in New York, a Chicago production will open September 27. A national tour will make stops in cities such as San Francisco, and Los Angeles, and a production will also open in London in 2017.
Source: New York Times Magazine
Later this year, “The Hamilton Mixtape” will come out, which will feature songs from and inspired by the musical, performed by artists including Ben Folds, Chance the Rapper, Regina Spektor, and Jimmy Fallon.
Source: Vanity Fair
Questlove of The Roots is a producer on the cast album and will also produce the “Mixtape.”
Miranda coauthored “Hamilton: The Revolution,” a behind-the-scenes look at the musical and the history behind it, with Jeremy McCarter. The book was released April 12.
First copy. #Hamiltome http://pic.twitter.com/R5WQpwEvWz
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) February 4, 2016
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