# Hamilton - The Musical **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [October 29, 2015, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119 "2015-10-29T20:00:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2018, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119/263 "2018-08-22T21:42:33Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > This doesn’t always work, for some reason. You would think that stage recordings of _Cats_ and a production of _Oklahoma!_ starring Hugh Jackman would have sold better than they did. Then again, a “proper movie adaptation” of _The Phantom of the Opera_ wasn’t a blockbuster either. Yeah, I don’t think most are going to break any box office records. But on the other hand, the production costs are so low that they should still be moneymakers. Presumably they mostly don’t do it because they’re worried that people will see the movie of the show and then not see the show? Not necessarily great business sense to sell a $10 movie ticket or a $4 rental instead of a $200 theater ticket. In that case maybe it makes sense to only do it for crazy blockbusters like Hamilton. It’s like not blacking out local broadcasts when the game sells out. It’s not possible for a Hamilton recording to reduce ticket sales for Hamilton because with every show sold out and tickets going for 2-4x normal prices, they’re already selling the maximum number of seats to Hamilton they can. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119/264 "2018-08-23T15:16:58Z")
I just now saw/noticed this thread! :smack: I have tickets for a performance next month at the Kennedy Center. I’m a Kennedy Center member so I was in on the pre-sale, but even with that the tickets wound up costing over $600. Each. (No resellers involved; that’s direct from the Kennedy Center.) My friend and I definitely weren’t \*hoping \*to pay that much, but when the time came and the Very Expensive Seats were the only ones left, we decided to go for it. Anyway, it’s been a done deal since late February; now we’re finally only weeks away! Like others, I definitely remember not being interested in \*Hamilton \*at all when I first heard about it. History? Told via rap and hip-hop? No thanks. Even when it started to become popular, I was fine with the idea of never seeing it. But then I watched _Hamilton’s America_ on PBS a couple years ago, and heard bits of some of the songs…and I was hooked. I purchased/downloaded the cast recording a while ago, but I only really listen to music in the car and I haven’t had much chance to become familiar with it (I’m blessed with a very short commute to work). I might make an effort to listen all the way through at least once before the show, but I won’t be pressed if I’m not able to. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119/265 "2018-08-23T18:24:02Z")
Hope you enjoy it as much as I did, **Misnomer**! > [@JRDelirious](#): > > Well, that sounds like success at one of the primary goals of a Broadway show, which is to be the in thing that everyone wants to see, drawing in even those who would normally not be interested. Making many more people aware of, and appreciative of, different styles of music is a good thing, too. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119/266 "2018-08-23T18:44:39Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > Yeah, I don’t think most are going to break any box office records. But on the other hand, the production costs are so low that they should still be moneymakers. > > Presumably they mostly don’t do it because they’re worried that people will see the movie of the show and then not see the show? Not necessarily great business sense to sell a $10 movie ticket or a $4 rental instead of a $200 theater ticket. > > In that case maybe it makes sense to only do it for crazy blockbusters like Hamilton. It’s like not blacking out local broadcasts when the game sells out. It’s not possible for a Hamilton recording to reduce ticket sales for Hamilton because with every show sold out and tickets going for 2-4x normal prices, they’re already selling the maximum number of seats to Hamilton they can. a lot of people will pay $10 who won’t pay $200. Also there are a lot of people who don’t live close to a place to see even the touring version. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119/267 "2018-08-23T22:11:51Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > a lot of people will pay $10 who won’t pay $200. Also there are a lot of people who don’t live close to a place to see even the touring version. Yeah, it seems clear to me. I have a hard time coming up with a person who _would_ spend $200 (or $600) on the stage show and are located where they could do so, but wouldn’t if they could just spend $10 to see a recording. $200-600 is a lot of money for a few hours of entertainment. You’re probably not paying that unless you legitimately enjoy live theater or are very price-insensitive. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2018, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119/268 "2018-08-24T15:30:37Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > I have a hard time coming up with a person who _would_ spend $200 (or $600) on the stage show and are located where they could do so, but wouldn’t if they could just spend $10 to see a recording. _waves at **iamthewalrus(:3=**_ Hell, I could see the recording for free and \*still \*pay that much for the stage show. > [@](#): > > $200-600 is a lot of money for a few hours of entertainment. You’re probably not paying that unless you legitimately enjoy live theater or are very price-insensitive. Well, yeah. There is absolutely no substitute for a live, in-person show. And of course ticket prices that high require a certain amount of disposable income. I’m not sure why you have such a hard time imagining that people like me exist, though. We are legion! ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2018, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119/269 "2018-08-24T21:37:10Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > I’m not sure why you have such a hard time imagining that people like me exist, though. I think you misread my comment. I have a hard time imagining someone willing to pay $lots for a live show who _wouldn’t_ be willing to do so when the cheap recording option was available. Of course I have no problem imagining people like you. I am a person like you! There are dozens of us! ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2018, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119/270 "2018-08-24T22:50:52Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > I think you misread my comment. Ahhh, so I did! Multiple times, at that. :o Sorry! Don’t mind me… ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2018, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119/271 "2018-09-13T17:37:00Z")
I finally saw the show on Tuesday night (9/11). Wow. I mean, WOW. I’m stingy with my standing ovations\*, and I never bow to peer pressure when it comes to them, but when the final note faded I was one of the first people to stand. I wish there’d been some greater way to show my appreciation…like, a \*flying \*ovation or something. I don’t remember the last time I got to the end of a show I’d never seen before and was \*immediately \*ready to see it again. In fact, I went so far as to go to the Kennedy Center’s website to see what tickets were available for this weekend’s shows (the run ends on Sunday). There were, like, 7 tickets left for Saturday’s matinee and 4 tickets left for Sunday’s: if any of them had been even in the $300 range I \*might \*have bought one, but everything was $600+ (which is what I’d already paid). (I’ll admit, though, that for just a split second I thought about getting one anyway!) Now, some of this is not surprising. I am a huge musical and live theater fan, and over the past year I’ve come to believe that Lin-Manuel Miranda is a damn genius. Plus, there’s this thread. So, I had high expectations…but I wasn’t prepared for them to be so thorougly exceeded. \*Standing ovations seem to have become the default: I don’t remember the last time I went to a performance that didn’t get one. It annoys the living crap out of me, but that’s a topic for a different thread. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119/272 "2018-09-26T01:20:45Z")
The Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia is climbing on the _Hamilton_ train: [https://www.amrevmuseum.org/exhibits/special-exhibits/hamilton-was-here](https://www.amrevmuseum.org/exhibits/special-exhibits/hamilton-was-here) ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119/273 "2018-09-26T04:27:03Z")
Just gonna throw this out there: Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote a show before _Hamilton_, called _In the Heights_. If you happen to be in the Orlando area, I’m currently playing in the band for a professional production of it, and we have two weeks left of the run. It’s basically like Hamilton (rap/hip-hop music) except set over Latin music, to represent the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City. Come check it out! ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119/274 "2018-10-11T04:26:39Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > I finally saw the show on Tuesday night (9/11). Wow. > > I mean, WOW. Ditto, except I saw it this evening. Amazing show. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2018, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119/275 "2018-10-31T14:27:53Z")
_Spamilton_, anyone…? [Spamilton - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spamilton) [His Shot - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCm4sB1DEDc) ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119/276 "2018-11-06T19:57:30Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > I don’t remember the last time I got to the end of a show I’d never seen before and was \*immediately \*ready to see it again. In fact, I went so far as to go to the Kennedy Center’s website to see what tickets were available for this weekend’s shows (the run ends on Sunday). There were, like, 7 tickets left for Saturday’s matinee and 4 tickets left for Sunday’s: if any of them had been even in the $300 range I \*might \*have bought one, but everything was $600+ (which is what I’d already paid). (I’ll admit, though, that for just a split second I thought about getting one anyway!) I recently made plans to go to NYC in late January to catch a Wednesday night show at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola: I’ll be staying in town through the weekend (I have family there), and am thinking about catching a Broadway show on Thursday night. I’ve actually never seen a show on Broadway, which is kind of amazing given my love of theater – both plays and musicals. Even more amazing, though, is that I find myself seriously considering going to see \*Hamilton \*again! I can get a “mid premium” seat for less than I paid in September, but more than I should probably spend. Part of me feels like I should take the opportunity to see something new (to me), but part of me also feels like it could be _so great_ to see it on Broadway. This could be it…I might have finally lost it! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119/277 "2018-12-04T21:58:27Z")
Merry Christmas! [Hamildolph (An American Christmas Story) - Hamilton Parody - Eclipse 6 - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7sm49fHlyI) Best. Christmas. Parody. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119/278 "2018-12-04T22:55:30Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Merry Christmas! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7sm49fHlyI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7sm49fHlyI) Best. Christmas. Parody. Ever. OMG this is a huge win for doing more than “Alexander Hamilton” and going into the show’s waaay less frequently parodied (and yet IMHO the most awesome) number. Thank you!! ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119/279 "2018-12-05T00:10:27Z")
That. Was. Awesome. 😃 (Oh yeah, I decided to go ahead and get the _Hamilton_ ticket for NYC next month… 🆒 ) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119/280 "2018-12-23T22:04:58Z")
Obama featured in a LMM _Hamilton_ remix of Washington’s farewell: > **[Barack Obama featured on 'Hamilton' remix | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/21/entertainment/barack-obama-hamilton-remix/index.html)** > > Christmas came early for "Hamilton" fans. > **[Christopher Jackson, Lin-Manuel Miranda & Original Broadway Cast of...](https://genius.com/Christopher-jackson-lin-manuel-miranda-and-original-broadway-cast-of-hamilton-one-last-time-lyrics)** > > This song tells the story of Hamilton writing George Washington’s “Farewell Address,” his famous last statement of political thoughts published upon his decision to step down from ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119/281 "2018-12-24T16:22:19Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Merry Christmas! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7sm49fHlyI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7sm49fHlyI) Best. Christmas. Parody. Ever. That wasgreat! And my 2 1/2 year old grandson insisted on listening to it also. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2019, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119/282 "2019-01-21T04:22:59Z")
For fans of both _Hamilton_ and _Star Trek_: ["MY SPOCK" - Hamilton / Star Trek Parody - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O4EKucKv7w) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamilton-the-musical/736119.md?page=15)