It took several attempts for my family to snag discounted tickets to see Hamilton in New York City. Thanks to Disney, soon everyone will have the opportunity to watch the magic from the comfort of their own beds.
In a recent tweet Lin Manuel Miranda, the creator and star of Hamilton, announced that there will officially be a filmed version of the show coming to theaters on Oct. 15, 2021.
Unlike his other musical-to-film adaptation In the Heights, Hamilton will not be adapted into a feature film and will simply be a taped past show. Filmed in June 2016, it will feature the entire original cast in some of their final performances.
The film was directed by Thomas Kail in partnership with Disney, which paid $75 million for the rights to the beloved American musical.
In an interview with The New York Times, Miranda said, “We worked a very long time to make the very best piece of theater possible, and Tommy has translated that into an exciting film version, where you have the best seat in the house with the original cast. The ability to democratize this is a really rare privilege.”
I’ll always remember the first time I saw Lin Manuel Miranda.
He had just performed at the White House for Barack Obama. He announced that he was working on a concept hip-hop album about the life of Alexander Hamilton. Little did we know, it would be a cultural phenomenon.
Hamilton: An American Musical was so popular among students at my high school. Kids would quote lyrics before entering AP History exams and listen to the soundtrack endlessly. For most, the chances of ever seeing it in person were pretty low, so the fact that it was so universally loved spoke volumes.
Every time my family traveled to New York City, we routinely waiting for tickets to Miranda’s masterpiece outside the red ticket booths – where Broadway tickets are sold for the same day at discounted prices. Eventually, we finally were able to be in the room where it happens.
I left that show feeling more attached to and inspired by the story than ever before. The set, costumes and dance routines brought this musical to life in a way I didn’t think was possible. Already having loved this musical, seeing it in person transformed the way I saw it.
It’s clear that Miranda has always wanted everyone to have a chance to see the show. However, this film is being released during a strategic period. The fame of the original cast carried into touring productions, and now a filmed version.
This is essentially the next step towards extending the influence of this massive project.
It’s officially your shot to see this mind-blowing show, and 2021 could not come fast enough.