The Broadway Smash-Hit 'Hamilton' Opens In Denver
DENVER (CBS4) - The national tour of "Hamilton: An American Musical", which took Broadway by storm in 2015, is headed to Denver. The show will be at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts from February 27th through April 1st. Most tickets have sold, but additional seats may be available closer to the engagement, and there will be a lottery each day for forty tickets for all performances.
LINK: For Information about "Hamilton" in Denver
The show tells the story of founding father Alexander Hamilton, using original music that blends hip-hop, rhythm and blues, pop, soul, and traditional-style show tunes. The music, lyrics, and script were written by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
"Hamilton" (credit DCPA)
"Hamilton" tells the story of how Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies, became George Washington's right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and then the nation's first Treasury Secretary. It's allowed a generation of young people to experience history in a new way.
"Hamilton" (credit DCPA)
In 2016, "Hamilton" got a record-setting 16 Tony Nominations, and won 11 awards, including Best Musical.
In the touring production, Isaiah Johnson plays George Washington, giving a commanding performance of the nation's first Commander and Chief.
Isaiah Johnson plays George Washington. (credit CBS)
"The audience is surprised by the journey that they take. It's not often that you go to see musicals and you take a full emotional journey. And that's reflective of people that have no connection to 'Hamilton' whatsoever," Johnson told CBS4. "The best complements that we ever get for the show are people that haven't seen the show, haven't listened to the music, they just come into these walls, and they have the experience, and they're blown away."
"Hamilton" (credit DCPA)
Part of the "Hamilton" experience is a diverse cast with actors of all colors playing the foundering fathers. It allows the audience to see and experience history in a different way.
"Something that excites me the most is seeing all these different shades of brown on the stage. People coming together and telling this wonderful story," said Amber Iman, the actress who plays Peggy Schuyler in the touring production. "Isaiah told the story about how a little girl was in class and she was looking at her textbook, and she saw a picture of George Washington and she said, 'That's not George Washington. George Washington is black.' That speaks to the testament of what this show is doing."
Many "Hamilton" fans fell in love with the show by listening to the soundtrack. Now that the touring production is in Denver, fans can get a whole new appreciation of the show.
Michael Luwoye plays "Alexander Hamilton" in the touring production of "Hamilton" (credit CBS)
"Listening to the sound track is a sonic experience, you get that one aspect of it. When you come and you're sitting down in an audience, all that comes together plus some because then you also get the lights, and you get the sound and you see the props, and you see little things that you can't get from just listening to the album," said Michael Luwoye, who plays "Alexander Hamilton" in the show.
Watch Critic at Large Greg Moody's review below:
