Is Lin-Manuel Miranda the person bigger than the Hamilton show?

[Broadway Forever2]

Posted: 4/28/16 at 4:32pm

Lin has become a reasonably big celebrity in the past year as Hamilton's popularity has risen and people are are starting to claim that when he leaves the ticket sales will decrease and cause the ticket price crash like how producers sales went down after the 2 leads left. 

Do you think this is the case or is Hamilton a bigger name then Lin? 

Personally I know many people who have heard of Hamilton but haven't know idea who Lin Manuel Miranda is so I don't get this claim. 

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 4/28/16 at 4:38pm

I don't think "Hamilton" will crash like "The Producers" because "Hamilton" is a much better show. I think ticket sales will not decrease but the amount they get for premium seats might not be as much when he and others from the OBC leave.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 4/28/16 at 4:39pm

Hamilton the show is by far more well known.

[Birdwell]

Posted: 4/28/16 at 4:40pm

We're in California and bought tickets for November the minute they went on sale and paid a breathtaking amount of money for them. We knew full well that the original cast would probably have moved on. Still so excited to see this amazing show.

[jpbran]

Posted: 4/28/16 at 4:44pm

I don't think there's any drop or lack of demand on his off-days, so I'm guessing this juggernaut will continue fine. (will likely be more Book of Mormon or Wicked, than Producers)

 

[toofunktastic2]

Posted: 4/28/16 at 4:47pm

I doubt Lin-Manuel is as well-known as either Matthew Broderick or Nathan Lane.  He's certainly becoming much more well-known, but as far as I've seen the hype is much more about the show itself than any specific performers. 

[slumdogdelaware]

Posted: 4/28/16 at 4:48pm

Here’s my take:

Yes, Lin is very popular right now. He’s ‘hot’, some might say. But I think the driving force behind Hamilton is truly the popularity of the show itself – though I would never discount the theory of Lin being a major reason some people are going to see it.

The music is grabbing people, which is also a huge factor. It’s appealing to masses of young people, who then take to twitter and spread the word, and so on and so on.

When I saw it back in January, I sat next to a girl who didn’t know the music, didn’t know any of the actors, and didn’t know Lin, similar to what you mentioned in your original post. What she knew was the popularity, the rumblings of splendor about the show, and that’s why she got a ticket (or, more accurately, why she asked for tickets for her birthday, as she informed me).

Hamilton will continue to dominate after Lin & co. depart, and for well after that.

[aaaaaa15]

Posted: 4/28/16 at 4:54pm

The only way you could really argue that is if Lin was rapidly gaining fans from something other than Hamilton too. He isn't. The only reason he's gained 300,000 Twitter followers in the space of a few months is because of Hamilton. The only reason he's one of TIME's 100 most influential people is because of Hamilton. He has become a minor celebrity because of Hamilton.

Therefore, the show is absolutely bigger than him. Now if he continues to produce work as popular and well done as Hamilton in the future then he may become bigger than his projects. But for the time being he isn't.

Updated On: 4/28/16 at 04:54 PM

[Broadway Forever2]

Posted: 4/28/16 at 5:03pm

aaaaaa15 said: "The only way you could really argue that is if Lin was rapidly gaining fans from something other than Hamilton too. He isn't. The only reason he's gained 300,000 Twitter followers in the space of a few months is because of Hamilton. The only reason he's one of TIME's 100 most influential people is because of Hamilton. He has become a minor celebrity because of Hamilton.
Therefore, the show is absolutely bigger than him. Now if he continues to produce work as popular and well done as Hamilton in the future then he may become bigger than his projects. But for the time being he isn't

"

See this is what I think. His entire popularity now is because of Hamilton. Like I've been a fan for a while since I loved I'm th Heights but he was pretty much unknown before. But I guess he has developed such an intense following in such little time compared to other Broadway stars and writers it makes some people think he is instrumental to the show's success. However I don't believe this is the case. 

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 4/28/16 at 5:51pm

Potentially, Lin will be better known to the world upon the release of the new MARY POPPINS film he will costar in with Emily Blunt; the power of the movies... Right now I think more people, outside of the Broadway community, know HAMILTON better than they know of Lin.

[haterobics]

Posted: 4/28/16 at 6:14pm

Broadway Forever2 said: "people are are starting to claim that when he leaves the ticket sales will decrease and cause the ticket price crash like how producers sales went down after the 2 leads left."

 

The problem with this thinking is that there is no way to tell since tickets will be on sale so far in advance of any announcement of his departure, there will be no way to correlate the two things. His name isn't above the title or anything, at some point, they'll just announce he's leaving and tickets will probably be already on sale 9-12 months ahead of him at that point.

[Mediamaven2]

Posted: 4/29/16 at 12:27pm

Ob viously the show is bigger than him. Just look at the matinees where Javier has been announced as the lead.  These shows all sold out, the tickets are still at a premium. Yes, arguably "less" on the resale market but still quite marked up! I don't think that has anything to do with the remaining OBC. Few people outside of crazy fans like us on this board think about the OBC. And, it is hard to believe that all of a sudden the whole of the OBC leaves in one fell swoop this summer....The show is sold out completely thru Jan.  Anticipation for more tickets has just been building, building, building, as everyone is waiting for a new block to go on sale. It won't have most of the OBC probably, we know that. But hey, you really think this next block (whenever it goes up for sale) won't sell out in a flash? OF course it will!!!

[bear88]

Posted: 4/30/16 at 4:33am

When I went to the show, he was standing around outside the theatre - unable to perform due to laryngitis - and almost everyone walked right past him. I don't think his celebrity status has gotten too far. But I agree that if the Mary Poppins sequel is a hit, that might change. 

[NJ_BroadwayGirl]

Posted: 4/30/16 at 7:18am

The Mary Poppins sequel gig is definitely big. Is Lin doing any musical writing for this movie? If not I do think it's interesting that out of all the Broadway actors available, he was hired for his acting and singing ability, when many on here acknowledge he's not even the best actor playing his own role right now. A bit of celebrity could have played a role in that choice. 

Sidenote, personally I love the emotion he brings to the role of Hamilton but I walked away thinking it was more that he embodied the role after writing it. And I've never found him to be a great singer. I'm seeing Javier on June 12. 

[best12bars]

Posted: 4/30/16 at 7:27am

I think it's too soon to tell. Lin-Manuel is still relatively new and young. He has two hit shows and countless other successful projects under his belt, and as big as Hamilton is today, check back in 20 to 30 years.

Someone like Alfred Hitchcock was initially known for his films, but by the end of his career the man was far bigger than any one of his successful films. It has to do with body of work, and Lin-Manuel's is still in its infancy. If he continues with his current track record, he could easily be like Hitchcock or Disney. Those men became "brands" and "icons" with their work secondary to who they were.

[indytallguy]

Posted: 4/30/16 at 9:22am

LMM has such an engaging social media presence that I hope someone in subsequent casts tries to replicate in their own ways and voice.

The earnestness and sheer joy his Tweets often display in support of others work creates a reciprocity of goodwill that will require nurturing if it is to be retained by the show when he leaves the cast.

[chi-town_bwayfangirl]

Posted: 5/1/16 at 1:32am

indytallguy said: "LMM has such an engaging social media presence that I hope someone in subsequent casts tries to replicate in their own ways and voice.

The earnestness and sheer joy his Tweets often display in support of others work creates a reciprocity of goodwill that will require nurturing if it is to be retained by the show when he leaves the cast."

This. I never really used Twitter much and after seeing Hamilton and then seeing LMM's huge Twitter presence, I'm addicted to the show even more. 

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 5/2/16 at 1:55am

As much as I am a fan of his work and wouldn't mind seeing the show, I really wouldn't be phased if he was in or out of Hamilton the way I would be if one of the three leads in Color Purple called out, for example. When Miranda leaves the show for good I'd still like to see it - no more and no less than I did before. 

Good for him for creating a mainstream career out of Hamilton but I don't think he's bigger than the show.

 

[Broadway Forever2]

Posted: 5/2/16 at 2:16am

yeah I only asked this because some person posted an article on this about getting tickets to Hamilton and the article tried to claim that unlike the Book of Mormon, Lin was bigger than the show itself and that ticket sales would go down when he left and that ecause he can't be omnipresent it would be difficult to market it to multiple locations, which I thought was BS. I think he's really talented but most people who see the show don't even know who he is.
Updated On: 5/2/16 at 02:16 AM

[dev101]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 11:26am

I saw Hamilton in August while it was neat to see Lin in his own musical, seeing someone else wouldn't have made too much of an impact on my decision to see the show. I feel like Hamilton will last just as long, even if Lin left tomorrow. 

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 2:51pm

I think he's about 5' 10"?

[uncageg]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 3:33pm

I feel it is the show. Lin is doing a good job at promoting it even id some are tired of hearing about and seeing it everywhere. Just reading a post here, someone called the show "amazing" and has not even seen it yet.  JMO

[Petralicious]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 3:53pm

I say no, not. Both Alexander Hamilton and Lin Manuel are and were very short. 

[Chowd95]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 7:11pm

As fans of theater we recognize the popularity of this show, but we are a niche market.  This is a Broadway musical, not a Marvel movie. Ask ten people on the street in any city besides NY or LA and I bet on average maybe one or two has even heard of Hamilton, much less Lin. 

[aaaaaa15]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 7:47pm

Chowd95 said: "As fans of theater we recognize the popularity of this show, but we are a niche market.  This is a Broadway musical, not a Marvel movie. Ask ten people on the street in any city besides NY or LA and I bet on average maybe one or two has even heard of Hamilton, much less Lin."

Yes but even one or two out of ten is excellent recognition for a show that hasn't even been on Broadway a year (nor won its Tonys yet).