"Hamilton" in Los Angeles- Page 4

[LesWickedly]

Posted: 8/14/17 at 8:13pm

Wicked Fanatic said: "
How was the opening show in Los Angeles LesWickedly?

"

It was fantastic! Production is in great shape! The male leads are extraordinary.

Michael is most likely the best Hamilton there has been. I love Lin in the role (unlike many) and Michael does sound like Lin, if he was an amazing singer. 

What can I say about Joshua that hasn't been said? He is simply amazing. He has so much presence and fills the giant Pantages with his performance. He's tied with Leslie for me.

Isiah started off mellow, but his One Last Time won me over. His ending riffs stunned me. 

Jordan was the biggest surprise for me! His Lafayette was stellar and endearing, while his Jefferson was hilarious. Fantastic!

Mathenee might be my favorite Mulligan/Madison. He reminded me a lot of Andrew Chappelle and just has a certain sass that works well.

Rueben was good. Nothing special, just a solid performance.

The women were very good, but nothing that really stood out, unfortunately. 

The energy was amazing and the audience was eating everything up, cheering when they sensed their favorite songs coming!

Hope this helped!

[n.holden]

Posted: 8/14/17 at 8:15pm

My parents won the SF lottery for the first preview, but we think it was probably because the word wasn't out yet and not as many people were entering. The LA lottery will probably have way more participants, especially with the app. Anyone seen the show in LA yet

[ashley0139]

Posted: 8/14/17 at 8:27pm

I actually wish this show would do an in person lotto.  

[zzannahk]

Posted: 8/15/17 at 7:13pm

They are for tomorrow's official opening night. 

[ashley0139]

Posted: 8/15/17 at 10:16pm

zzannahk said: "They are for tomorrow's official opening night. 

 

"

Yeah, I'm aware, but doing it for one show opening night is a little different than doing it for the entire run.

Anyone planning on going tomorrow?

[PepperedShepherd]

Posted: 8/20/17 at 9:11pm

Just got back from today's matinee (after managing to snag a $650 Center Orch ticket off StubHub for $270).

I've only seen Hamilton once previously -- last fall with Javier in the lead -- so I can't dissect all the pros & cons & nuances of performance like some. But I will say that, overall, this cast blew me away.

Michael Luwoye is nothing less than a force of nature. One thing I had really liked about Javier's performance was the fire he brought to the role.  Michael has that quality, too.  Plus, he moves like butter on that stage.

Joshua Henry matches him blow for blow as Burr. His "Room Where It Happens" pretty much stopped the show.

Loved Jordan Donica as Lafayette/Jefferson. Charismatic, funny, and very well-matched whether playing Ham's friend or foe.  He was much better than whoever I saw on B'way last year (who was not Daveed).  I also really liked Mathenee Treco as Mulligan/Madison, who was also better than who I saw on B'way last year (who was Oak).  And, though I thought Isaiah Johnson as Washington was very good, he did not equal my memory of Christopher Jackson in the role.

Emmy Raver-Lampman as Anjelica was stunning. The applause after "Satisfied" went on & on & on.

Solea Pfeifer was the only main cast member not appearing in today's matinee, but her standby, Julia Harriman, was excellent as Eliza. Her "Finale", especially, was beautiful and heart-breaking.

Rory O'Malley was hysterical, of course, and Ryan Vasquez made a very strong impression as Laurens/Philip. 

The orchestra and the ensemble were firing on all cylinders. And it was quite possibly the best audience I have ever been in at the Pantages: engaged, engrossed, and ecstatic.

Happy to have this production of Hamilton here for the next 4 months. I'm sure I will see it several more times.

[10086Sundays]

Posted: 8/25/17 at 9:53pm

FYI, there were some $650 front orchestra seats for this weekend that dropped to $250 dollars tonight. Sold by the show, not resale. Still a lot, but if you can, grab em before the scalpers do! 

The first weekend, 2-4 hours before showtime, I saw some $195 side, front orch tix released by the show as well. Looked like possibly unclaimed lotto? Haven't had time to track it to see if it's still happening.

Updated On: 8/25/17 at 09:53 PM

[nkayyy]

Posted: 8/26/17 at 1:18am

You guys!! I found a $175 center orch seat for Tuesday night! I bought it on a whim, even though I have responsibilities during the week... but that price was just too good to pass up! I found it through the official Pantages website, so I definitely recommend checking there. Much much more affordable than StubHub or any other second-party seller!

[bear88]

Posted: 8/26/17 at 3:52am

LesWickedly said: "Wicked Fanatic said: "
How was the opening show in Los Angeles LesWickedly?

"

It was fantastic! Production is in great shape! The male leads are extraordinary.

Michael is most likely the best Hamilton there has been. I love Lin in the role (unlike many) and Michael does sound like Lin, if he was an amazing singer. 

What can I say about Joshua that hasn't been said? He is simply amazing. He has so much presence and fills the giant Pantages with his performance. He's tied with Leslie for me.

Isiah started off mellow, but his One Last Time won me over. His ending riffs stunned me. 

Jordan was the biggest surprise for me! His Lafayette was stellar and endearing, while his Jefferson was hilarious. Fantastic!

Mathenee might be my favorite Mulligan/Madison. He reminded me a lot of Andrew Chappelle and just has a certain sass that works well.

Rueben was good. Nothing special, just a solid performance.

The women were very good, but nothing that really stood out, unfortunately. 

The energy was amazing and the audience was eating everything up, cheering when they sensed their favorite songs coming!

Hope this helped!

If I have one disappointment, it's not seeing Michael Luwoye a second time during the San Francisco run. I saw him in March, after a week of previews, and I thought he played Hamilton differently than the other actors I have seen in the role (Javier Munoz, Ryan Alvarado, and Lin on video). He was more angry than cocky, getting in Washington's face even more than usual, yelling at Jefferson during the rap battles. At that point, Jordan Donica was struggling in my view, not just with Lafayette's rapping but with finding the right balance between Jefferson's shrewd ruthlessness (which Daveed Diggs played so perfectly) and his comic gestures. Isaiah Johnson's Washington was a bit tentative in his acting, though his voice was wonderful.

By late May, Donica was much improved and Johnson was as well. But Luwoye was out that day, so I didn't get a chance to reassess him in the role once some of his fellow actors caught up. He has a powerful voice that really sells songs like "Hurricane," and is a good rapper. Alvarado, his understudy, played Hamilton as a poor man's Miranda. I felt like Luwoye had a different take on the role, and an interesting approach, but I wasn't sure I liked it as much overall the first time. I know many people who have seen the show more than I have think Luwoye is actually the best Hamilton, so I'm sorry I didn't get that chance when the cast, not counting the absurdly talented Joshua Henry, had more experience together.

You LA folks with tickets are lucky.

[defygravity2]

Posted: 9/2/17 at 1:51pm

Does anyone know how the cancellation line has been in LA lately? With my crappy lottery (non) luck, looks like I am going to make the drive and camp out for cancellation tickets. If I can wait 9 hours in the snow for NY cast, I can surely hang out for an extended time in front of the Pantages. I know the first rule of line waiting is not talking about what time to get in line to wait, but I am just wondering if anybody has a ball park idea of when to get there....midnight? 6 am? anyone? anyone?

[LesWickedly]

Posted: 9/2/17 at 2:02pm

How much are you willing to pay? Just got a $225 ticket for Tuesday night, last night. It seems like they drop the $650 ticket prices around 6 or 7 on Friday nights for the next few performances. 

[defygravity2]

Posted: 9/2/17 at 2:13pm

I have been watching the prices on Stub Hub drop close to curtain time...so that would be another option for me. In NY, you have to print out tickets...does the Pantages take electronic tickets?

[Popular]

Posted: 9/2/17 at 2:23pm

Craigslist

Not sure if I posted the link correctly but the Craigslist ad above (if legit) is another good option. Sometimes people trying to sell three get stuck with a single and get desperate to sell last minute. Got a $100 front and  center Mezz seat that way for a matinee once. 

ps I wouldn't sleep out in that area of Hollywood! 

[BeachGirl2]

Posted: 9/6/17 at 2:08am

I've been seeing the same trend and tonight jumped on $349 premium orchestra seats that were previously $650 in the same location for a different show.  The discounted seats seem to appear all at once for 4 shows (thurs-Saturday matinee in tonight's case) and are direct standard tickets on Ticketmaster.  My guess is they are house seats they held back and weren't needed, but whatever the reason I'm thrilled! 

My husband thinks I'm a little crazy thinking $349 is a "bargain" but I suppose it's all relative with Hamilton - ha!  Excited to see the touring cast for the first time.  

[Jocelyn3]

Posted: 9/6/17 at 1:45pm

defygravity2 said: "I have beenwatching the prices on Stub Hub drop close to curtain time...so that would be another option for me. In NY, youhaveto print out tickets...does the Pantages take electronic tickets?"

Yes, the Pantages does take electronic tickets. Most of the Ticketmaster tickets are electronic/mobile.

Does anyone know if they hold fast to the 6 ticket limit through Ticketmaster for the run of the show? Would that include resale tix? With the season tickets you could buy four additional tickets, which I did for friends, but I'd like to go again. Just wondering if they really police that. 

As to sleeping in front of the theatre, it's no worse than any other area of Hollywood and much better than most. Shake Shack, Starbucks. Trader Joe's all within a block.

Just checked TM for this Friday, 9/8. There are $349 orchestra tickets, non-resale, reduced from $650 as noted above. 
 

 

 

Updated On: 9/6/17 at 01:45 PM

[nealb1]

Posted: 9/6/17 at 2:21pm

Going on Sunday afternoon and really looking forward to seeing it!

[DAME]

Posted: 9/6/17 at 2:32pm

A whole bunch of regularly priced Orchestra and Front Mezz seats have just opened up for This Friday, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday night.    They are in the $125.00 a seat range.  Some side orchestra and some Font Mezz singles.

[dance noone watchin]

Posted: 9/8/17 at 11:48pm

Going on Sunday too, in the room where it happens. Was poking around today, trying to figure out whether Springsteen on Broadway is a dead deal for me, and I went to check the Pantages Hamilton tickets – and saw Sunday matinee center orchestra, row G for $225 from the theater – what? Had to snag them. Good tip on the boards on this! Saw the OBC twice last year, and didn’t think I was going to go back, but have heard great things about Michael Luwoye and Joshua Henry. Also looking forward to Isaiah Johnson. Saw him in The Color Purple. I saw the show a second time when he was out and I appreciated how good he was.

[LesWickedly]

Posted: 9/13/17 at 2:16am

Curious to hear other people talk about it! Went last week again and loved it even more. Sitting close really makes a difference! The cast was excellent and this time, I was especially taken by Solea's performance. She's really grown into the role and I love her Eliza. Michael was sadly out and Ryan was on. Echoing statements from the tour thread, he just isn't that great. He's serviceable in the role, but sadly doesn't do anything special and gives an ok performance. The whole cast is great and I truly think it's the best since the OBC. 

[conealpetterson]

Posted: 9/13/17 at 12:10pm

My daughter and I saw the tour during previews in San Francisco and at the end of August here in Los Angeles.  What a difference 5 months made for some of the cast members!  I was blown away by how much better Solea, Jordan, Amber and Isaiah have gotten in their roles.  They were good in San Francisco, but are so much more comfortable now and it feels like a really polished company.  Solea is incredible as Eliza - both her voice and acting.  The first time I saw Amber, I liked her as Peggy but felt her "Say No to This" was a little odd (deep and throaty).  It is vastly improved and very sexy.  In San Francisco, Isaiah didn't have the strong and commanding presence I want in George Washington and he is much more confident in the role.  His "One Last Time" got lots of applause.  The one that really blew me away was Jordan.  The first time I did not like his portrayal of Jefferson.  It felt clownish and over the top - like a young guy trying too hard.  He has grown by leaps and bounds.  His Lafayette was great and his Jefferson was just the right balance of arrogant, cocky and powerful.  Joshua Henry was a standout as usual.  We sat closer this time and I was able to fully appreciate his masterful acting.  His "Room Where it Happens" got a full minute of applause.  Emmy seemed to be having a bit of an off night when we saw her in LA.  She was the one person who was better the first time. Mathanee was out when we saw the show in SF, so this was our first time seeing him as Mulligan/Madison.  I really enjoyed the spin he put on the role.  He was a lot of fun.  We saw Michael as Hamilton in SF and Ryan Alvarado in LA.  I much preferred Michael's portrayal.  I felt like Ryan was too laid back as Hamilton, especially in the first act.  Hamilton was a cocky and intense guy and I didn't feel any of that.  He was really just ok.  He improved in the second act, but I just didn't feel the raw emotion from him that I did from Michael.  I am hoping to catch it again with Michael.  

We did the stage door after and I was surprised by how uncrowded it was and how relatively old the crowd was compared to SF.  Usually there are a lot of folks in their teens and early 20's when I stage door with my daughter.  There were tons of people in their 30s to 60s, which was kind of fun.  We had a nice chat with a woman in her 60s who had driven in from Riverside to see the show.  

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 9/19/17 at 5:38pm

If Carousel is really having a month long workshop next month, is there any word on when Joshua is leaving Hamilton or any guesses? Also, who would replace him? I'm assuming it would be Wayne Brady. 

[LesWickedly]

Posted: 9/19/17 at 6:00pm

I really hope not. Still wanting to see him some more and have heard mixed things about Brady. Really hoping Joshua stays, but starting to lose hope.

[n.holden]

Posted: 9/19/17 at 6:56pm

What makes you think it would be Wayne Brady?

[sm33]

Posted: 9/19/17 at 6:58pm

I'm seeing the show tomorrow in LA, and am excited to see Joshua Henry after hearing all the rave reviews. But I have another pair of tickets for late October, and would be thrilled to see Wayne Brady in the role if they bring him into this production after Joshua leaves.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 9/19/17 at 7:09pm

Brady already played burr in Chicago and since he's based out of LA I would imagine it would be easiest for him to replace