Only a couple of shows recent have received as much interest and praise as HAMILTON. A historical drama, HAMILTON is the creation of Lin-Manuel Miranda that comes with with a dash of comedy and a history lesson presented by outstanding lyrics and exciting music that switches seamlessly from a melody to a rap and back.
Always the skeptic, I wasn't sure if HAMILTON was as good as they say. However, this is my second time seeing the show. Yes, it is that good.
This is the second time HAMILTON has graced the stage in Naptown and at the Murat, so I was super stoked to take my seat and watch it unfold. Normally, when you sit down to see HAMILTON you hone in on the title character, but I was caught off guard by some of the other exceptional folks on the stage. I do have to say that our Hamilton (Pierre Jean Gonzalez) is probably the best Hamilton I've heard and seen next to the original, of course.
I greatly enjoyed Nikisha Williams as Eliza Hamilton. Eliza as a character seem to sit on the sidelines while Hamilton has his many shots, but, but Williams did not let herself stick to the side. Contrary to other Eliza's, she had a sweetness and innocence in "Helpless," but her vocals and stage presence found its place in the second act in "Burn" and "The World Was Wide Enough." She definitely took her due identity as a woman of power who long outlived her husband and controlled her own future.
Standout, Marcus Choi as George Washington, did not disappoint, and this is the second time I've seen him in this role. George Washington's role throughout the musical is definitely something to watch, but during the previous time I saw it, I never paid much attention to his musical chops. Choi switched that completely when he took charge as Commander in Chief. "One Last Time" especially showed his prowess and stage presence.
Another definite shoutout to our Burr (Blaine Alden Krauss), who beautifully sustained this sense of collective lives in motion throughout. His jivey "The Room Where It Happens," was a wicked meditation on being a political outsider, is now a full-fledged showstopper. I never felt like that any single performer was pushing for a breakout moment except him.
While the national tour of HAMILTON boast the original star power of the original Broadway show, the real star is the show itself -- a powerful, playful and glowing reminder of America's story.
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