Well, it’s official: the Hamilton Tour officially kicked off in San Francisco, and it was a sight to behold. For many of us, this will be our first chance to actually see the musical we know and love, and, when we hold a show like Hamilton in such high and protected regard, there is plenty of room for disappointment. Thankfully, the cast of the Hamilton tour were up to the task — so much so, in fact, it was easy to forget some of originators of these roles were actually in the audience.
The show was as mesmerizing and magical as I’d hoped it would be and so much more. It’s truly a marriage of a captivating cast, amazing songs and a timeless story. And it translates perfectly from Broadway in NYC to Market Street in San Francisco.
Hamilton: The San Francisco Cast
The SF cast was perfection from the opening notes to the standing ovation. The original cast of Hamilton has been so ingrained into our brains that I wondered if would be easy to forget them and enjoy all new faces. As it turned out, I was ridiculous to wonder that. The moment Joshua Henry, as Aaron Burr, took the stage and began the opening number, I was hooked. This cast is everything you could hope for and so much more.
In fact, it would be impossible to say who impressed me more: Emmy Raver-Lampman’s Angelica Schuyler, the amazing Michael Luwoye as Hamilton or the distinguished presence of Isaiah Johnson as George Washington — not too mention falling in love with Rubén J. Carbajal, Jordan Donica, Mathenee Treco and the enchanting, non-stop ensemble.
Hamilton: The Show Itself
When you fall in love with a show without seeing it or when a show is built up to something as huge as Hamilton has been built up to, there’s a lot of room for disappointment. That was not the case for me. Every moment, every song and every line was as eloquent, powerful and mesmerizing as I had hoped it would be. Hamilton is a show that will stand the test of time.
Hamilton: A Personal Note
I’ve attended many opening nights for San Francisco Broadway shows, and, while there is always something magical about any opening night, Hamilton’s opening night at San Francisco’s Orpheum theater was unlike anything I’d ever seen before in my life. The electricity, the excitement, the magic and the pure love in the air was everywhere. And so were the celebrities. From brushing shoulders with George Lucas and Bradley Whitford, we also found ourselves chatting with original Hamilton cast members Daveed Diggs (and his mom), Oak Onaodowan and Jonathan Groff at the private after party. Everyone’s shared love of this piece created an experience unlike anything I’d ever experienced before.
Hamilton: An American Musical will be running at San Francisco’s Orpheum Theater through August 5. From there, the tour will begin cross-crossing the United States. Of course, tickets are not easy to come by, but the lottery continues for every show!
