Updated by Tiffany Hill
Despite the many accolades, awards, media buzz and Disney movie, I have to come clean: I have never watched Hamilton. I know! So when it was announced that it’s making it’s triumphant return to Portland at the Keller Auditorium, I made sure I was going. And the good new is you can, too! If you were like me and thought that it’d be difficult, even impossible to snag a tickets, they are still available, particularly for mid-week showings.
The national tour of Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s brilliant musical biography of founding father, Alexander Hamilton is worth going to, whether it’s your first time or you are a Hamilton superfan. Described as the “story of America then, told by America now,” it covers the revolutionary war, early years of our nation, Hamilton’s marriage and his infamous rivalry with Aaron Burr. It’s packed with 34 wonderful musical numbers that mix hip hop, rap, jazz and Broadway styles. There’s love, betrayal, sacrifice, jealousy and tons of political debate. It’s a lot to fit into one show, and it takes about three hours to do it. But I loved every minute.
I went with my husband for a fun date night (he’s never seen it either). We got a baby sitter for our toddler, dressed up and got a cocktail before the show began. We were familiar with the major historical events and accomplishments of Hamilton’s life, and thanks to the enormous media buzz (and rightly so) about the ground-breaking musical, we also knew the costumes, music and choreography would be epic.
It was even better than we expected. Everything from the execution of Miranda’s libretto to the singing, rapping and set design was impressive. My husband, who doesn’t have a great affinity for musical theater, was blown away. And the energy in the auditorium was infectious. We were surrounded by attendees — including many teenagers — who love anything and everything Hamilton. It made me love it even more, too.
Wondering if the content is appropriate for your child? The story contains complicated themes, including adultery, as well as a handful of curse words (2 of which were left out of the Disney+ recording so it could get a PG-13 rating). I recommend it for kids in middle school and up. Before buying tickets, listen to the music with your kids to gauge their interest. You can also still stream Hamilton on Disney+ (a great way to decide for yourself if it’s appropriate for your family). Whichever format you chose, turn on the subtitles or follow along with the lyrics. Miranda’s words are genius, but some of the verses move so quickly it can be hard to keep up. Overall, we were pleasantly surprised by how well we could hear and understand the performers. Their voices were perfectly balanced against the orchestra, so bravo and many thanks to the sound technicians.
Now go grab tickets! If you aren’t already, this musical will make you a Hamilton superfan, too.
If You Go
Hamilton
When: Now through March 23
Where: Keller Auditorium
Run time: 2 hours and 45 minutes, with one intermission
Ages: Recommended for ages 10 and up
Admission: tickets start at $69