How I Saw Hamilton: An American Musical

Somebody, pinch me. I think I’m dreaming.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you likely know that Hamilton is the hottest ticket in town. It’s the Broadway show that’s sold out through May 2017. The one that some people paid $20,000 to see. The one written by Lin-Manuel Miranda who is most frequently compared to Shakespeare. The one Michelle Obama called “the best piece of art in any form that I have ever seen in my life.” Yeah. This show is so popular that when someone in NYC talks about “the lottery,” you have to clarify whether they’re talking about the Powerball or the daily lottery for Hamilton tickets.

And I still can’t quite believe that on Sunday, Jordan and I got to see this epic show on Broadway. 

Before I get into how the show was, you’re probably wondering how we managed to score such coveted tickets. So here goes…

Sunday’s performance of Hamilton was a special one put on to raise money for The Actors Fund. Our dear musical theater actor friend, Tripp, who also leads the worship team for our church, got an email about there being a limited number of face value tickets available for Sunday’s benefit performance.I simply cannot thank Tripp enough, because he thought of us and how much we’ve wanted to see this show (he’d seen it before), and he reserved two tickets for us. Apparently, my desperation was palpable and all of Jordan’s references about Hamilton tickets and failed lottery attempts in his sermons sent a clear message. #TheThirstWasReal #ShamelessPlugsForTheWinIn the three weeks leading up to the show, I was seriously in disbelief that we were scheduled to go. I told very few people, out of fear that Jesus just might return and the world would end on Saturday night.

But we made it. And it was glorious.

I had been jamming to the Hamilton soundtrack for months, and to see it all come alive before my eyes was everything. I had goosebumps, I was in awe, I was inspired, I shed tears, and Jordan had to tap my leg to keep me from bursting into song (because I’m certain that’s the very last thing the rich people around me wanted to hear).

It’s two days later, and I’m still processing this play and it’s different themes…

The desire to be known and build a legacy.

The costs of playing it safe and taking risks.

The power of being “young, scrappy and hungry.”

The heartbreaking beauty of forgiveness and loyalty.

The privilege I have to live in “the greatest city in the world.”

The value in learning how to say goodbye.

The often forgotten truth that the world is wide enough for all of us.

And — because I’m all about the story — “Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?”Yes, I am that girl who shamelessly poses in front of the sign out front as everyone is leaving the theater. I, for one, am not throwing away my shot! Shout out to Tripp for his direction and photography on this one. :)

If you haven’t yet given the Hamilton soundtrack a listen, get into it. The lyrics are so smart. And the music is the kind that will get stuck in your head.  And you can go ahead and get pumped with me about the upcoming release of the Hamilton mixtape on December 2. Christmas tunes “out”; hip hop songs about a founding father “in.”

If you’re also desperate to see Hamilton, there are ways to get tickets that you might not know. And there’s a national tour that will visit San Francisco, L.A., Atlanta, Boston, Seattle, Las Vegas, and Washington, DC, among others in 2017.

Hamilton — you are a bucket list item I am so incredibly grateful I got to check.