Just over 10 years after his first appearance at the Public Theatre in Lower Manhattan, “the 10-dollar founding father without a father” has made his silver screen debut. On Friday, Lin Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” made its return to the limelight with a theatrical release across the U.S.
Little can be said about “Hamilton” that has not already been said. Featuring stunning, generational performances from Tony-Award-winning actors and actresses, the musical is one of the most culturally significant stage productions of the 21st century.
Renée Elise Goldsberry’s performance of “Satisfied” was filled with unbridled power and elegance. Leslie Odom Jr.’s portrayal of Aaron Burr and his performance of “Wait for It” brilliantly portrays his character’s struggle with lying in wait for his moment to come as opposed to Miranda’s Hamilton, who seizes every opportunity he gets with relentless hunger and limited restraint. Christopher Jackson’s performance of George Washington in “One Last Time,” paired with a cinematic closeup of the closer, conveys his raw, unrestrained emotion — and his deep connection to the character — letting it wash over the audience.
However, the significance of this theatrical release is not the production itself, but the fresh avenue for fans — new and old — to experience “Hamilton” in one of the closest iterations to its original format. This perfect storm of a cast demands grandeur; they demand spectacle. This release delivers.
An added introduction to the film includes interviews and testimonials from many members of the original cast and details the creation and journey of “Hamilton” as it grew from a mixtape about the late Secretary of the Treasury performed at the White House to an award-winning cultural phenomenon. It details the production’s quick rise to fame and what it was like for the performers of this star-studded lineup to perform day after day for one of the most enthusiastic fan bases in the history of American theatre.
“We have a chance to do what we always hoped to do, which was put this in places where people can sit in the dark and have the experience of seeing this cast 30 feet high,” Director Thomas Kail said in the release’s introduction. “This is what it might have felt like to be in the Richard Rogers Theatre in June of 2016.”
Seeing this performance in theatres is an unrivaled viewing experience. The emotion and enthusiasm of the cast are visible in incredible detail; the musical numbers soar over the entire theater. One can find the kind of community that can only be experienced by attending a theatrical release. Wide shots, as well as close-up angles of the actors and their performances add a new layer of depth to the performance, one not obtainable by seeing it performed live.
This release gives “Hamilton” fans — one of the most loyal cult followings of a musical in recent history — a chance to see this production the way it was meant to be seen without the financial burden of attending a Broadway performance. Seeing this release in cinemas is well worth it.
