The downtown Richmond area has welcomed an increasing number of traveling Broadway shows to its arts and culture scene, most recently including the nine-time Tony Award-winning show “The Book of Mormon," which played at the Altria Theater at the end of March.
This fall, Broadway’s hit musical “Hamilton” will be featured at the Altria Theater. The two-hour-45-minute show will have 24 performances between Nov. 19 and Dec. 8.
Current Richmond local and University of Richmond alumna Nicole Maurer, 24, was excited to hear the news.
"It has been really exciting to watch the Broadway theater scene really grow in Richmond over the last few years," she said. "It is even more exciting to see that 'Hamilton,' arguably one of the best Broadway shows out there, is making Richmond a stop on their national tour.”
“Hamilton” is the story of one of America's Founding Fathers and the first treasury secretary, Alexander Hamilton, during the Revolutionary War. Different from many traditional Broadway shows, “Hamilton” combines hip-hop, jazz, rap and R&B styles to tell the story of Hamilton, one of George Washington’s main confidants.
Local company "Broadway In Richmond" is responsible for bringing “Hamilton,” among other Broadway shows such as “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Wicked,” to Richmond.
Broadway In Richmond is presented by the Chicago-based company Jam Theatricals, which works with touring shows to put together each season of entertainment for SMG Richmond, the management company of Altria Theater and Dominion Energy Center, said Cindy Creasy, the spokesperson for Broadway In Richmond.
This is Broadway In Richmond’s 11th season presenting national touring shows for the Richmond area. The group also met its goal of presenting seven full one-week or more engagements last season. Creasy said both of these milestones reflected the growing level of interest for quality Broadway productions among the Richmond community as a whole.
“When we made the announcement of its engagement, the buzz was enormous among the press, typical theater goers and of course the general public," she said. "'Hamilton' appeals to so many audiences and is often an introduction to theater for many.”
Creasy said the employees of Broadway In Richmond were thrilled to be presenting “Hamilton” and they expected it to do well. She suggested downloading "'Hamilton' - The Official App" in the App Store to get a better sense of the show, its performers and current information about the tour.
Because many UR students are fans of the show or the soundtrack, they are just as excited as the Richmond community about this news.
Senior Duke Chiotelis saw “Hamilton” in New York last year and said he vividly remembered the impressive choreography and rotating stage.
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“Richmond already has so much history and so many history-lovers," Chiotelis said. "This show is one of the best and definitely exciting for the Richmond area."
Shanna Gerlach, junior and theatre major, is a self-proclaimed fanatic of the “Hamilton” soundtrack but has never seen the show.
“If I got the chance to see it I so would," Gerlach said, "but I wouldn’t want it to ruin my memories of what I imagined it looking like or being like in person, especially with it not being the original cast anymore.”
Gerlach also shared her thoughts on the exclusivity of the show based on the number of tickets sold and the cost of the tickets.
Tickets for “Hamilton” in Richmond are on sale now through third-party vendors such as Vivid Seats and Tickets Center starting at around $450.
Broadway In Richmond often offers student discounts and lotteries for a certain performance during a show’s run. Information about these opportunities can be found at the venue box office or through Broadway In Richmond's website.
Contact contributor Megan McNitt at megan.mcnitt@richmond.edu.
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