The country’s Hamilton fever has waned somewhat in the last couple of years, but this season’s performance of the musical in Columbus will make you wonder how that can be.
The cast of Hamilton, which you can now see at the historic Ohio Theatre, gives superfans and newcomers a fresh experience with this retelling of the story of one of our nation’s most important founders.
Courtesy of Broadway in Columbus
If you have listened to the original cast’s soundtrack, you will find this performance to be true to the lyrics and style that you are familiar with. The group of performers, however, is not scarce in moxie or creativity.
A careful ear will serve audience members well, as each performance is nuanced and consciously voiced. The hip-hop-influenced music and tone of the show inform the actors’ delivery and body language throughout, which add to the excitement and swagger of the performance.
The voices of the cast members are obviously not going to be a precise match to the iconic original Hamilton performers, which can be slightly jarring to those that have looped the original recording, yet this is not to the detriment of this show. For many attendees, in fact, it makes it quite refreshing to see new takes on how people such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Angelica Schuyler and other ambitious figures helped shape our nation.
Courtesy of Broadway in Columbus
The staging of the performance is a great aid in viewers’ immersion in the show. The seamless integration of props and movement of the show makes it so that the placement of every chair and desk is fluid. It sometimes feels as though props appear out of nowhere given the organized flow of characters and extras around the environment.
There are some especially notable actions that would normally seem straightforward but are done with creative grandiose to highlight the importance of small things, such as handing off a letter.
The set is as magnificent as one would expect, with bricks, wood and dynamic lighting providing a stark, yet not distracting backdrop for the performers to utilize.
The star of the show in terms of set design is the rotating center stage, which will again be familiar to those who have seen previous Hamilton shows. This iconic construction will have you wondering how it could be possible, with certain characters holding completely still while the fluid motion of dancers and extras swirl around them.
Those that are new to Hamilton are in for a Broadway experience like they have never experienced before. This musical prides itself on breaking barriers and offering a novel twist on the important history that may have seemed banal to read about in school.
Courtesy of Broadway in Columbus
The show runs until Oct. 23 and tickets are available on Ticketmaster. Learn more about the show at www.hamiltonmusical.com.
Tyler Kirkendall is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback is welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
