“Hamilton,” which has been steadily climbing the Broadway chart since beginning previews July 13, last week grossed $1.697 million, behind only the long-running Disney hit “The Lion King,” according to figures released by the Broadway League.
Wednesday, September 09, 2015
In the Heights: 'Hamilton' Reaches Top Tier at Broadway Box Office
“Hamilton,” which has been steadily climbing the Broadway chart since beginning previews July 13, last week grossed $1.697 million, behind only the long-running Disney hit “The Lion King,” according to figures released by the Broadway League.
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Although it's pretty incredible that Hamilton has surpassed shows like Wicked and Book of Mormon in the box office, I can't say I'm surprised. In my lifetime, I have never witnessed such hype around a musical, and I must say it is for good reason. Hamilton is so unique, so unpredictable. Who would have ever thought a hip hop rap musical about Alexander Hamilton with a diverse cast that doesn't include any major "star power" would be the most talked about, raved about show on Broadway? Certainly not me. I think Hamilton is surely changing our industry, not only in the unique style in which it is written, but also in what we consider to be industry "norms." So often, especially in commercial theatre, we only see bright, flashy shows that producers are sure audiences will attend. However, Hamilton is not flashy. Instead, it is a complex storytelling that utilizes the cast's diverse talents. It does not have any crazy automation. While the lighting is very well done and complements the storytelling perfectly, it is not a flashy lightshow that you may experience in other Broadway houses. Hamilton is not only changing the theater world because of its' content, it is changing what our industry considers to be a "risk." At one point, Hamilton was surely a risky theatrical endeavor, as least financially. However, this article proves that, with all the cards aligned, this unique show was never really a risk at all.
It's wickedly exciting to see Broadway have such a strong, new musical take such a grasp on New York audiences. As someone who saw the show, I can eagerly say I agree with the craze. It is a little difficult, though, to think of it overcoming the Lion King in ticket sales. There's an epic quality to the Lion King that doesn't seem reachable by a musical out of the Disney variation. The ticket prices are also absolutely insane -- but high ticket sales means good things for Broadway as a whole institution. I remember reading an article last year that talked a little bit about Broadway having more audience members in the past season than they'd had since the golden age of Broadway in the '60s. It's crazy and wonderful that so much ingenuity is coming back to the Broadway stage, with musicals like Gentleman's Guide, Hamilton, and Something Rotten. I recently just read an article that said Second Stage had completed the process of buying the Helen Hayes Theatre, hoping to transform it by 2017 into a Broadway theatre that only produced new American work. I find that fantastic -- the theatre we get from the West End is great, but if we want to encourage more great original theatre we have to look inside the country, not out.
There’s a lot of interesting items that are business-related in this article that I would like to talk about. The first is the ticket prices for both Hamilton and The Book of Mormon, both upwards of $150. This is more than most sporting event tickets, and that is absolutely great for so many reasons! The first is that it shows that there is now a sign of respect to a certain degree of theatre and what it represents, that it is a live show and what goes into it. The second reason it is so great is because it shows high consumer demand with response from suppliers in the theatrical industry, which is often not the case. I, like Nikki mentioned, am surprised that it is so close to The Lion King. If it does surpass it, then I think there is something to be studied with this production. Why did it do so well so quickly and can other shows do it too?
I am just going to be completely honest, this article does not surprise me in the slightest. Hamilton is probably the best show that Broadway will see all season. Now you might be asking why is that, and that is because Lin-Manuel Meranda is a freaking genius. He knows how to not only right an amazing musical, but he also knows how to tell stories. As I said in one of my previous comments this week, people love to see theater because they love to stories told live to them. Lin-Manuel Merdanda has taken the story of Alexander Hamilton and has made it relevant to the modern day audience and is sharing the magic and wonder of that with the world eight times a week with audiences in New York. I have not seen the show, but I can guarantee you that Hamilton is the best show on Broadway than any other show because the story comes first instead all of the flashy commercial theater crap.
I have always been a fan of Lin-Manuel Miranda and knew that Hamilton would do well. But I though it would do well in the way In The Heights did well. Run for a few years, get a good name, success like that. However, Miranda out did himself with this incredible play. Having not seen it I do not know what is so great about it, what is happening in that theater that is making everyone leave raving about it. I’m sure it won’t be long until in goes on tour and I hope to see it then when ticket prices are hopefully lower but this is a show I must see. It is hard coming to terms with the fact that a show that seems so familiar to me (with my illusioned connection to Miranda) is making it big on Broadway. This show is not a typical Broadway hit. It doesn’t have the pazaz as most other shows do but it has a great story told in a great way with great music and an even better message.
I think it is amazing that Hamilton has become the second-highest-grossing show on Broadway after only being open for a month. It is very nice to see theatre and Broadway be so successful because often times shows struggle to stay open and make money. It costs a lot of money to put on a full scale musical on Broadway because there are many different factors that need to be paid for and maintained. I am very happy for Lin-Manuel Miranda, that his creation that he has been working on for many years has become a huge success. It is nice that the entire cast is diverse and that it is not your traditional musical. People are getting bored of the traditional musical because it has been done so many times. Adding hip-hop to theatre has expanded the audience immensely. Normal theatre goers plus hip-hop enthusiasts are buying tickets and enjoying the show.
This article opens by saying "as improbable as it sounds", but this doesn't surprise me at all. Lin-Manuel Miranda is a musical and creative genius, and Hamilton has been one of the most talked about shows this season. I've been a fan of his since In the Heights was first produced on Broadway, and I'm so happy to see a show that he has been successful. This success is also important as Hamilton is a largely unconventional show. Ten years ago who would have thought that a hip-hop musical about a founding father would find box-office success? Who knows what else we'll see next season? I hope that in the future more creative Broadway shows like this are able to find just as large of an audience. Keeping Broadway fresh and new is essential, and that is what Miranda is doing. My family already has tickets to see Hamilton when I'm home for break, and I can't wait to see it.
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