Review: Broadway’s ‘Hamilton’ hits expectations in Fresno premiere. But how real is the hype?

“Hamilton” is a piece of musical theater that transcends musical theater.

It’s a crossover hit, much in the way of “Book of Mormon” or “Wicked,” or “Cats” a few decades ago.

Yes, fans of musical theater saw it and loved it and made it a must-see hit and plenty of them traveled to New York or San Francisco for the honor.

But plenty of other people saw and loved “Hamilton,” too.

The original cast recording peaked at No. 1 on Billboard’s Rap Albums chart.

The play was picked up for a live movie version that screened on Disney Plus and a U.S. touring production helped “Hamilton” rake in more than $1 billion in global revenue.

The production opened an 11-day, 16-show run at Fresno’s Saroyan Theatre on Wednesday. Members of the media, including The Fresno Bee, were invited to Friday night’s performance, which played to a nearly sold-out and very enthusiastic crowd. The show continues through April 10.

Does ‘Hamilton’ live up to the hype?

The short answer is yes, in that it ticks off all of the things you want out of a Broadway production. It has expansive set design, costuming and lighting. It has the large ensemble numbers, with voices and bodies soaring across the stage. There are also strong solo performances, too, especially Julius Thomas III and Donald Webber Jr. (playing the titular Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr).

But it is the music itself that sets “Hamilton” apart.

This is musical theater interpreted through modern pop music. The dialogue is done as rap, mostly in the fast-paced syncopated style associated with Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the script, music and lyrics and played the title character when the play opened in 2015. The amount of intricate word play that’s packed into the show’s nearly three hours is awe-inspiring.

Then there are the songs themselves. Several are standalone great and could easily find their way on to radio, both in terms of instrumentation and production. In fact, “Hamilton” could sell itself as a high-art concept album as easily as a piece of musical theater.

This is especially true in the first act, where we see Hamilton maneuvering into his role in the revolution and ultimate war with England. The second act settles into more traditional musical theater fare, though it’s not without its standouts — “Hurricane,” for one.

Of course, Act 2 is where the drama of the play really picks up and we start getting into the dirty politics of it all. If the music becomes somewhat secondary to the storytelling, that’s OK.

A lesson in American history?

Who knew the intricacies of early American politics could be so mesmerizing? Several times during the performance, I found myself thinking, “I really need to find out about that.” For instance, did Thomas Jefferson have a Southern accent? He was from Virginia.

Also, was he kind of a jerk?

Someone has surely written “Hamilton’s” effect on the teaching of American history, but it has to be a net positive just based on the increased interest from seeing the show.

Of course, the history is juxtaposed onto the present and at moments “Hamilton” feels very pointed. Some lines seem obviously so, like early on when Hamilton and his crew sing “Immigrants, we get the job done.” The introduction of the Schuyler sisters — Hamilton married one and was in love with the other — feels like it was written in the age of Woman’s March and MeToo, even though the play came out two years earlier.

When Hamilton argues with Jefferson about the newly formed country and its dedication to fighting for freedom and liberty across the world, it is an argument that continues to this day.

Other thoughts on ‘Hamilton’

• The crowd was loud and generous with its applause, cheering for Hamilton the moment he came on stage. And they barely waited for the stage lights to come up before launching into a standing ovation at the end of the show.
• If you needed a reminder that Broadway is big business (as opposed to simple high culture) there was a merch booth at the entrance and plenty of people walking around the theater with bags full of “Hamilton” swag.
• Comedian Katherine Ryan has a bit about seeing “Hamilton” in London. It’s worth watching both as a primer for the show and to give you something to think (and laugh) about in Act 2.
• “Hamilton” interprets the founding father’s debates with Thomas Jefferson as a series of rap-battles. It’s a thing that’s been done elsewhere (see Epic Rap Battles of History) where it’s mostly played for jokes. Here it works as more than novelty.
• On that note, Paris Nix played Thomas Jefferson with a kind of Prince-meets-Randy Watson “Coming to America” vibe that I appreciated.
• Creepy as it is, “You’ll Be Back” was a highlight of the show. It’s King George’s breakup song to the colonies and at one point he sings, “I will kill your friends and family to remind you of your love.” It was an abusive relationship for sure. The chorus got a bit of a singalong from the crowd.

• While the Save Mart Center has removed its COVID precautions, starting with this weekend’s Monster Jam, the Saroyan Theatre has kept its in place. Guests are required to show proof of vaccination or negative COVID test prior to entry and had to wear masks at all times while in the theater.

This story was originally published April 2, 2022 at 7:28 AM.