Hamilton Opens Run at The Fabulous Fox With Delightful Performance

–by Ashley Cox

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s cultural phenomena “Hamilton” opened the Broadway Specials portion of The Fabulous Fox’s “2024-2025 A Future of Fabulous Broadway” season on Wednesday to deafening roars. While certain shows from last season left my ears ringing from their sound mixing, the crowd left me blown away. Particular favorites were Justin Matthew Sargent as catty King George III and A.D. Weaver’s commanding George Washington. It is apropos that the country’s two leaders would have all eyes on them every time they took to the stage. Sargent’s comedic timing was impeccable while Weaver’s voice could have filled the theater with no mic packs.

At this point, “Hamilton” needs no introduction. For a Broadway show with no film adaptation, it has overtaken the public consciousness in a way not seen before… I am not even sure my college dorm’s obsession with “Wicked” touches what Miranda did with his rap meets Broadway musical. So, I am not going to spend time digging into the set or costume design, the countless memes, or even really the plot. *Spoiler alert* he dies at the end. I will dig into what makes this performance different from the others.

You tend to fall in love with the first iteration you hear or see of something. The cover song is never as good. The remake of the movie falls flat. That natural proclivity gives this group of performers a hard job. Everyone has access to the original cast recording of the soundtrack. You could have seen it in theaters or watched it on a streaming service. You may have even seen a previous tour and not an original cast performance. Tyler Fauntleroy’s Alexander leans into the brazenness that seems to irk Jimme “JJ” Jeter’s Aaron Burr so much. He has a relaxed swagger around the stage and is styled with natural hair versus a typical colonial ponytail. Most of the cast sports natural or protective styles which I think fits the over intended vibe of the show more than a low ponytail and fake goatee. Jeter’s Burr is restrained and thoughtful. He is not a villain, but a man seems to be dealt the worst hand at every turn while watching someone else consistently get the best one.

You cannot tell Hamilton’s story without the women in his life, The Schuyler sisters and Maria Reynolds. Lauren Mariasoosay’s sobs as Eliza laying over the body of her dead son were gut wrenching. Marja Harmon showcased an odd stoicism as Angelica that made you almost not be upset that she lowkey cheated with her sister’s husband for decades. Lily Soto showed amazing range going from uptight Peggy to seductress Maria Reynolds. Why they didn’t teach the Reynold’s pamphlet in school is beyond me as it probably would have made our reality TV-soaked minds pay attention even slightly more. While we discuss the women of the show, I want to note ensemble members Miriam Ali and Ashley Merritt. In a portion of a dance, they freeze and then move in slo-motion. Their lines were fantastic. It was almost distracting. I see a lot of weirdly placed hands and feet at these shows but the entire ensemble of Hamilton followed through on each movement to completion. It was delightful to see.

Hamilton runs through September 8th and it is a cultural must-see. It has adult language and situations so do your research before bringing the younger kiddos. Visit the Fox’s webpage purchase tickets and to learn about the Hamilton $10 ticket lottery. The main season starts at the Fox on September 24th with “Back to the Future: The Musical” and should be fun for the whole family.