Things I saw at Hamilton that I didn’t know after listening to the cast album a billion times

SPOILER WARNING: If you’re going to see Hamilton soon, or soon-ish, or next year when it tours, or you like your shows pure and original, maybe don’t read this post. I wasn’t even sure whether to write it, because it arguably detracts from the incredible magic of live theatre and for at least one scene explicitly blows a surprise Lin-Manuel Miranda says he kept off the cast recording on purpose. On the other hand, Lin himself posted that scene, and a couple of Hamilton-happy friends said they’d enjoy reading this. So here goes. If you don’t want to be spoiled, don’t read.

1. The recorded pre-show safety announcement is done by King George. He thanks you for coming to “my show”.
2. Hercules Mulligan (Andrew Chappelle at our show) throws flower petals at Hamilton’s wedding.
3. Jonathan Groff coming on as King George is hilarious and a showstopper. Every. Time.
4. The cast is incredibly talented. Every one of them. Understudies too. They take turns blowing you away as they each get showcase numbers.
5. The choreography and sets feel just right. The choreography is more of a flow than a dance and matches the flowing music. The sets are functional and just enough, so they don’t detract from the score and cast. And they have two turntables, yo.
6. The line “Immigrants: we get the job” done gets massive applause.
7. The audience does not sing at “Everybody sing!” in My Shot.
8. After his last number (I Know Him), King George stays onstage, sitting in a chair. At our show, during the next number, Burr (Leslie Odom Jr.), turned and saw King George doing a goofy dance while seated, and cracked up for just a second.
9. Actually seeing Burr sing all the “How does a bastard…” songs really drives home his role as the narrator in a way that I didn’t feel as strongly when I didn’t have a visual.
10. The theatre lobby is very small and everybody is crammed in there buying merch, most of which you can get online anyway.
11. When Philip Hamilton raps for his father on his 9th birthday, his mom beatboxes.
12. The show starts really fast. Lights down, 3 seconds of music, Burr.
13. Laurens’ death is announced via a letter from his father to Hamilton near the end of act 1. This is the scene that’s not on the cast recording.

And if you don’t know, now you know.

P.S. Go see live theatre!