BY MELISSA RUGGIERI/AJC Music Scene
Theater industry veterans all react the same way when describing the success of “Hamilton” – head shakes, wide eyes and various permutations of “We’ve never seen anything like it.”
To be fair, a handful of musicals in recent decades have provoked similar expressions of awe – “Wicked” and “The Lion King” tops among them.
But those shows are about feuding witches and cuddly lion cubs.
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Who would have thought that a musical history of Alexander Hamilton, based on Ron Chernow’s 800-plus page biography of the Founding Father, would be of interest to anyone outside of hardcore historians looking to spend a few hours between meals in New York?
The combination of an inventively told story, the nimble wordplay of playwright/actor/singer/looks good in a ponytail Lin-Manuel Miranda, a refreshingly diverse cast and the type of captivating score that has cultivated singalongs from minivans to mezzanines all contribute to the indescribable success of “Hamilton.”
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And now, as the musical continues to bulldoze its way across the country on its second national tour, “HamilFans” in Atlanta can prepare for its May 22-June 10 Broadway in Atlanta run at the Fox Theatre.
Tickets for the show, priced from $80-$330, will go on sale at 10 a.m. Sunday. They will go fast. You maybe, probably, possibly won’t even get one. But here are a few tips to keep in mind if you’re going to try:
• The only way to ensure a valid ticket is to purchase through foxtheatre.org. As Jamie Vosmeier, senior director of sales and marketing at the Fox, recently told the AJC , "Avoid at all costs eBay and Craigslist and never buy off the street. When you are buying resold tickets and you get a print-at-home ticket, that's also a sure sign that you probably bought a fake ticket. But the scalpers have gotten crafty and we've even seen counterfeit hard tickets."
• Visit foxtheatre.org now to set up an account and familiarize yourself with the page, especially if you aren't a frequent ticket buyer.
• There is a maximum of four tickets per account for the duration of “Hamilton” at the Fox. Prepare to be flexible. Your first choice of tickets might not be available, but maybe you’ll luck out by your fourth selection.
• The Fox Theatre box office will sell tickets, but fans are encouraged to purchase online. Those who do choose to buy in-person on Sunday won’t be allowed to line up on Fox Theatre property until the arcade opens at 7 a.m.
• If you’re frozen out of the on-sale, don’t go into meltdown mode yet. A lottery for 40 $10 orchestra seats will be held for each performance. Those details will be announced closer to the show.
• Check out the FAQ page at broadwayinatlanta.com for more ticketing details.
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