Author Topic: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!  (Read 50861 times)

jeromedawg

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Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« on: May 01, 2017, 01:12:13 PM »
So apparently Hamilton is exploding all over Facebook. I haven't seen it nor am I interested...should I be?

People keep talking about how they bought tickets presumably to watch it again. Or is it that they're buying to resell? Maybe they're buying for friends I don't know... but I have seen comments here and there along the lines of "just got my tix! this will be the fourth time!!!" --- I just don't get the hype. These are $400+ per seat tickets btw.

The only thing that potentially interests me is trying to find tickets and the flip them for more on Craigslist, etc...

EDIT: it seems like here in LA, they're running the show through December. Obviously weekend prices are probably around the $400+ range. If you want the cheaper $100+ tickets you'll have to go during the weekdays.
« Last Edit: May 01, 2017, 01:17:25 PM by jeromedawg »

Al1961

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #1 on: May 01, 2017, 01:51:30 PM »
WTF is a Hamilton?

Seriously. I have no idea.

onehair

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #2 on: May 01, 2017, 01:54:51 PM »
One of the best musicals ever! I wish I could afford to see it live once...

Al1961

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #3 on: May 01, 2017, 02:17:38 PM »
One of the best musicals ever! I wish I could afford to see it live once...

Thanks.

Now I know why I've never heard of it. NOT in to musicals.

Just Joe

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #4 on: May 01, 2017, 02:31:27 PM »
For the frugal folks - give it time. it'll be on regional and local stages someday. Or TV... I'd love to see it but not at $400 a head.

jeromedawg

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2017, 02:36:40 PM »
For the frugal folks - give it time. it'll be on regional and local stages someday. Or TV... I'd love to see it but not at $400 a head.

$400 a head and MULTIPLE times. That just boggles my mind... unless they're getting discount tickets or something.

jorjor

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #6 on: May 01, 2017, 03:01:57 PM »
For the frugal folks - give it time. it'll be on regional and local stages someday. Or TV... I'd love to see it but not at $400 a head.

They're touring and will be here early next year. People are buying full year ticket membership packages filled with shows they have no interest in seeing because that package also includes Hamilton tickets.

jeromedawg

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #7 on: May 01, 2017, 03:08:15 PM »
For the frugal folks - give it time. it'll be on regional and local stages someday. Or TV... I'd love to see it but not at $400 a head.

They're touring and will be here early next year. People are buying full year ticket membership packages filled with shows they have no interest in seeing because that package also includes Hamilton tickets.

Is it possible to flip tickets from membership? That's the *only* thing I'd ever consider before buying something like that hahaha.

BlueHouse

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #8 on: May 01, 2017, 03:10:18 PM »
For the frugal folks, I highly recommend the PBS documentary "Hamilton's America".  Go to PBS.org, sign up to be a member (free), then watch the documentary.  It follows the show's creator during the time of the writing, shows cast members visiting historical places and touching historic artifacts associated with our Founding Fathers, and shows snips from many of the numbers in the Broadway play. 

I've watched that documentary 3 times and I can definitely understand the passion.  I learned so much about why certain songs are sung as they are or about people I never even knew existed but that were important to our country's development. 

For instance:   T. Jefferson isn't in the first half of the show, as he's off in France.  When he returns, his first song "What did I miss"? is more of a Jazz style (while everyone else is rapping), because he's been out of the country so long.  It takes him a while, but he catches up.

I had no idea that so much thought and creativity went into creating art, but it is absolutely fantastic mix of music, dance, history. 

I also bought the CDs for $15 of the complete soundtrack and I listen to it all the time at my desk.  Love it!

PLEASE watch this 2 minute intro.  Fantastic!
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/hamiltons-america-documentary/5048/

MgoSam

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #9 on: May 01, 2017, 03:22:33 PM »
For the frugal folks - give it time. it'll be on regional and local stages someday. Or TV... I'd love to see it but not at $400 a head.

They're touring and will be here early next year. People are buying full year ticket membership packages filled with shows they have no interest in seeing because that package also includes Hamilton tickets.

Is it possible to flip tickets from membership? That's the *only* thing I'd ever consider before buying something like that hahaha.

Yes it happens. I saw that Hamilton was going to be performing when I would be in Chicago and called to try to get tickets and they are sold out of course. So I went to see what secondary markets are listing them for (out of curiosity, I'm happy to wait until I can get tickets) like 3 to 4 times the original price. I imagine if the season had 5 shows and so you bought 2 tickets to each, if you sell the 2 for Hamilton for 4x then you can see the remaining 4 shows for the price of one.

For some of us that enjoy musicals it can be worthwhile to spend $50-$100 for a ticket so long as it isn't a common occurrence. I have season tickets to the MN Opera, though I get it through a young adult's program that offers us heavily discounted tickets. I don't know if I will pay full price when I turn 40 and am no longer eligible for the program.

I'm a red panda

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #10 on: May 01, 2017, 03:30:14 PM »
For the frugal folks - give it time. it'll be on regional and local stages someday. Or TV... I'd love to see it but not at $400 a head.

They're touring and will be here early next year. People are buying full year ticket membership packages filled with shows they have no interest in seeing because that package also includes Hamilton tickets.

Is it possible to flip tickets from membership? That's the *only* thing I'd ever consider before buying something like that hahaha.

Probably not for a profit...there will be a lit of tickets available to other shows. In many places Hamilton will only be available for subscribers.

jeromedawg

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #11 on: May 01, 2017, 04:04:28 PM »
For the frugal folks - give it time. it'll be on regional and local stages someday. Or TV... I'd love to see it but not at $400 a head.

They're touring and will be here early next year. People are buying full year ticket membership packages filled with shows they have no interest in seeing because that package also includes Hamilton tickets.

Is it possible to flip tickets from membership? That's the *only* thing I'd ever consider before buying something like that hahaha.

Yes it happens. I saw that Hamilton was going to be performing when I would be in Chicago and called to try to get tickets and they are sold out of course. So I went to see what secondary markets are listing them for (out of curiosity, I'm happy to wait until I can get tickets) like 3 to 4 times the original price. I imagine if the season had 5 shows and so you bought 2 tickets to each, if you sell the 2 for Hamilton for 4x then you can see the remaining 4 shows for the price of one.

For some of us that enjoy musicals it can be worthwhile to spend $50-$100 for a ticket so long as it isn't a common occurrence. I have season tickets to the MN Opera, though I get it through a young adult's program that offers us heavily discounted tickets. I don't know if I will pay full price when I turn 40 and am no longer eligible for the program.

I just read the rules for buying season passes for the Pantages. They basically state that if they suspect that you're buying tix for resale, they reserve the right to cancel and void the tickets. Still, I'm not sure if tickets are transferable or if you have to show ID and have the ID match your tickets/pass, etc. I could see them banning ppl/canceling tickets if they catch the same person buying multiple season passes and reselling but if there's no name on the tickets or the ticket scanners don't care, then yea it could be profitable perhaps. I guess if you *really* want to see Hamilton on the weekend then it might be worth buying extras and flipping them so you can see it for free? I'd probably just buy to flip, but even then I'm not sure it's worth my time - especially as it's something that doesn't interest me.

Mezzie

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #12 on: May 02, 2017, 05:17:38 AM »
I have an alarm set on my phone for the second the tickets go on sale here. :)

Dave1442397

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #13 on: May 02, 2017, 06:57:55 AM »
My daughter's crazy about Hamilton. She has the soundtrack memorized, and has watched a recording of the show (somebody's shaky camera phone) a few times.

I looked into ticket prices for when it comes to Philadelphia, and it's not happening. She may move on to some other obsession by the time it gets here, so I'm not that concerned about her missing out on seeing it live.

zhelud

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #14 on: May 02, 2017, 08:26:06 AM »
I have listened to the original cast recording of Hamilton so many times that I'm afraid I would be disappointed to go see it either in NY with the new cast or in any of the productions in other cities.  Hard to believe that anyone could sing "Satisfied" or "Wait for It" better than Renee Goldsberry or Leslie Odom Jr!

BlueHouse

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #15 on: May 02, 2017, 08:53:47 AM »
I have listened to the original cast recording of Hamilton so many times that I'm afraid I would be disappointed to go see it either in NY with the new cast or in any of the productions in other cities.  Hard to believe that anyone could sing "Satisfied" or "Wait for It" better than Renee Goldsberry or Leslie Odom Jr!
Every time I listen I get more out of it.  It's the best soundtrack I've ever bought!

talltexan

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #16 on: May 02, 2017, 03:09:22 PM »
Gosh, it's a lot of money. Imagine bringing your family to a performance, or...Making one month Roth contributions.

But indeed it's a great musical! I suppose you can avoid face punches from me if you make enough other sacrifices in your life to have that savings rate stay high.

those lower ticket prices are coming, the market doesn't discriminate, it just takes, and it takes, and it takes, and we keep seeing (Hamilton) anyway...you have to wait for it!

BlueHouse

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #17 on: May 02, 2017, 03:36:47 PM »
those lower ticket prices are coming, the market doesn't discriminate, it just takes, and it takes, and it takes, and we keep seeing (Hamilton) anyway...you have to wait for it!

I'm not going to throw away my shot ...I'll try to get tickets as soon as I can (in my town...I won't travel for it)

secondcor521

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #18 on: May 02, 2017, 03:54:20 PM »
I took my daughter to NYC to see it this past spring break.  I have a thing with my kids where I do "special trips" and this was one of hers.

If you want tickets relatively cheaply, what I would recommend is buying them from the original theatre's distributors and buying them six months in advance.  In October when I was originally planning our trip, I had thought about doing the trip at Christmastime, but the seats were all sold and scalpers wanted $1K-$5K per ticket - not happening.  But we could get good tickets for $350 per ticket for March - so that's what we did.

Still expensive, but doable for a special trip where the plane tickets and hotels were paid for with miles and points.

MgoSam

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #19 on: May 02, 2017, 07:01:23 PM »
those lower ticket prices are coming, the market doesn't discriminate, it just takes, and it takes, and it takes, and we keep seeing (Hamilton) anyway...you have to wait for it!

I'm not going to throw away my shot ...I'll try to get tickets as soon as I can (in my town...I won't travel for it)

Obligatory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK4Wk_8PbcI

MrsPete

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #20 on: May 07, 2017, 07:55:27 AM »
My high school students are INSANE for this show.

BlueHouse

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #21 on: May 07, 2017, 09:24:42 AM »
My high school students are INSANE for this show.
How great is that?!?  Aside from great music, acting, and dancing, they're learning a lot about the birth of our nation.  Granted, there are some lessons to be reviewed for accuracy, but there's a starting point that so many people wouldn't know otherwise. 

SimpleCycle

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #22 on: May 07, 2017, 10:16:37 PM »
Hamilton is 1000% genius.  I spent way too much money to see it, but I think one live performance is enough.

Aside from the brilliance of the writing, I think the most interesting point it makes is who owns the story of history, who gets to tell that story, and how.  I was thinking about that one performance for months after I saw it.

Scandium

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #23 on: May 08, 2017, 08:08:57 AM »
One of the best musicals ever!

Not saying much, pretty low bar.. 
I listened to one song on youtube now. I'd pay $400 to not have to listen to that for 2 hrs!

talltexan

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #24 on: May 08, 2017, 08:40:24 AM »
Note: some of the history is inaccurate. The Hamilton-Burr duel was provoked by Burr's unsuccessful race for Governor of NY in 1804.

More interestingly, Angelica Schuyler was already married by the time Hamilton met her.

visionnaire

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #25 on: May 09, 2017, 02:22:03 PM »
Many theater companies rely on volunteer ushers. As an usher, you get to see the show for free and usually only have to commit to one or two shifts per month. It's a great date night and an easy way to support the arts with your service.

Just Joe

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #26 on: May 10, 2017, 07:49:43 AM »
Many theater companies rely on volunteer ushers. As an usher, you get to see the show for free and usually only have to commit to one or two shifts per month. It's a great date night and an easy way to support the arts with your service.

My DW does this occasionally. Our eldest child too.

Dicey

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #27 on: May 15, 2017, 10:07:56 AM »
Posting so I can find this again. I just wrote a frugal Hamilton story in my journal and I'm going to attempt to cross-post. Wish me luck!

ETA: I did It! This is wordy, but I promise you it contains frugally gotten Hamilton tickets. I dug up this thread so I can follow the helpful tips y'all have provided to maximize our enjoyment of the show. There's no way we're going to see this twice, let alone four times.

Oh, and it might be helpful for me to mention DH's mother has Alzheimer's, which we discovered when his dad died three weeks after we got married. She lives with us now, in a ridiculously beautiful clown house we bought because neither of our pre-wedding houses was suitable for her needs. I haven't gotten to the house story in my journal yet, but I will, eventually. It even has a somewhat frugal angle, for a HCOLA.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

When I married DH, he owned both an RV and a pair of jet skis. It was a mental red flag, but I knew he had no debt, so I wasn't too worried. When we bought our clown house and moved his mother in with us, we parked the RV in the driveway. The jet skis went over to his brother's house. We were so busy merging households and getting his mom's affairs in order that we didn't have time to use the RV, but it came in very handy when we had visitors. Until the rainy morning when we discovered his mom outside in her bathrobe, pounding on the RV door, demanding that our guest get out of "her" RV. We took one last trip, then DH sold the trusty rig to a friend of his brother's for almost what he'd paid for it a decade earlier.

I kind of forgot about the jet skis, except when registration time rolled around. I finally asked DH about them. He told me he had inherited them from his first wife's father. DH used to pull them with the RV so he could go fishing while family camping. By this time, I knew without asking that he hadn't taken out a loan and purchased them new, lol. I figured they had sentimental value (DH is a widower), so I didn't give them another thought.

Recently, DH brought the jet skis home from his brother's. Over the last few weeks, he has cleaned them, tuned them up, and done his CraigsList research. Early Saturday afternoon, he posted them on CL for $2k. He had a call within 15 minutes. By the the first caller got here he'd had two more calls. Then, while the potential buyer was checking them out, DH's phone was blowing up with calls, so he came in the house and pulled the CL ad. This created quite a sense of urgency and the first buyer took the jet skis with no haggling. Boom. One hour after posting, the deal was done, jet skis gone, cash in hand.

Today (Sunday), DH was in the garage, taking pictures of something that looked like a part of the jet ski paraphernalia.  When I asked him about it, he said it was a winch he'd ordered for the jet skis. I asked him why he hadn't included it in yesterday's deal. Seems he'd ordered two on line and the company had double shipped them. When he contacted the company, they said they were so heavy it wasn't worth the return freight. On Saturday, he decided to hang onto the last spare and sell it separately. An hour later, he had another $25 in his pocket. What a guy!

Tonight, I checked NextDoor just before going to bed. Someone was offering Hamilton tickets for face value!!! That's $375 each, still a fortune to this mustachian. Three people had asked for the tickets, but it looked like they weren't sold yet. After a quick chat with DH, I messaged the seller and mentioned that I had cash in hand. She called me right back and I'm picking the tickets up in the morning. As you may know (there's a whole thread on the subject), Hamilton tickets are so hard to get that they're selling for way over face value. Much as I wanted to see the show, I knew my frugal soul could not bear to pay those prices.

And that, my friends is the story of how we're going to see Hamilton for "free" on Friday! The sale of the winch will cover the cost of our BART fares. I'm even thinking of using points to spend the night in the City in a fancy hotel afterwards. And the rest of the jet ski money? Don't need anything. We'll just squirrel it away. 
« Last Edit: May 15, 2017, 10:47:00 AM by Dicey »

boy_bye

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #28 on: May 15, 2017, 10:19:17 AM »
I paid $350 for a nosebleed seat to see the original cast in NYC. Worth every penny!

WhiteTrashCash

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #29 on: May 15, 2017, 02:58:55 PM »
I was gifted tickets to see Hamilton and it was fucking awesome. It appeals to absolutely everybody because it's an intensely patriotic musical yet it's also really multicultural. And the songs are amazing. It's worth every penny.

MandalayVA

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #30 on: May 15, 2017, 03:18:52 PM »
I have listened to the original cast recording of Hamilton so many times that I'm afraid I would be disappointed to go see it either in NY with the new cast or in any of the productions in other cities.  Hard to believe that anyone could sing "Satisfied" or "Wait for It" better than Renee Goldsberry or Leslie Odom Jr!

I wouldn't worry about it.  Friends of mine who have also been abusing the OCR just saw it in San Francisco and Chicago respectively and they loved it.  The closest it'll come to me is Atlanta next year.  I might.  :D 

Stachetastic

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #31 on: May 16, 2017, 05:49:27 AM »
I love musicals, but this cost is a bit steep for me. However, I will note that so many posts about spending money around here that are justified tend to be travel-related. Travel seems to be the one splurge that mustachians agree is worth the spend. I see no difference between spending $400 on a weekend away vs. the same amount on an evening out. It's just about what's important to you--but they can both be valuable experiences.

StarBright

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #32 on: May 16, 2017, 07:11:37 AM »
Aside from the brilliance of the writing, I think the most interesting point it makes is who owns the story of history, who gets to tell that story, and how.  I was thinking about that one performance for months after I saw it.

+ a million.

also, small tangent- @MgoSam, I think it is amazing MN opera offers discounted young adult prices; what an awesome idea! We have lots of friends who go on and on about "classical music is dying" because no one in their 20s and 30s attends - but I always point out that it is really difficult to swing a night at the opera or symphony for young working adults (and especially those that have children). We have season tickets to our local opera company and when you take a babysitter into account it usually costs us about 200 bucks every time we go. If we spend money on the opera it means we can't afford to attend the symphony or the ballet - if companies offered discounted tickets we might be able to support multiple institutions.


Dicey

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #33 on: May 16, 2017, 08:55:54 AM »
OMG, we watched the Hamilton Documentary last night and then a bunch of stuff on You Tube. I think my head is going to explode! These tickets were fuck-all expensive and I really didn't think we were going to see it. Now that we are, I am beside myself with excitement. It's going to be a fun week learning as much as we can before we go.

Fun sidebar: A friend of mine is not employed at present. She has been entering the Hamilton Lottery every day since it began. Her number was drawn and she's going tonight for only $10.00! I'm excited for her, too!

Now I'm thinking of playing the HL, too. I'm pretty sure I'd enjoy seeing it again, but no way am I going to pay full price more than once in this lifetime

talltexan

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #34 on: May 16, 2017, 09:03:27 AM »
So I was driving the kids to school this morning and we listened to "Work". each of us picked a Schuyler sister, with my two-year-old son being assigned Peggy. If he could marry a Schuyler, he'll be rich enough that I won't have to fool with any of this mustachian stuff anymore :-)

secondcor521

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #35 on: May 16, 2017, 09:21:20 AM »
For those who are going to see Hamilton in NYC, I'd just point out that Alexander Hamilton is buried in the graveyard at Trinity Church, a few miles south of where the play is performed.  Also, the dueling pistols used in the Burr-Hamilton duel are located in a Chase bank branch only a few blocks east of the theater.  If I had it to do over again I'd make a point to see those two places.

boy_bye

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #36 on: May 16, 2017, 10:32:09 AM »
For those who are going to see Hamilton in NYC, I'd just point out that Alexander Hamilton is buried in the graveyard at Trinity Church, a few miles south of where the play is performed.  Also, the dueling pistols used in the Burr-Hamilton duel are located in a Chase bank branch only a few blocks east of the theater.  If I had it to do over again I'd make a point to see those two places.

That was one of my favorite parts of getting into Hamilton -- I was staying in NYC for a month when the OBC recording came out and I started listening to it everyday while walking around Brooklyn and I honestly never realized how much of the Revolution had taken place in NYC before! For those who haven't found them yet, check out the Ham4Ham videos on YouTube. I was there in person for a few of them, most notably the "Guns and Ships singalong" on 10/10/15, the day I saw the show.

Also, I love that this thread started out with people snarking about Hamilton and has been taken over by raves about it. Such is the power of great art!

Dicey

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #37 on: May 17, 2017, 06:18:50 PM »
Oh, wow, here's the most mustachian Hamilton Story ever. The friend I mentioned up thread went to Hamilton last night, expecting nosebleed seats. They got all dressed up anyway. Something worked because their seats were Orchestra, Row 2, 3rd & 4th seats from the center aisle. For TEN BUCKS!!!

I had her take photos of her tickets so I could make sure mine were legit, so I saw it with my own [four] eyes! Happy to report they look just like our tickets. I'm even happier to report that our tickets are center section seats as well, which is better than I thought they were. Also, the theater is still selling random seats to Friday's performance, all of which, even the nosebleed seats, are going for more than I paid, plus service fees, woo-hoo!

Finally, in related mustachian news (but nowhere near as good as my friend's story), DH and I both have IHG Rewards Credit Cards, which means we get two free nights a year. There's a Holiday Inn directly across the street from the theater and the Bart Station! The best available room rate with tax would have been almost $200. Our cost will be zero. Well, technically, you could say it's $49, which is the annual fee on the card, which is still a helluva deal for a weekend night in San Francisco. We could have "saved" even more by staying at the new-ish InterContinental SF, which also had rooms available. However, Hamilton is a long show and the area around the theater is pretty dodgy, so we decided to save that freebie for another time. The InterContinental The Clement in Monterey, CA has lovely rooms with fireplaces overlooking the ocean...


jeromedawg

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #38 on: May 23, 2017, 11:01:40 AM »
Also, I love that this thread started out with people snarking about Hamilton and has been taken over by raves about it. Such is the power of great art!

I originally posted more out of curiosity and "awe" that people are spending pretty exorbitant amounts of money to watch the show, and especially those who are watching it *multiple* times. I've spent maybe $120ish on concert tickets to a John Mayer years ago and that was the most I've probably ever spent on any live show. Spending upwards of $400 on a broadway show (and multiple times) is shocking to me though - maybe that's the 'norm' though?  It seems the hype might be dying down, and thus ticket prices, so once it finally gets back to something I'd be willing to pay (maybe $50 max), I'd be more interested and willing to check it out.
« Last Edit: May 23, 2017, 11:06:23 AM by jeromedawg »

jeromedawg

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #39 on: May 23, 2017, 11:05:24 AM »
Oh, wow, here's the most mustachian Hamilton Story ever. The friend I mentioned up thread went to Hamilton last night, expecting nosebleed seats. They got all dressed up anyway. Something worked because their seats were Orchestra, Row 2, 3rd & 4th seats from the center aisle. For TEN BUCKS!!!

I had her take photos of her tickets so I could make sure mine were legit, so I saw it with my own [four] eyes! Happy to report they look just like our tickets. I'm even happier to report that our tickets are center section seats as well, which is better than I thought they were. Also, the theater is still selling random seats to Friday's performance, all of which, even the nosebleed seats, are going for more than I paid, plus service fees, woo-hoo!

Finally, in related mustachian news (but nowhere near as good as my friend's story), DH and I both have IHG Rewards Credit Cards, which means we get two free nights a year. There's a Holiday Inn directly across the street from the theater and the Bart Station! The best available room rate with tax would have been almost $200. Our cost will be zero. Well, technically, you could say it's $49, which is the annual fee on the card, which is still a helluva deal for a weekend night in San Francisco. We could have "saved" even more by staying at the new-ish InterContinental SF, which also had rooms available. However, Hamilton is a long show and the area around the theater is pretty dodgy, so we decided to save that freebie for another time. The InterContinental The Clement in Monterey, CA has lovely rooms with fireplaces overlooking the ocean...

Wow, that sounds like a bargain! I'd probably definitely watch it for $10 LOL. Where was this btw?

I have an IHG card as well and it is useful for a quick getawaway/vacation or at least subsidizing a multi-day stay. I think it's worth the $49 assuming you stay at an IHG-branded hotel at least one night out of the year.... doesn't seem too unreasonable to me especially if you stay at an IC, Crowne Plaza or more expensive Holiday Inn location. We've stayed at the IC Clement two times now and love how close it is to the aquarium. Yea, parking for $30 a night stinks, but that's an $80 stay at an *easily* $200+ room per night hotel.

MgoSam

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #40 on: May 23, 2017, 11:35:50 AM »
Also, I love that this thread started out with people snarking about Hamilton and has been taken over by raves about it. Such is the power of great art!

I originally posted more out of curiosity and "awe" that people are spending pretty exorbitant amounts of money to watch the show, and especially those who are watching it *multiple* times. I've spent maybe $120ish on concert tickets to a John Mayer years ago and that was the most I've probably ever spent on any live show. Spending upwards of $400 on a broadway show (and multiple times) is shocking to me though - maybe that's the 'norm' though?  It seems the hype might be dying down, and thus ticket prices, so once it finally gets back to something I'd be willing to pay (maybe $50 max), I'd be more interested and willing to check it out.

You're probably going to be waiting for quite a long time for $50 tickets to the Broadway show. As a reference, I look into getting Book of Mormon tickets 2 years ago when the traveling company was in Minneapolis and the cheapest I could find were $55/each, and while I've heard nothing but great things about Book of Mormon, I believe Hamilton to have a significantly higher demand.

jeromedawg

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #41 on: May 23, 2017, 11:54:13 AM »
Also, I love that this thread started out with people snarking about Hamilton and has been taken over by raves about it. Such is the power of great art!

I originally posted more out of curiosity and "awe" that people are spending pretty exorbitant amounts of money to watch the show, and especially those who are watching it *multiple* times. I've spent maybe $120ish on concert tickets to a John Mayer years ago and that was the most I've probably ever spent on any live show. Spending upwards of $400 on a broadway show (and multiple times) is shocking to me though - maybe that's the 'norm' though?  It seems the hype might be dying down, and thus ticket prices, so once it finally gets back to something I'd be willing to pay (maybe $50 max), I'd be more interested and willing to check it out.

You're probably going to be waiting for quite a long time for $50 tickets to the Broadway show. As a reference, I look into getting Book of Mormon tickets 2 years ago when the traveling company was in Minneapolis and the cheapest I could find were $55/each, and while I've heard nothing but great things about Book of Mormon, I believe Hamilton to have a significantly higher demand.

I guess I'm just not in the know (and rightly so, as I've never been into broadway shows) - https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/broadway-tickets-expensive/


boy_bye

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #42 on: May 23, 2017, 12:38:30 PM »
Oh, wow, here's the most mustachian Hamilton Story ever. The friend I mentioned up thread went to Hamilton last night, expecting nosebleed seats. They got all dressed up anyway. Something worked because their seats were Orchestra, Row 2, 3rd & 4th seats from the center aisle. For TEN BUCKS!!!

Wow, that sounds like a bargain! I'd probably definitely watch it for $10 LOL. Where was this btw?

All of the Hamilton productions have lotteries for the first row or two of seats. The idea is that folks can see Hamilton for a Hamilton -- it's meant to get the artists and lower-income folks who would really ADORE to see the show into the show, not just the standard Broadway show crowd. 

I know when I went to see it I saw several old white people complaining about how long it was and how they couldn't understand what was happening, meanwhile there were literally thousands of people on the street outside who would have given anything to get in. The lottery was meant to at least partially address that discrepancy.

BlueHouse

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #43 on: May 23, 2017, 02:07:18 PM »

I know when I went to see it I saw several old white people complaining about how long it was and how they couldn't understand what was happening,...
I watched the PBS documentary with my elderly mother...she asked if Aaron Burr was really black. 

I swear, she is not a stupid woman.  But age makes you a little bit crazy.

wordnerd

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #44 on: May 23, 2017, 02:10:33 PM »
Love Hamilton. Bought the soundtrack for $20 and listened to it in the car for months. Definitely money well-spent. Probably won't see it live ever unless costs come way down.

boy_bye

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #45 on: May 23, 2017, 02:17:31 PM »

I know when I went to see it I saw several old white people complaining about how long it was and how they couldn't understand what was happening,...
I watched the PBS documentary with my elderly mother...she asked if Aaron Burr was really black. 

I swear, she is not a stupid woman.  But age makes you a little bit crazy.

:D :D :D

That's hilarious! And I get it -- the rap goes by you quickly and if your ears don't have any experience listening to that kind of music I can imagine it's tricky to pick it all up.

I mostly just thought it was wild to have so many ambivalent people in the room where it had happened (heh) and so many more people outside clamoring to get in.

Dicey

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #46 on: May 23, 2017, 04:25:44 PM »
Okay, I lifted this from my journal. It's the first half of my Hamilton Story. It's long, so if you really want part 2, it's in my journal at the bottom of page 4. There' a link in my siggy line, as Sailor Sam says. We saw the show on Friday, and I wrote this on Sunday.

Okay it's time for a Hamilton Weekend Adventure update, but first I have to tell you where I am, because this is surreal.

As I mentioned above (or another thread?), a dear friend got a cancer diagnosis about the same time her mechanic informed her that her trusty 1997 Volvo was terminal. Ever the optimist, she says she's glad it's the car that's terminal and not her. So today we are at a freaking Toyota Dealership, helping her negotiate for a brand-new Camry via the Costco Car Buying Program. Crazy!

Okay, back to Hamilton. DH gets off work early on Fridays. His son dropped us off at BART. By 4:00 we were on the platform, $10.50 round trip tickets to San Francisco in hand. Less than an hour later, we were in the City. We stayed at the Holiday Inn a block from the theater, using one of our annual free nights. We walked from BART, checked in, dumped our day pack and then cruised around the Tenderloin. I used to work in a little nicer part of the City, so I'd kind of forgotten how um, gritty, parts of it are, and the soaring economy and housing squeeze have not been kind to many, many people. Sad. Felt very weird to be spending so much money to basically be entertained when there is so much need everywhere.*

We enjoyed the amazing (for SF) weather and checked out a couple of places I'd found on Yelp and ended up at a casual Mediterranean restaurant. We had a filling meal (not without pangs of guilt) for $31.00. Then we ambled lazily back to our hotel to, um, freshen up. Speaking of the hotel, our room was on the 14th floor, and we could see the entrance of the Orpheum Theater from our room! It was so cool to see the crowds swell and then flow into the theater. We made our way there and were relieved that our tickets were genuine.

The show, the show. Amazing! We had gorged on YouTube videos all week, so we knew the story arc and the songs. We were also aware that we would be seeing a touring cast. Yeah, didn't matter. Every actor blew it out of the water. The 2,203 member audience was completely into every moment of the show. The energy in the audience was an experience unto itself. The big numbers brought thunderous applause, and of course, there was a huge standing ovation three hours later. When the show ended after 11:00, we were wiped out. It was a thrill to know our hotel was just a few steps away.

The next morning, we started reading the reviews on line, because we wanted to learn about other people's experiences and opinions. There was this quibble and that quibble, but I have to say that none of that mattered. Maybe this actor was a slightly stronger singer than that actor, or some other rapper has catcher beats (WTF?), but none of that made any difference. The story is so complete that the details are just that. The story of Alexamder Hamilton is everything. Love, loss, making something of one's self, despite less than humble beginnings, fighting for ideals, suffering for the cause and the good of all, the role of the press, and even OMY. This is a only a partial list. Man, there are so many themes packed into the stories of these lives! Interesting how we struggle with many of the same issues today.

The color blindness of the casting was superb. I loved that the actresses playing the Schuyler Sisters were clearly not related. It didn't matter one bit. My bumbling words cannot do justice to everything that is Hamilton, except to say that it is the story that is so compelling. It was so worth the effort and expenditure, because the story still matters, all these years later. Oh, yes, I'll be looking for a copy of Ron Chernow's Hamilton for $1.00 at our next book sale. I long to know more of our country's history and about these lives in particular.

Saturday was an exceptionally beautiful day in sunny SF. We weren't particularly hungry, so we packed up at a leisurely pace (wink), then headed out for a walk in the area. We toured the beautiful SF Main Library. DH had never been, and I hadn't been in at least a decade. The most striking thing is the respect that is extended to all. There are signs everywhere that say "All Are Welcome Here", in at least five languages. The place has held up amazingly well, considering the demands the citizens of the City place on it. There were beautiful exhibits, lovely public art, beautiful books, reading nooks, and helpful staff everywhere.

We started at the top of the building and leisurely made our way through anything and everything that was accessible to the public. We noticed a guy with a couple of sandwiches in his hand. A little later, we looked out a window and noticed the Salvation Army distributing sandwiches and beverages to all comers.

[Remember that I'm writing this from a New Car Dealership? DH is helping my friend with the process and I'm hanging out in their cavernous lobby. I'm only here for moral support. They're playing a nice mix of contemporary music, including numbers from Hamilton. Goosebumps. Feels. So many feels. Some tears. Oy!]

On Saturday, when we got hungry, I noticed a Starbucks across from the library. I have a Bucky's Gold Card. (I've posted why elsewhere. Short version, I don't have a SB habit, but my walking partner does. I might as well play the game, right?) I was pretty sure I had some free stuff on it. Yup, lunch for 2, and 2 ice waters, cost zero dollars OOP. Then we wandered down to Nordstrom at 5th and Market, where I used to work a lifetime ago. We had fun wandering through the store, noticing the changes, talking to people, and buying nothing. We had a commitment on Saturday evening (games with friends!), so we hopped on BART at about 2:00 and had an interesting ride home. World class people watching on trains to and from SF. The station is about a mile from home, so we just walked. We took a shortcut through the Elementary School and we'e tickled to discover they were having a school carnival. Happy children everywhere!

As you can see this adventure was full of fun, semi-frugality, drama, music, conflict and turmoil. Amid all of that I am appreciative of the valuable life skill of finding joy wherever it presents itself. Life is hard for many, then as well as now. If anything, my gratitude muscles have been given quite a workout. I am happy I have them. I am also aware of how easily I developed them, given the chances I've had in life. I can't help the circumstances of my birth. I can only do the best I can with my own life's story, be kind to others, and try never to take anything for granted.

So that's my Hamilton Story. As this show is playing in major urban centers across the country, if you see it (or have seen it), you may notice the same things around the theater.

* I know there's a dangling asterisk up there somewhere, but I need to sign off as my battery is dying and I don't want to lose these words.

For now, I'll add that the words of Eliza in the penultimate number really resonated with me,

"And when my time is up,
Have I done enough?
Will they tell my story?"

The chorus responds "Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?"

And that's where I must leave my story for now. Thanks for coming along.

golden1

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #47 on: May 23, 2017, 06:38:07 PM »
I went through my Hamilton obsession phase when I first heard the soundtrack, but can't pull the trigger on tickets for the prices they are going for.  If I lived inNYC I'd do the lottery.  It's coming to Boston soon but it's a limited run unfortunately and tickets are tied to a season pass that costs too much for theatre I don't have time to see.  Sucks.  I loved the documentary though. 

Dicey

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #48 on: May 23, 2017, 11:35:01 PM »
I went through my Hamilton obsession phase when I first heard the soundtrack, but can't pull the trigger on tickets for the prices they are going for.  If I lived inNYC I'd do the lottery.  It's coming to Boston soon but it's a limited run unfortunately and tickets are tied to a season pass that costs too much for theatre I don't have time to see.  Sucks.  I loved the documentary though.
People buy the season tickets and any extra Hamilton tickets they are permitted to. They sell the ones they don't want/can't use and occasionally make a handsome profit. Or, they complain and do nothing. The world is full of choices.

jeromedawg

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Re: Let's watch Hamilton! For the fourth time!
« Reply #49 on: May 24, 2017, 09:18:05 AM »
I went through my Hamilton obsession phase when I first heard the soundtrack, but can't pull the trigger on tickets for the prices they are going for.  If I lived inNYC I'd do the lottery.  It's coming to Boston soon but it's a limited run unfortunately and tickets are tied to a season pass that costs too much for theatre I don't have time to see.  Sucks.  I loved the documentary though.
People buy the season tickets and any extra Hamilton tickets they are permitted to. They sell the ones they don't want/can't use and occasionally make a handsome profit. Or, they complain and do nothing. The world is full of choices.

This is what my brother does with Warriors season passes, except that has been a little more predictable these past several years since they've been making the playoffs. I'm pretty sure he's made profit on his season passes OR they're heavily subsidized from all the games he has likely resold for his seats.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!