Musical Review: Hamilton on Broadway vs. Disney+ Hamilton

I am back with my reviews of Broadway musicals, this time with two different versions of Hamilton. I thought I would never see a live show of the hit Broadway musical, Hamilton since tickets would always be sold out, and it wouldn’t come to my home state for a long time. But that moment came sooner than later as I was finally able to see it live earlier this month. Prior to that, I saw the film version on Disney+ with the original Broadway cast. However, seeing a musical on a streaming platform is very different than seeing it live whether on Broadway or a touring production. I am going to be comparing both of these versions to see how they differ from each other. Originally, I was going to write a post deciding on which version was better but, I didn’t want to force myself pitting two versions of an iconic musical against each other. One of the main themes of this musical is legacy, as in carrying the legacy of someone which is expressed in the final number, “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells your Story?” Though there may be different actors passing on the iconic roles of Hamilton, they all strive to tell the same story that audiences will come back and enjoy. This review will also be different from my last musical review of Beautiful since I am comparing two versions of a musical rather than one. To make it simple, I will be referring to the Disney Plus version as Hamilfilm and the live one as Broadway in Hawaii (BH) Hamilton.

For those of you who are not familiar with Hamilton, it is about one of America’s founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton. He was an immigrant from the Caribbean that became George Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War, and the first U.S. secretary of the treasury. He is also famous for being part of the duel with Aaron Burr in which he got shot (SPOILER! Well, not really since it gets revealed in the opening number). It was created by Lin-Manuel Miranda who played the lead role in the original Broadway cast. The cast is very diverse with non-white actors portraying some of the historical figures such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s decided to go with this idea as way to tell the story of “American then, as told by America now.” Some of the issues that are portrayed in the musical reflect on the current issues of today. It is also considered a modern take on the story since most of the songs are in rap and hip-hop genre. It opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on August 6, 2015 and is still currently running. It also holds the most Tony Award nominations with a whopping 16 nominations, winning 11 including, Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Actor, Best Choreography, Best Featured Actress, and Best Direction of a Musical. It also won a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album, and a Billboard Music Award for Top Soundtrack/Cast Album.

Original Broadway cast of Hamilton on Disney+

The Similarities

Stage/setting- Aside from the song numbers and characters, one of the most iconic things about Hamilton is the set design. You will notice that it barely changes at all due to the huge amount of choreography and movement in the entire show. The only changes that are made are in the props, stairs, and turntable. It has been designed to represent the different eras of America and how it progresses. In the first act, it looks like a construction site with brick walls and scaffoldings to portray America’s early beginnings setting a foundation. It also portrays a ship with the use of many ropes scattered throughout, referring to Hamilton’s arrival in America and the many ships from the war. In the second act, the walls are raised 8 feet to symbolize the growth of the country as they transition to government and politics. In addition to the stage, there is also the turntable which is a pivotal part of the story. It is used to represent space and time moving, as well as scandals and conflict. For example, for the song number “hurricane,” the turntable is implemented to portray a hurricane both literally and figuratively. Hamilton talks about how there was a hurricane in his hometown, and how he is in one now since it revolves around his current life. However, it is about to get out of control when he writes the Reynolds Pamphlet which will completely backfire on him during the next song. Another example of the turntable being used is during Hamilton and Burr’s duel. Right before he is shot, time stands still and Hamilton is thinking about his life, his legacy, and what happens if he throws away his shot. Here, the turntable is used to portray his train of thought as he is in the middle of a conflict. In both versions, the stage looks exactly the same and I am so glad the turntable was implemented for the BH version, considering it is the first time this musical performed here. The only minor difference was that during intermission, I saw the crew members removing the rope and arranging the staircases as a way to prepare for the second act. However, I didn’t see the difference in the wall length changing.

BH Hamilton First Act Set

BH Hamilton second act set

The story- Despite different sets of actors playing the main cast over the years, the story itself never changes. Audiences will always enjoy the musical numbers and plot no matter who is playing the characters. Whether you saw the original Broadway cast or seen a tour production, the show itself brings audiences together. Even the musical numbers are still popular today. In fact, I have seen many parodies of Hamilton songs, mainly the opening number. It shows how much of an impact the musical has on pop culture. Another interesting thing about the musical numbers is that they are all connected to each other. Because the musical is sung-through with no dialogue in-between, the songs have to keep moving the plot forward. According to the visual graphics from this link, all the songs (minus King George’s songs), have recurring motifs that are placed in other songs based on the characters themselves. For example, the recurring motif of “not throwing away my shot” is placed in some songs like “Right Hand Man,” and “the Battle of Yorktown,” as a way to describe the personality of Hamilton’s willingness to fight.

The Differences

The actors- Obviously, from the tour productions and original Broadway cast, there are different groups of actors and actresses performing these characters. Even though I said earlier that the story does not change, how the actor portrays that character will be slightly different. This can differ from having a different vocal range, or the overall performance of the actor. For example, in the Hamilfilm, Lin-Manuel Miranda puts a lot of passion in bringing Alexander Hamilton to life. He expresses a wide range of personalities to portray this founding father that was arrogant, overbearing, and sharp-minded. One moment, he is rapping verses, and another moment he acts emotional toward his family, especially his son. In the BH version, the actor still brings the same passion LMM did, however he sounded like he had more of a younger personality. He still did a perfect job of carrying on LMM’s version because like the song said, Hamilton was “young, scrappy, and hungry,” The only thing was that he wasn’t as emotional as LMM, but it still fit the flawed aspect of Alexander Hamilton. I think it is great to see the same musical with different casts because they all add their own variety to the characters while still keeping true to the original.

Lin Manuel-Miranda as Alexander Hamilton from Hamilton

The camerawork/view- As I said before, watching a musical from a streaming service is different from seeing a musical live; that is in terms of how we view them. In the Hamilfilm, you are guaranteed a front row seat as you can see a close-up view of the main actors. You also get good camera angles for some of the scenes. However, you don’t get to see everything like the entire ensemble or the set pieces. For BH Hamilton, I still had a good view of the entire stage even though it wasn’t the front row. I actually saw some minor details from this version that I did not see in the Hamilfilm like more of the choreography from the ensemble, the minor set pieces used for the ballroom scenes in songs like “Helpless” and “Satisfied.” I could even see King George do a little dance in the stairwell area during “The Reynolds Pamphlet.” The only problem with not sitting in the front row for a live performance is that you can’t see the faces of the actors up close because then you see the emotion they put into for certain songs. For example, in Eliza Schuyler’s solo song burn, you can see the anger and sadness in her face to show the betrayal and heartbreak she is going through in the Hamilfilm. In the BH version, you can hear that same emotion, but don’t get it fully because you might not see their face (depending on where you are sitting).

Scene from Hamilton on Disney Plus

One Thing I Liked About Each Version

Hamilfilm- I loved the convenience of this version; what I mean is that I am able to see it via streaming service without paying a ticket. Usually, tickets for a Broadway show are very expensive. The only other way you can see a full musical is if someone secretly recorded the performance, and posted it on Youtube as a bootleg (without getting caught). This was released during the Broadway shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Disney+ made a good decision to do this because no one was able to leave their homes and see the show during that time. I was also able to see the original cast perform which have I never seen from any other Broadway musical. Plus, some of the cast members from the OG cast kick-started their careers because of Hamilton like Academy Award Winner, Ariana Debose (played Anita in the reboot of the West Side Story film) who started as an ensemble member. There is also Anthony Ramos (played lead role in In the Heights film, and will be playing the villain in upcoming IronHeart Disney Plus series) who was John Laurens/Philip Schulyer. So, if you are not able to see Hamilton on Broadway, you can now watch it on Disney Plus anytime.

Ariana Debose in Hamilton

Anthony Ramos in Hamilton

BH Hamilton- The main thing I loved about seeing Hamilton live is the overall experience. Right from the start of the show, you can feel the energy coming off of the actors and through the audience. I remember after hearing the opening number, I wanted to cry because the feeling just felt that strong. That is something you don’t get from watching it from a streaming service. You can also hear the surround sound which enhances the energy felt in the theater. For example, during Hamilton’s son, Philip’s final moments before his death, you can hear a slow heartbeat in the background which was something I never picked up on in the Hamilfilm. It just felt like I was watching a movie in a theatre.

Overall Thoughts

I thoroughly enjoyed both versions of Hamilton whether it was the Disney Plus version or the live performance. If I were to recommend which version to watch, I would do both because like I said, they have different experiences while watching. I would give this musical a 9.5/10 for both versions. This musical is perfect for both young and old audiences whether you enjoy U.S history or a fan of rap and hip-hop. Even if you don’t like history, you would still enjoy the story since it is one we all can relate to. As for where this ranks with Beautiful: the Carole King Musical, I would put Hamilton above it. Having seen it on Disney+ a few times prior to the show (and listening to the songs numerous times), I would understand the lyrics and some of the humor presented. With Beautiful, even though I did enjoy the story and the music, I couldn’t understand some of the humor since it was made for older audiences. Overall, this was my favorite Broadway musical I have seen live, and if I could, I would want to see it again. If you are currently in Hawaii, Hamilton is still running until the end of next month. This is also the last show I will be seeing for the 2022-2023 season. Prior to that, Jersey Boys played a couple months ago; my mom and brother went to see it and it was okay. The final show that will be premiering is Cats which I will not be seeing because the 2019 film ruined it for me. I am not sure if there will be another season of Broadways shows coming in the next year. Hopefully they get more popular musicals like Hamilton to come and perform if they want to be successful.