After 17 months of quarantine, hamilton pantages review 2021 is back in Los Angeles -- and it's not just the theater that feels revived. From the moment the audience erupted into rapturous applause as Alexander Hamilton (played with such swagger by Jamael Westman that you might even forget Miranda's original voice, blasphemy!) entered the stage to the final, soaring notes of Eliza Schuyler's farewell, this jubilant production is a dazzling force of nature that illuminates a comatose Broadway house.
Thomas Kail's direction and Andy Blankenbuehler's choreography are brisk and precise, with the cast enlivening the simple scaffolding set. The lyrics, a mix of traditional Broadway ballads and rap and hip hop, may prove challenging to understand for those unfamiliar with the language or attuned to its rhythms, but the music is infectious enough that you're likely to remain enthralled.
The casting is outstanding, from the likable Ruben J. Carbajal as John Laurens and Philip Hamilton to the sultry and vocally powerful Jessie Mueller as Hamilton's eldest sister, Peggy. Also worth noting are Michael Luwoye as a fiery King George, Simon Longnight as Lafayette and the flamboyantly arrogant Thomas Jefferson, and the remarkably talented Nicholas Christopher as rival Aaron Burr. He gives his role a sense of gravity and urgency that reminds you he's not just another villain, but an historical figure with genuine political aspirations. The result is a theatrical experience that's not just revolutionizing Broadway, but redefining history as we know it.
