I would definitely not call myself a theater expert… but I’m a theater expert. From the day I was born, I have had an immense love for theater. I have been following “Hamilton” since its Broadway debut in 2016. I have an idea of the effort it takes to do lighting design, set design, acting, singing and dancing, so my perspective of the show has a much more technical aspect. From the moment of walking into the Fox Theater, the set and pre-show lighting has a startling wow factor. The amount of effort it takes to put together a traveling set to the caliber of design that the “Hamilton” set is created is a crazy amount of effort and ingenuity. The lighting of the show in every single moment was carefully crafted to instill so much emotion. Every angle of the set was lit, which with the intricacy of that set, is an amazing feat.

The actors, even the ensemble members, were so locked in for every single moment of the show. As an actor, I can tell immediately when someone isn’t locked in to the action on stage, and looking around the stage, there was no person who wasn’t completely in the moment during the entire two-and-a-half hour show. Every actor had a job and their job was completed with the utmost amount of style. There was not a single moment where you could get bored with the action of the stage. Every moment was eye capturing.

The main characters of the production were wonderfully casted and they really fulfilled everything I was hoping to see. My favorite actor was David Park, who played Thomas Jefferson. His energy was absolutely unmatched, he was just the bomb of the show.

Don’t even get me started on the choreography! The choreographer clearly had a vision and went with it. I was shocked with the beauty of all of the stage pictures created with dance.

“Hamilton” with the Phillip tour was a complete masterpiece, in every aspect.

Never in a million years would I say that I enjoyed theater or musicals before I saw “Hamilton.” I’ve always appreciated the arts, but I was strongly against musicals. I didn’t even like movies that incorporated singing. Lin-Manuel Miranda changed my opinion on theater entirely with “Hamilton.”

The first time I saw “Hamilton” was by force in my eighth-grade honors history class. My first thoughts were that it was catchy and it flowed really well. I fell in love with the play about halfway through when I realized that “Hamilton” did not just break down the history of Alexander Hamilton–it made his story exciting by incorporating elements of drama and the wordplay was immaculate. After seeing the entire play in class, my obsession with Hamilton began.

“Hamilton” is a brilliant work of art. The musical itself has a cohesive plot that was easy to follow, and it was the captivating plot that led me to watch it over and over again. After watching “Hamilton” for what felt like the first time every time I watched it, I began annoying my family by mentioning how much I’d love to see “Hamilton” live.

The opportunity to see “Hamilton” live came just as my thoughts of the masterpiece began to subside, but of course I had to take the opportunity when it presented itself (I could not throw away my shot). Seeing “Hamilton” live at the Fox for a late birthday present was one of the best experiences I have ever had. Being the first live performance I have willingly gone to watch, the way that the soundtrack matched the mood, and the way that the lighting was cast upon the set brought tears of joy to my eyes. The vocals were astounding and the actors really had their own spark that made the musical feel fresh. I can’t imagine the amount of work that went into their performances, but they definitely put on a show. It was cathartic in every way, pulling me through a rollercoaster of laughter and awe. The way that the performance ended, with Eliza stretching her hand out as the lights began to dim, was pure perfection.

Having been a musical fan all my life, of classics like “Les Miserables” and “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Hamilton” was my first introduction to a modern Broadway production, in the only way I was able to see it: as the movie. I was a late fan, and I fumed for years that I could never see a live show. Besides being an enormous history nerd, I fell in love with the infectious energy that “Hamilton”is filled with. When I heard it was coming to the Fox, my friends and I jumped to buy tickets, and I couldn’t have been happier to waste the last of my paycheck on it.

The cast emulated the energy of the original perfectly, and I’d even go so far as to say that the actor of “Hamilton” superseded his predecessor, Lin-Manuel Miranda. The show went so smoothly, the vocal abilities were astounding and flawless, the choreography was identical and perfect, and the acting phenomenal. To finally be able to see one of my favorite musicals live, and to have it done justice and above, was a dream come true.

Any differences between the intentions or inflections of the original cast by the Fox cast were brilliant exchangeable interpretations, including a performance of the griddy, a popular dance on the platform TikTok, during “The Reynolds Pamphlet.” Every joke landed and felt as fresh as the first time I watched “Hamilton,” which was a wonderful experience. I was lucky enough to have a great crowd as well, and lip syncing all the words with my friends and shaking each other before our favorite songs are treasured memories I’ll hold forever.

Having gone to other musicals at the Fox before, I was excited but my expectations were objective and realistic. There are hundreds of ways to perform a musical, and it is almost always inevitable for there to be certain characteristics or decisions that will differ from one’s favorite adaptation. But with Hamilton, I loved every minute, and not once did I feel disappointed. My impulsive, and possibly not the most fiscally responsible, choice was well worth it.