Melbourne embraces HAMILTON with electrifying first preview
An electrifying first audience welcomed the Tony®, Grammy®, Olivier and Pulitzer Prize winning musical HAMILTON to Melbourne last night, ahead of its official opening night on Thursday 24 March.
Celebrating their first performance in Her Majesty’s Theatre, the Australian company have been invigorated by the enthusiasm of Melburnians, who have been awaiting performances since the season was announced in May 2021.
Jason Arrow, who was living in Melbourne when he learned he had been cast as Alexander Hamilton, is thrilled to be back in the city.
“The atmosphere last night was just incredible – thank you Melbourne for embracing us so wholeheartedly! We can already tell how spectacular this season is going to be, in such a beautiful theatre with awesome audiences, the energy is electric. It’s going to be fun!”
Producer Michael Cassel also celebrated the start of the highly anticipated season.
“It’s such an exciting time to be starting a new chapter of the Hamilton story in Melbourne, sharing this phenomenal show with a new city. The reaction from the people of Melbourne has been overwhelming, there’s so much excitement and anticipation in the air, so it’s amazing to be up and running with performances!”
Tickets for the Melbourne season are on-sale via Ticketek, currently booking through to 31 July 2022.
The Australian company is led by Jason Arrow as Alexander Hamilton, Chloé Zuel as Eliza Hamilton, Lyndon Watts as Aaron Burr, Akina Edmonds as Angelica Schuyler, Matu Ngaropo as George Washington, Victory Ndukwe as Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson, Shaka Cook as Hercules Mulligan/James Madison, Marty Alix as John Laurens/Philip Hamilton, Elandrah Eramiha as Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds, and Brent Hill as King George III.
The company is completed by Daniel Assetta, Kyla Bartholomeusz, Shewit Belay, Martha Berhane, Justin Bryant, Olivia Carniato, Celine Cleveland, Luca Dinardo, Simon Fairweather, Keanu Gonzalez, Winston Hillyer, Jimmie “J.J.” Jeter, Julian Kuo, Iosefa Laga’aia, Stefan Lagoulis, Ashton Lash, Loredo Malcolm, Callan Purcell, Zelia Rose, Emmy Saheki, Tainga Savage, Jas Smith-Sua, Tigist Strode, Dayton Tavares, Romina Villafranca and Zachary Webster, bringing the full Australian company to 36 performers
HAMILTON premiered on Broadway in August 2015 to wide critical and audience acclaim. The show has won Tony®, Grammy®, and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors.
Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, HAMILTON has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre – a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education.
With book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, HAMILTON is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography.
The HAMILTON creative team previously collaborated on the 2008 Tony Award-winning Best Musical In the Heights. Scenic design is by David Korins, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe.
The Australian production of HAMILTON is produced by Jeffrey Seller, Sander Jacobs, Jill Furman, The Public Theater and Michael Cassel.