The musical Hamilton has returned to the Fox Theatre for the third time in recent years and appears likely to continue to return far into the distant future. I am writing a review of the production for the third time also, and I must confess that I really don’t have much of anything new to say about it. The production is holding up well, with another strong cast throughout, once again mostly Black and Hispanic, an Asian or two, even a couple of white faces, but not matching our images of the Founding Fathers. Dressed like them though, in the fashions of late 18th and early 19th century, but only the main characters. Costume designer Paul Tazewell puts the ensemble members in pale beige outfits that sort of look period but also remind me of long underwear. 

I was struck this time by how many ensemble members there are and how often they fill the stage in the direction by Thomas Rail and the choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler that splendidly reinforces the action, making good use of the upper level catwalks that embrace the set by David Korins, with ample space on stage level for crowd scenes with dance and intimate scenes with a table and chair or two. 

Hamilton remains the brilliant work of Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote book and music and lyrics and with them not only added to the musical heritage of Broadway but added to it the new forms of rap and hip-hop. And it all still works brilliantly. 

In the company at the Fox, Tyler Fauntleroy plays Hamilton, Lauren Mariasoosay plays his wife Eliza, Jimmie “JJ” Jeter plays his mentor rival and killer Aaron Burr, Maja Harmon is sister-in-law Angelica Schuyler, A.D. Weaver is George Washington, Jared Howelton is the Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, Kai Thomas Tshikosi is James Madison and Hamilton’s college friend Hercules Mulligan, Nathan Haydel plays friend John Laurens and son Philip Hamilton, Lily Soto plays sister-in-law Peggy Schuyler and Hamilton’s mistress Maria Reynolds, Justin Matthew Sargent is a fine comic as King George III, Auston Henderson plays Maria’s blackmailing husband James Reynolds as well as Philip Schuyler and a doctor, Alex Dorf is Samuel Seabury, Alex Larson is Continental officer Charles Lee, and Nathaniel Hirst plays George Eaker who killed son Philip in a duel.

Thus Miranda gave music and life to these people who gave birth to a new nation.

—Bob Wilcox

Photo © Joan Marcus