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The Founding Fathers are coming to East Lansing: 'Hamilton' at the Wharton Center

November 5, 2021
<p>Courtesy of Wharton Center for Performing Arts.</p>

Courtesy of Wharton Center for Performing Arts.

Starting on November 18, students will be able to purchase tickets for the next award-winning Broadway show tour coming to the Wharton Center: "Hamilton."

The show will be in Spring 2022 from March 29 to April 10, displaying all of the most famous founding fathers onstage for the first time since the pandemic indefinitely postponed the theater industry, a press release for the event said.

"East Lansing is so fortunate to have such amazing Broadway shows come to town and in our own backyard at Wharton Center," Public Relations Manager for the Wharton Center, Bob Hoffman said in an email.

"Hamilton" has been considered one of the most popular Broadway shows of all time receiving rave reviews since its opening in August 2015, synthesizing the past with rap music to tell the story of the most famous faces in American history, Hoffman said in the email.

The musical follows Alexander Hamilton's life in early American politics in the American Revolution and the first presidential cabinet under George Washington.

However, enemies and odds such as the political career and opinions of Aaron Burr and Thomas Jefferson seem to deter Hamilton from his political endeavors and raise the question "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story," Hoffman described.

The show boasts a record-breaking amount of awards such as 11 Tony-Awards including Best Musical, the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album and the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

"The show is incredible!" Hoffman said in an email, "Absolutely stunning choreography, amazing set, and the story is just wow. I’ve seen it four times and can’t wait to see it one more time."

While the show is not until spring, there is a reason tickets are being sold in advance in the fall: the popularity of the musical in East Lansing.

"This is the second time it’s coming to Wharton Center," Hoffman said. "It sold out the last time it was at Wharton Center in May 2019."

People should seek out tickets early for the best chance of sitting in the audience this spring, Hoffman said.

The tickets will start at $49 to $169 for all performances. Some premium tickets in the theater will be sold for $249.

However, with the specialty of this show to students and theater-goers, the Wharton Center will hold a lottery for specially priced tickets for those more dedicated Hamilton fans on a budget and feeling lucky.

"There will be a lottery for 40, $10 seats for all performances," Hoffman said in email. "Details will be announced closer to the engagement."

This lottery is a new concept for Wharton Center affairs, but it is likely to raise interest in the show and create more opportunities for theater-loving students to see the show.

In a press release, the Wharton Center staff warned students against the danger of counterfeit tickets being sold due to the popularity of the show and the volume of the potential audience. They encouraged every audience member to only purchase tickets from the Wharton Center website due to the fear of overpriced or fraudulent tickets.

Hoffman encourages the public to witness the legendary Broadway behemoth and critic favorite.

"If you are 9 to 109 this show is a must-see," Hoffman said.

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