‘Hamilton’ to return for five-week run at The Fox

By Collin Kelley and Manning Harris

Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Atlanta has announced its 2019/2020 lineup including an unprecedented fiveweek run for “Hamilton.”

The Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning musical from Lin-Manuel Miranda had a sold out run last year at The Fox and many theatre-lovers didn’t get to see the blockbuster show about America’s founding father Alexander Hamilton. Broadway in Atlanta said in a media statement that “Hamilton” will run from March 31 to May 3 next year.

But “Hamilton” isn’t the only big show headed to Atlanta. Tony and Grammy winner “The Band’s Visit” will be at The Fox on Jan. 21-26 and “Wicked” returns early in the season from Oct. 23 to Nov. 17 this fall.

Also on the way: “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (Sept. 24-29); “Hello, Dolly” (Feb. 11-16); “Miss Saigon” (March 17-22); “Blue Man Group” (June 2-7); “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” (June 23-28); and “Anastasia” (July 28-Aug. 2).

While “Hamilton” may be on the boards for five weeks, getting a ticket will likely still be a challenge. Season tickets are already sold out and single tickets for individuals shows won’t go on sale until 8 to 12 weeks prior to the engagement.

INtown’s theatre critic Manning Harris described audiences for the 2018

Atlanta premiere “supercharged.”

“The audience burst into thrilled applause the moment the house lights dimmed,” Harris said. “That’s very unusual.”

But what’s it about?

The birth of a nation, of course; but the midwives are not marble statues of dead white men, but instead –immigrants! These states were created by people who came from other places or their immediate descendants. From the beginning Miranda envisioned a multicultural cast, especially black or

Hispanic, to represent a nation born to welcome immigrants and to signal our diversity. To quote a phrase repeated in this almost entirely sungthrough show: “Hey, yo, I’m just like my country, I’m young, scrappy and hungry, and I am not throwing away my shot.”