‘Hamilton’ on tour – same dramatic power, but a different vibe

The touring production of 'Hamilton' runs through Feb. 2 at the Belk Theater

This review by longtime Charlotte arts critic Lawrence Toppman was published by The Charlotte Ledger on January 9, 2025. You can find out more about The Charlotte Ledger’s commitment to smart local news and information and sign up for our newsletter for free here. And check out this link for Toppman’s archive of reviews in the Ledger.

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Review: Washington thunders, Lafayette overdoes it and Alexander and Eliza forge powerful dramatic arcs as ‘Hamilton’ returns to Charlotte

The choreography and non-stop energy of the touring production of “Hamilton” embody the chaos and turmoil that are the story’s cornerstones. (Photo courtesy of Blumenthal Arts)

by Lawrence Toppman

Masterpieces don’t change, but we do. How we respond to them over time depends on how we’ve altered as viewers — or, in the case of “Hamilton,” what has happened in our country.

The show, which reached Broadway during the second term of Barack Obama’s presidency, celebrates the multicultural, immigrant-driven nature of America in its unorthodox casting and its narrative: A Scots-French-British orphan born out of wedlock comes to the United States as a self-educated 17-year-old clerk and ends as one of the architects of American government.