BWW Exclusive: The Story of Last Night- Behind the Scenes of HAMILTON's Grammy-Winning Greatness

While most of music's biggest night was being celebrated in LA, for the first time in history, Broadway was also gearing up to truly be a part of the festivities last night. You were likely witness to it- about ninety minutes into the 58th annual Grammy Awards, the company of Broadway's biggest hit, Hamilton, performed live from their New York City stage (the first ever live performance from a Broadway theatre to be broadcast on the Grammys), finally giving the rest of the world a taste of what the fuss is all about. The company was electric; the performance was flawless; and I was there.

Friends and family of Hamilton began filling the seats of the Richard Rodgers Theatre hours before the cameras began rolling. Easy to spot in the crowd were the beaming smiles of proud parents (including Lin-Manuel's own famously supportive father) and members of the creative team (who rightfully wore expressions not dissimilar to the proud parents). Hamilton, being the hottest ticket in town, fills with this energy and excitement for every show, but we were reminded that the stakes were raised last night with the presence of six cameras placed throughout the house and one Stephen Colbert.

The cast, who had been rehearsing the number throughout the day, ran through the performance once more with the audience in place. Colbert gave us many reasons to laugh while he was preparing for his introduction, singing bits of songs like "Bali Hai," and "Finishing the Hat." As the countdown continued, we were all warned of the consequences of taking photos while we were on the air. Then, with Colbert's cue cards in place and cast in position, Leslie Odom, Jr. began his beloved, show-opening rant.

"Alexander Hamilton" finished as quickly as it started and Lin left the stage with a pleased expression and a note for the crowd: "Hopefully we'll see you again in ten minutes!" While Kendrick Lamar performed (we were able to hear parts of the broadcast) Lin and Alex Lacamoire took their positions on stage. There were modest cheers from the ever supportive theatre crowd as the other 'Best Musical Theatre Album' nominees were presented, but the room exploded when the winner was announced. Then Lin accepted his well-earned prize in a way that only he could:

"We write music, we write songs to tell the story. Whether you're King, Kendrick, or Jeanine Tesori. I'm sorry if I start screaming these thanks hysterically: John Buzzetti, Tim Latham, Tom Coyne and Derek Lee. Tommy Kail set the stage to kick our boots through. Bill Sherman, Quest, and Tariq, the whole Roots crew. Sean at Warner Chapel, Riggs and Craig at Atlantic. Lacamoire my right-hand man. This frantic Hispanic is non-stop. The best idea goes in the pot. The cast unstoppable. Band is unbeatable. Inimitable. Inevitable. Always inspiring me to pull through. Vanessa, Angie, Illie, Ellie, we adore you. Sebastian, Daddy's bringing home a Grammy for you."

What happened next was unlike any New York theatre experience that I've ever witnessed. Our part of the show was over. The Grammy was accepted. The speech was complete. But instead of the usual mad rush to the exit, the entire audience stayed decidedly put, hopeful to bear witness to more of the joy of the evening. By this point the company was triumphantly passing around the trophy, each person taking a turn with their prize. That's when Lin, took center stage and shouted: "Now you can take your pictures!" The crowd errupted with cheers and flashes, and that's how the night concluded at Hamilton. The Richard Rodgers Theatre truly was, more than it's ever been, the room where it happened.