BWW Blog: The “Room Where It Happens” Is Now At Home

Catching a glimpse of the award-winning and beloved Broadway smash hit, Hamilton, outside of its home at the Richard Rogers Theater in New York City would very much be considered a strike of luck. With highly priced tickets and sold out shows starting since the day the musical opened back in 2015, it's become nearly impossible to secure a seat to experience the iconic show.

But now, thanks to the magic of Disney, Hamilton has become accessible on the company's streaming service for anyone to watch whenever they prefer. The "room where it happens" can be right in your living room which is cause for celebration from theater fans across the country. Being able to experience the show in any way is an incredible dream for thousands and Disney made that come true.

New and old Hamilton fans were given a front row seat to watch the musical with the original Broadway cast still taking the stage since the particular performance was recorded in June 2016. Friends, families, and theater groups gathered together under the appropriate social distancing measures and safety precautions to hold extravagant or excitement-filled watch parties. Social media platforms saw the musical trend for a majority of July 3rd, the day Hamilton was released on Disney+, while many conversations started surrounding details of the Broadway hit and honest expressions through reviews were revealed.

Overall, the reactions were full of joy, enthusiasm and love which is no surprise based not only on the show's success on Broadway, but now on the streaming platform. As millions fall in love with the mostly unknown story of one of our country's founding fathers, Hamilton opens up many doors for the future of theater.

Broadway has often been perceived as eltilist due to the ticket prices and how difficult it can be for the majority of the population to actually see a show in the Big Apple. Because of this, many theater fans or people in general never get to experience the moment of seeing a musical or play open on a stage like they dream of. But today, with the available technology and clear success of streaming services, more and more musicals are making their debut on digital platforms as well.

In fact, putting a widely successful Broadway musical on a streaming platform is not a new idea. Before Disney had their own streaming service, their Broadway hit Newsies was available on Netflix before making the switch over to Disney+. Everyone who wasn't lucky enough to catch the show before its closing in 2014, myself included, was able to watch the amazing show with the original Broadway cast. Amazon Prime Video holds several Broadway favorites such as Rent, Falsettos, and Billy Elliot the Musical which gives way for everyone to enjoy the performances.

In the future and in the wake of the changes COVID-19 has presented the world of theater, it looks hopeful that many more shows may be hitting your screens at home for the same enjoyment you would get at the theater in New York. Opening up Broadway and making its unbelievable art easily accessible for everyone will only be positive as Hamilton showed us this past weekend during its debut on Disney+.

But until then, you can be more than "satisfied" watching Hamilton from the comfort of your own home! From start to finish, the entire show is breathtaking and beyond stunning so it's a guarantee you'll be coming back for several rewatches and singing the entire soundtrack for days after.

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