Hamilton is coming to Atlanta. Here’s what you need to know.

You’ve got to be in the room where it happens
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Hamilton in Atlanta
Chris De'Sean Lee, Jose Ramos, Wallace Smith, and Miguel Cervantes during a Hamilton Chicago performance.

(c) Joan Marcus 2016/courtesy of Broadway in Atlanta

After making us wait for it for months, Broadway in Atlanta announced this morning that Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s megahit Broadway musical about the titular founding father, will play from May 22 through June 10, 2018, at the Fox Theatre. Tickets for the show’s New York and Chicago runs have been notoriously hard to come by, so Atlanta Hamilfans will likely need a good amount of luck to score one for this coveted performance. Want to see what the fuss is all about? Here’s what you need to know before you go:

Do not throw away your shot (at tickets)
Currently, Hamilton tickets are only available by purchasing season tickets for Broadway in Atlanta’s 2017-18 run. Individual tickets will go on sale at a later date, generally eight to 12 weeks before the show according to a Broadway in Atlanta press release. (That would be February 27 to March 27, 2018, in this case.) But be aware that subscribers will likely have first access to single tickets. Be sure to stay posted on social media.

Season tickets start at $249, and this season also includes Broadway smashes Rent, The King and I, and The Color Purple. If you’re on the fence about buying these, it’s best to go ahead and grab them now. A Broadway in Atlanta spokesperson told us there’s been greater than normal interest in this season (no doubt due to a certain 10-dollar founding father) and recommended “anyone interested in season tickets [should] act sooner rather than later, as there is the possibility they could go on a wait list for subscription.”

Make sure you’re in the room where it happens
If you’ve never been to the Fox Theatre before (and even if you have), make sure you brush up on where the good seats are before you purchase tickets. The Fox’s website has a pretty slick interactive seating chart that will give you an idea of what your view will look like from each seat.

This is who (might) tell your story
If you’ve worn out your copy of the Original Broadway Cast Recording, it may be hard at first to reconcile the fact that you are not watching Lin-Manuel Miranda, Phillipa Soo, and Daveed Diggs perform. But remember that a new cast can bring with it amazing talent. While the final Atlanta cast will be confirmed closer to opening night, the current U.S. touring cast features Tony Award–nominated actor Joshua Henry, who played Aaron Burr in the Chicago debut of Hamilton. Henry is a major stand-out of the touring cast; during a Chicago performance I attended in November, Henry completely stole the show, bringing a new life and emotional depth to a character I hadn’t honestly cared much about before. (No offense to Leslie Odom Jr.)

Another actor to keep an eye out for is Atlanta native Amber Iman, currently cast as Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds. The North Springs High School graduate started her career performing in Atlanta before moving  to New York City, where she held roles in Rent, Soul Doctor, and Shuffle Along.

As for the current Alexander Hamilton himself? Actor Michael Luwoye has a pretty impressive credit to his name; he’s played both Hamilton and Burr on Broadway.

Man, the fan is nonstop
You’ve got a year to practically perfect your knowledge of all things Hamilton. Step one (after listening to the Original Broadway Cast Recording, of course): Grab a copy of Hamilton: The Revolution, which features the full libretto—annotated by Lin-Manuel Miranda himself—and a series of essays on how the production came together. Also check out the biography that inspired the musical’s birth—Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow—to see where the show took artistic liberties (Philip Schuyler had a lot more children than just Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy). The PBS documentary Hamilton’s America, which aired last year, also gives some insight into the show’s production (and a chance to see the original cast perform).

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