It's not even funny anymore to joke about how difficult Hamilton tickets are to acquire. Even Lin-Manuel Miranda is campaigning against ticket bots that buy tickets at lightning speed, then resell them at jacked up prices. While we're waiting for the opportunity, will Hamilton ever leave Broadway? As disheartening as it is to lose the ticket lottery or experience sticker shock from ticket resellers, trust me, time is not running out. All things must end eventually, but we won't know for certain until Hamilton announces a closing date — which likely won't happen for a long, long time.
The latest block of Hamilton tickets are for shows through May 2017. Without a doubt, this show will be running for at least a few years. When there is this much demand, fervor, and universal appeal surrounding a Broadway show, something crazy would have to happen for it to close.
In The Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda's first show on Broadway, ran for about three years. I would say that 1-3, maybe 2-4 years is about standard for a successful Broadway musical. Meanwhile, Phantom of the Opera has been running on Broadway for 28 years, The Lion King has been going strong since 1997, and Chicago will celebrate its 20th birthday in November. Even Wicked and Jersey Boys have been on Broadway since the mid-2000s.
Not only does that just mean that we'll have more chances to see Hamilton, but new and exciting actors will be able to join the show and put their spin on the roles. The opportunities for "stunt casting" with this show are endless. Imagine Taran Killam as King George III, Gina Rodriguez as Eliza Schuyler, or even Drake making his Broadway debut as Lafayette/Jefferson (a role that, according to the official casting breakdown, is partially based on him anyway.) There are so many cool, talented performers out there who could keep Hamilton running forever.
Even if/when the show does close, there will also be a touring cast that will launch in Los Angeles next year, a Chicago production that opens this September, and several international productions. Before long, Hamilton will be everywhere and last probably as long as Star Wars and Marvel movies, if not longer. We're all going to have our shot, so to speak, even if it takes a little time and patience.
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