Hamilton, one of the most inspiring musicals of all time, finally opens in Manila! This Asian premiere is the only stop in Asia on the international tour before heading to Abu Dhabi. The musical tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of the United States, and the American Revolution and politics after the war.
Klook.comI still remember watching my first musical, Miss Saigon on Broadway with my family, starring Lea Salonga. This time, I wanted to make sure my boys got inspired by Hamilton, with Rachelle Ann Go performing as Eliza. It’s a great musical about building your legacy, standing for what you believe in, and not throwing away your shot with the opportunities given to you.
Related blog post: Hamilton Musical Review (Disney+ Movie vs. Theatre Version)
The first part of the play was rough, with some performances being tentative and actors just standing up and singing the songs like a concert. This was the second show in Manila after the opening the previous Sunday. The second act was more engaged, with lively rap battles focused on politics, betrayal, and redemption. We were crying at the end, thanks to Eliza.
The boys loved the first act, which was all about the American Revolution, but the younger ones got lost in the politics part. It’s best for teenagers, who can better understand the story, the songs, and the message of not throwing away their shot.
The entire performance ended with a standing ovation. Thank you to @gmg.productions and @solaireresort for bringing Hamilton to Manila!
Don’t miss your shot in watching Hamilton in Manila.
HAMILTON MANILA GUIDE
Arrive two hours early to take the perfect Hamilton selfies and poses before the crowd arrives.
No tickets yet? Enter the Weekly Lottery for two(2) orchestra seats. Buy Hamilton tickets here.
The best seats are in the Orchestra section, but it’s hard to get a block of seats, so it’s best to buy two at a time.
Souvenir Program sells for ₱1,000 with beautiful photography, historical timeline and background of the casts and the creative team.
Manila Cast. Rachelle Ann Go is the only Filipino performing the lead role of Eliza Hamilton.
We saw Rachelle perform as Eliza in the West End and now in Manila! Nakaka-proud siya.
The Souvenir Shop opens at 5:30pm and love the shirts (₱1,000) and tote bag (₱900).
If you have budget, the Hamilton Hoodies (₱3,000) are the best souvenir merchandise.
Love to eat at the Solaire’s Casino Food court and check out the Pan Asian or Yatai Japanese.
The Beef Rendang (₱495) is made with stewed tasty beef with lemon grass and a greasy coconut milk gravy with a big cup of rice.
Check out the menu: Beef, Dimsum | Nasi Goreng, Dessert | Drinks | Yatai Ramen
You can use your electronic ticket or have it printed for your souvenir (₱50 per transaction).
Sitting in the orchestra section, I had goosebumps watching Hamilton with our A.Fam in Manila—a dream come true!
The show started at 8:05 with a 5-minute grace period. If you are late, you will miss the best opening.
The world-class lighting, staging, and performances of Hamilton are a great exposure and inspiration for Filipino Gen Z.
Teenagers enjoyed the show and found it relatable, but younger kids got bored in the second act during the political rap battles.
Check out this article: Bringing Out Brilliance | Watching Hamilton with Kids?
You cannot bring water inside, but you can leave it outside the door with your name on it.
The total run time is about 3 hours, so be sure to hydrate, especially if you are with kids.
The bar outside is so slow and water sells for ₱80 – not worth it to line up during intermission.
Check out the menu: Food | Drinks
Remember, you can take photos and videos during the encore, and give a standing ovation if you loved and were touched by the performance.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Hamilton is our favorite musical, and it has become our theme song for our entrepreneurial journey, which began when I quit my day job to pave the way for the content creator ecosystem in Manila.
I cried at the end of the show because it made me think about who would tell our story, what our legacy in Manila would be, and how our boys and readers would remember the Our Awesome Planet journey.
As we enter the next phase of our entrepreneurial journey, I am determined not to throw away my shot at expanding our projects and raising the next generation of Filipino Gen Zs.
Live an Awesome Life with Christ,
Founder & Digital Creator, Our Awesome Planet
Disclosure: We paid for our tickets. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.
P.S. I hate this long line for the elevator going to the parking.
Hi, how did you get your e-tickets printed like that?
They can print it for you for Php50 per transaction
If you brought your own water tumbler, I assume you also have to leave it outside with your name on it?
Yes, you have to leave it. (or hide in your bag?)
Hi Anton,
Thanks for this, sure helped us when we went. My comments:
1. I didn’t experience the lack of energy or emotion that you mentioned amongst the performers. They must have hit their stride and gained confidence as we watched a week after you. Most of them nailed it, with some of them having uncanny similar voices & accents as the original cast. (King George, Alex Ham). The sole underwhelming performer for me was Lafayette/Jefferson but then who can match up with Daveed Diggs?
2. I realized that revolutionaries are chick boys by nature, given they are in their prime, smart and in combat, plus women really throw themselves at them. Rizal, Luna brothers are no different from Hamilton et al. ha ha ha ha
3. Overall this was an extremely satisfying, enjoyable and educational experience. The 46 song, 3.5 hr performance was extreme value for money.
Thank you for this comment! Wow, this is a good feedback and glad everything was good. Chickboys nga ang mga revolutionaryos…
Good morning, your blogs are very helpful, thank you so much for that.
We are planning to watch Hamilton, does your seats Orchestra Left have still the best view? Does it have a huge TV in the room for those who seats far from the stage? Tia 😊
Orchestra left is good and you can see most of it even from the aisle side.
I did not see any TV. Best to bring binoculars to see the facial expression.
Hi! Can you take selfies before the show?
Yes, Definitely!
Our tickets are for October pa! Can’t wait! Question – if we go to solaire now can we buy merch? Or is merch only available for people who are seeing the show?
Merch is available for all but only opens when there is a show. 5:30pm usually for the night shows.
Hello. Nice review, sir! By any chance, do you or any of the readers here have an idea or has watched the afternoon show in Manila? What was the experience like? Reason I asked is we’re going to see the afternoon show this Saturday and I was hoping to see the main/principal cast, but I’m worried coz I heard that stand-ins usually perform during matinees while the main/principals perform only during gala? Not sure if this is the case but would love to know other’s experiences. Would appreciate anyone who can chime in. Thank you!
Good question.
We watched the matinee on a Saturday, and the principal cast performed.
Hello Sir, many thanks for the info, by the way I would like to ask if your seat plan has a good view on the stage? I purchased the Miss Saigon ticket and I got ORL2-N seat39-42.
Thank you and God bless
Ok naman yang view from this angle.
Hi! If I want my e-tickets to be printed like that, where should I go?
In the ticket booth concierge