The Real Chicago

Top Menu

  • Home
  • E-newsletter
  • Contact

Main Menu

  • Home
  • The Big City Blog
  • General Features
  • Around Town
    • First Look – Reviews
    • Hidden Gems
    • Inside Scoop
  • Eat. Drink. Shop.
    • Good Eats
    • Signature Dishes
    • A Round of Drinks
    • Shop Around the Corner
  • The Local Angle
    • Chicago Insider
    • The Local Corner
    • My Chicago
  • Interviews
  • Forum
Sign in / Join

Login

Welcome! Login in to your account
Lost your password?

Lost Password

Back to login
  • Home
  • E-newsletter
  • Contact

logo

Header Banner

The Real Chicago

  • Home
  • The Big City Blog
  • General Features
  • Around Town
    • First Look – Reviews
    • Hidden Gems
    • Inside Scoop
  • Eat. Drink. Shop.
    • Good Eats
    • Signature Dishes
    • A Round of Drinks
    • Shop Around the Corner
  • The Local Angle
    • Chicago Insider
    • The Local Corner
    • My Chicago
  • Interviews
  • Forum
  • Chicago’s hidden gems: Kiss Kiss Cabaret, Unabridged Bookstore, Lulu Belle’s Pancake House and TNT at The Annoyance

  • New on the scene: Recapping recent restaurant and bar openings in Chicago

  • The Big City Blog: A Chicago summer bucket list

  • Outdoor drinking: A guide to some of our favorite beer gardens and rooftops in Chicago

  • A day at the museum: Exploring the iconic Field Museum in Chicago

First Look - Reviews
Home›featured-blogs›First Look - Reviews›First Look review: The incredibly immersive Hamilton: The Exhibition in Chicago seeks to answer the question “What’s next?” in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s artistic saga

First Look review: The incredibly immersive Hamilton: The Exhibition in Chicago seeks to answer the question “What’s next?” in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s artistic saga

By TheRealChicagoOnline
May 22, 2019
2881
0
Share:

By Michael Dritto

Location: Northerly Island (1535 S. Linn White Drive). HamiltonExhibition.com

Background: Chicago has the fortune of getting to premier Hamilton: The Exhibition; a walk-through audio tour narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda, as well as Phillipa Soo and Christopher Jackson, who played Eliza Schuyler and George Washington in the original Broadway production of the revolutionary musical. Spearheaded by creative director David Korins, the exhibit gives fans a chance to “go deeper and wider” into the background of not only Hamilton’s life, but also America’s.

What to expect:  The exhibition presents itself as “a choose-your-own-adventure.” Before the tour, you are handed headsets that are connected to a remote that hangs around your neck. The remote works to service two functions: 1.) to automatically play narration as you enter the next room, and 2.) to hear specific narration that is associated with various historical artifacts scattered throughout the exhibit. The artifacts, or parts of the exhibit that offer this feature, have specially marked “targets,” which you can point your remote at to prompt said narration. It took my girlfriend and I 30-40 minutes to get through the entire exhibit, but you can easily spend an hour or two getting lost in the plethora of content and information that is present.

Every detail in the exhibit — from the floor you walk on to the lighting and score played as you transition from event to event — is incredibly immersive.

What stood out: The sets. Or… the rooms? Sets? Not sure what to call them, but the theming in each room feels as if you are absorbed into the various scenes depicting the events that built up the life of Hamilton and the foundations of America as a country. Every room has its own specific feel and tone. Every detail — from the floor you walk on to the lighting and score played as you transition from event to event — is incredibly immersive and truly a testament to the work of David Korins. Not only are the individual parts of the exhibit incredibly aesthetic, but parts of it are also interactive, adding yet another layer to the intricate nature that makes up Hamilton: The Exhibition.

Another thing that stands out is the sheer amount of information to be consumed throughout the entirety of the experience. I tried to check out as much as I could, but I still feel as if I easily missed 40-50 percent of what there was to learn/explore. Since the production team built the entire exhibition, facility included, the goal is to continue to add artifacts, documents and other textures to further enrich the experience. That means that there will be even more content for guests to consume the next time they visit.

Final thoughts: Hamilton: The Exhibition gives people who love the record-breaking show a chance to expand on what Lin-Manuel Miranda was able to capture in a musical, in a much more in-depth fashion. The exhibit is both fun and educational, and looks to not only have a lengthy stay in Chicago, but also eventually a lengthy tour throughout the country.

TagsChristopher JacksonHamiltonHamilton exhibitHamilton: The ExhibitionLin Manuel MirandaNortherly IslandPhillipa SooThe Real Chicago
Previous Article

We Ask, They Answer: Q&A with Soo ...

Next Article

New on the Scene: A quick ...

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

TheRealChicagoOnline

Related articles More from author

  • First Look - Reviews

    First Look review: Second City’s memorable new “Fantastic Super Great Nation Numero Uno” takes accurate aim at the differences in ...

    January 25, 2017
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • General Features

    It’s 5 o’clock somewhere: Detailed opinions on where to head for happy hour in Chicago

    October 30, 2015
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • Shop Around the Corner

    Shop Around the Corner: Battaglia Footwear brings a little piece of Italy to Chicago’s Lincoln Park

    July 4, 2015
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • General Features

    Holiday shopping: Six unique Chicago spots to find that perfect gift for the holiday season

    November 11, 2017
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • We Ask, They Answer

    Friendly, unfussy, and serious about music: Hanging with Marshall Nelson from the Redhead Piano Bar

    November 22, 2015
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • The Big City Blog

    The Big City Blog: Chicago bar scene awaits governor’s decision on lifting happy hour ban

    June 19, 2015
    By TheRealChicagoOnline

You might be interested

  • Around TownGeneral Features

    Bobby’s Bike Hike: Check out a healthy, fun and informative way to explore the city

  • Around TownGeneral Features

    Rise and dine: Start your day off right at these fun Chicago breakfast joints

  • Around TownGeneral Features

    Top Chef, Chicago style: Analyzing the city’s hottest restaurants

Originally launched in 2006, The Real Chicago — as a glossy entertainment magazine, website and email newsletter — has consistently provided the very best insider information, features and reviews to help both tourists and active locals get the most out of exploring the greatest city on Earth.
© Copyright The Real Chicago. All rights reserved.