The case for bringing “Hamilton” to Gainesville

Like many people, I want to be in the room where it happens. Or, to be more accurate, the theater where it happens.

“Hamilton,” for those who are not yet acquainted with it, is a Broadway musical written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, which has become extremely popular since its premiere in 2015. The play, featuring a vibrant and multicultural cast, chronicles the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, from his humble origins on “a forgotten spot in the Caribbean,” to his tenure as the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, to his famous duel with Aaron Burr. The play has achieved acclaim for its hip-hop-based soundtrack and strong narrative, and “Hamilton” is currently showcasing these features during its first U.S. tour. 

This tour will be heading to a lot of places. According to the tour’s website, the tour will include eight cities in Florida: Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Naples and West Palm Beach. However, there’s also a notice at the bottom that states “Additional cities to be announced soon.” Today, I’d like to make a suggestion for one of those additional cities: Gainesville.

There are several upsides to Gainesville. The first thing any play needs is a venue. Right on the UF campus is the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. In terms of space, the mainstage’s capacity of 1,750 may be smaller than that of the “Hamilton” tour’s other venues (the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale has a capacity of 2,658 in its main theater, while the largest theater in Tampa’s Straz Center has a capacity of 2,610), but it is also larger than the musical’s Broadway home at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, (capacity 1,319), so I’m sure the company can make do. And while other venues in Gainesville like the Hippodrome State Theatre and University Auditorium have capacities of less than a thousand each, they can still be used for private or exclusive performances to give a more intimate feel.

 After the venue comes the audience. While “Hamilton” has been a hit among all groups young and old, theatre connoisseur and casual viewer, it is the young who have particularly taken to this Founding Father-centered musical. And there is no shortage of young people in this college town. According to a UF Common Data Set from 2012, 5.2 percent of UF undergraduates are 25 or older, meaning 94.8 percent of the student body are in the musical’s prime demographic. Of course, those 5.2 percent may also want to see “Hamilton,” meaning even more people will come to the show.

However, if you’re Lin-Manuel Miranda and you’re reading this, first off, thank you for reading this column, Mr. Miranda. But second, you may want more incentive to bring your show to Gainesville. After all, you can find young people and large venues in any city. But what you can’t find in every city is a large and supportive university that is eager to build goodwill with students. You could reach out to UF for support, but if you’re going to be using the Phillips Center, you’ll likely come into contact with university officials anyway since it’s on UF property. Who knows? Given the historical and educational content of “Hamilton,” perhaps UF administration would be willing to support this play, subsidizing free or reduced-price tickets for its students and partnering with local elementary, middle and high schools to provide field trips to see “Hamilton.” Such a venture might be pricey for UF, but it would generate good optics among both students and the Gainesville community, and the possibility of university support might entice even more major Broadway plays to the Phillips Center in the future.

Despite my advocacy, I know the odds of “Hamilton” coming to Gainesville are slim: Gainesville is a smaller city, and with “Hamilton” having eight other shows in Florida, the tour has likely already covered Florida in the most efficient manner possible. And while this column was somewhat tongue-in-cheek, my desire for “Hamilton” to come to Gainesville is real, and I imagine many others would like the same. It’s always nice to dream about your favorite events coming to where you live, but sometimes those are just dreams. Personally, I’m just going to see the show in Tampa.

Jason Zappulla is a UF history junior. His column appears on Mondays.