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  "path": "/theater/2026/03/10/hamilton-chicago-cibc-theatre-fan-reaction",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-10T10:30:00.000Z",
  "site": "https://chicago.suntimes.com",
  "textContent": "<p>Eleven years after its New York premiere, <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/theater/2026/03/06/review-hamilton-chicago-theater-broadway-cibc-theatre-lottery\" target=\"_blank\" ><u>“Hamilton”</u></a> has returned to Chicago where it will run at the CIBC Theatre through April 26.</p><p>Chicago’s gain is the result of producer Jeffrey Sellers’ decision to <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/05/hamilton-chicago-jeffrey-seller/\" target=\"_blank\" ><u>cancel</u></a> a performance run at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. That call came after President Donald Trump fired members of the storied venue’s board, as Sellers told the Chicago Tribune last week.</p><div class=\"Enhancement FormEnhancement\" data-align-center> <div id=\"Form-newsletter-wrapper\" class=\"Form-newsletter-wrapper\" data-module data-has-background ><a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"custom-form-c10000\" name=\"custom-form-c10000\"></a><bsp-form class=\"Form-newsletter\" data-form-container data-has-background style=\"--color-form-background: #e8dbed;; --color-form-link: var(--link-color); --color-form-link-hover: var(--color-link-text-hover); \" data-ajax-submit=\"true\"> <div class=\"Form-newsletter-logo\"> <picture data-crop=\"\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"840\" height=\"555\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8d5b965/2147483647/strip/true/crop/985x651+33+0/resize/840x555!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F71%2Ff5%2F2243263a48c7a1d6e81fedce4f15%2Fgr-wordmark-rgb-dkgreen-newsletter.png 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a4ff6fd/2147483647/strip/true/crop/985x651+33+0/resize/1680x1110!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F71%2Ff5%2F2243263a48c7a1d6e81fedce4f15%2Fgr-wordmark-rgb-dkgreen-newsletter.png 2x\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSI1NTVweCIgd2lkdGg9Ijg0MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <source width=\"840\" height=\"555\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d21ec76/2147483647/strip/true/crop/985x651+33+0/resize/840x555!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F71%2Ff5%2F2243263a48c7a1d6e81fedce4f15%2Fgr-wordmark-rgb-dkgreen-newsletter.png\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSI1NTVweCIgd2lkdGg9Ijg0MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"GR-wordmark-RGB-DKgreen-Newsletter.png\" srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d21ec76/2147483647/strip/true/crop/985x651+33+0/resize/840x555!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F71%2Ff5%2F2243263a48c7a1d6e81fedce4f15%2Fgr-wordmark-rgb-dkgreen-newsletter.png 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/aaee62a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/985x651+33+0/resize/1680x1110!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F71%2Ff5%2F2243263a48c7a1d6e81fedce4f15%2Fgr-wordmark-rgb-dkgreen-newsletter.png 2x\" width=\"840\" height=\"555\" data-src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d21ec76/2147483647/strip/true/crop/985x651+33+0/resize/840x555!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F71%2Ff5%2F2243263a48c7a1d6e81fedce4f15%2Fgr-wordmark-rgb-dkgreen-newsletter.png\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSI1NTVweCIgd2lkdGg9Ijg0MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" > </picture> </div> <div class=\"Form-newsletter-text-wrapper\"> <div class=\"Form-newsletter-title\"> Green Room Newsletter </div> <div class=\"Form-newsletter-submissionSuccess\"> <p><b>You’re subscribed!</b></p><p></p><p>Please check your inbox for your confirmation.</p> </div> <div class=\"Form-newsletter-description\">Stay ahead of what’s hitting Chicago stages, galleries, museums and more with Green Room, WBEZ’s weekly arts & culture newsletter!</div> <div class=\"Form-newsletter-errorMessage\"><p>Sorry, there was an error registering your email.</p></div> </div> <form data-ajax-endpoint=\"https://sfmc-subscribe.wbez.org/v1/subscription\" class=\"Form-newsletter-form\" method=\"POST\" > <div class=\"Form-newsletter-item\"> <div class=\"EmailInput\"><label class=\"EmailInput-label\"><span>Email</span> <input class=\"EmailInput-input\" type=\"email\" name=\"email\" placeholder=\"name@email.com\" required aria-required=\"true\"> </label> </div> <button class=\"Button\" type=\"submit\">Sign Up </button> </div> <div class=\"Form-items-item\"> <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"acquisition_campaign\" value=\"ARTS_Affordance\"> </div> <div class=\"Form-newsletter-disclaimer\"> <p>By subscribing, you agree with WBEZ’s <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://www.wbez.org/terms-of-use\" target=\"_blank\" >Terms of Use</a> and <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://www.wbez.org/privacy-policy\" target=\"_blank\" >Privacy Policy</a></p> </div> </form> </bsp-form> </div> </div><p>The show lands here in a different political climate than in previous runs, opening in Downtown Chicago the week that the United States and Israel fired missiles on Iran and just a few months after a monthslong federal immigration enforcement campaign dubbed <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2026/02/20/operation-midway-blitz-effects-latino-neighborhoods-pilsen-little-village-southeast-side\" target=\"_blank\" ><u>“Midway Blitz”</u></a> put the city on high alert.</p><p>Of course, Chicago has always loved “Hamilton.” The Tony Award-ward winning musical had a historic three-year run here from 2016 to 2020 with more than 2.6 million people seeing the show across 1,341 performances — a higher audience total than the original show’s numbers on Broadway.</p><p>And there is now a core fanbase that has aged a decade since Lin-Manuel Miranda first dazzled audiences as the titular character.</p><p>But how would audiences feel now? We attended the opening matinee last Thursday to find out. As some repeat fans filled out stickers that touted how many times they’d seen the show, we heard a mix of perspectives.</p><div class=\"Enhancement\" data-align-center> <div class=\"Enhancement-item\" data-crop=\"\"> <figure class=\"Figure\"><a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-8c0000\" name=\"image-8c0000\"></a> <picture data-crop=\"medium\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/eddcf9a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+120/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F40%2F8a%2Fba58e0374f3f9a6d93262238bfa2%2Ftyler-fauntleroy-and-company-hamilton-national-tour-c-joan-marcus-2024-1.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a6e9502/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+120/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F40%2F8a%2Fba58e0374f3f9a6d93262238bfa2%2Ftyler-fauntleroy-and-company-hamilton-national-tour-c-joan-marcus-2024-1.jpg 2x\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <source width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9bf6c83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+120/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F40%2F8a%2Fba58e0374f3f9a6d93262238bfa2%2Ftyler-fauntleroy-and-company-hamilton-national-tour-c-joan-marcus-2024-1.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"Tyler Fauntleroy and Company in the national tour of \"Hamilton\"\" srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9bf6c83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+120/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F40%2F8a%2Fba58e0374f3f9a6d93262238bfa2%2Ftyler-fauntleroy-and-company-hamilton-national-tour-c-joan-marcus-2024-1.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/330c510/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+120/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F40%2F8a%2Fba58e0374f3f9a6d93262238bfa2%2Ftyler-fauntleroy-and-company-hamilton-national-tour-c-joan-marcus-2024-1.jpg 2x\" width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9bf6c83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+120/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F40%2F8a%2Fba58e0374f3f9a6d93262238bfa2%2Ftyler-fauntleroy-and-company-hamilton-national-tour-c-joan-marcus-2024-1.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" > </picture> <div class=\"Figure-content\"><figcaption class=\"Figure-caption\"><p>“Hamilton” had a historic three-year run in Chicago from 2016 to 2020 with more than 2.6 million people seeing the show across 1,341 performances — a higher audience total than the original show’s numbers on Broadway.</p></figcaption><span class=\"line\"></span><div class=\"Figure-credit\"><p>Courtesy of Joan Marcus</p></div></div> </figure> </div> </div><p>One veteran Hamilfan was seeing the show for the 23rd time. But there were plenty of new fans experiencing the musical for the first time — or live for the first time, as many younger audience members said they first watched the streamable Disney+ version.</p><p>There were fans like Clista, 35, from Winthrop Harbor, who became a mother since last seeing the show, and has returned this year with her son. (She did not give her last name.)</p><p>“When you were in my belly, I would always sing you ‘Dear Theodosia,’” she said to her nine-year-old son, Christian, as they sat in the vestibule during intermission.</p><div class=\"Enhancement\" data-align-center><div class=\"Enhancement-item\"> <div class=\"ExternalContent-wrapper\" > <div class=\"InstagramUrl\"> <blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVrc3RcFVyT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVrc3RcFVyT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; 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font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"></div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"></div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"></div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"></div></div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"></div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"></div></div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"></div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"></div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"></div></div></div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"></div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"></div></div></a></div></blockquote> <script async src=\"//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js\"></script> </div> </div> </div></div><p>Clista said seeing the show feels a lot different than it did 11 years ago.</p><p>“When I first heard the show, it was very impactful, very different,” she recalled. “And now, with everything that's going on with the world, I feel like it's a great message for young kids. He loves the show, and I'm of Mexican heritage. His father's Puerto Rican. So it's a great, positive message, and it's very heartfelt.”</p><p>Interviewing people on opening night, the message that America is a country powered by immigrants (“Immigrants, we get the job done!”) within the performance landed with many audience members.</p><p>A.D. Weaver, who plays George Washington, said the show feels heavy in this current run.</p><p>“It's no secret where we are in the world today,” he said after Thursday’s matinee performance, as he prepared for a second show Thursday night. “And to tell a story about what this country should be when we're moving in a direction that's so far somewhere else, I think what we provide for the audience is a glimpse into their hopes and their dreams. And just the hope that, as I said, if you put in the work, it doesn't matter where you come from, you can do anything — like build a nation.”</p><div class=\"Enhancement\" data-align-center> <div class=\"Enhancement-item\" data-crop=\"\"> <figure class=\"Figure\"><a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-fa0000\" name=\"image-fa0000\"></a> <picture data-crop=\"medium\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9b86a0c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+132/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F7f%2Fac%2F5a0e64e142de9be7a1dbb823d25e%2Fhamilfans-2603090132.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f53d78e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+132/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F7f%2Fac%2F5a0e64e142de9be7a1dbb823d25e%2Fhamilfans-2603090132.jpg 2x\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <source width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/60c4d8a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+132/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F7f%2Fac%2F5a0e64e142de9be7a1dbb823d25e%2Fhamilfans-2603090132.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"A.D. Weaver poses for a portrait during the first show of the Chicago run of Hamilton at the CIBC Theatre in downtown Chicago, Illinois on March 5, 2026. \" srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/60c4d8a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+132/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F7f%2Fac%2F5a0e64e142de9be7a1dbb823d25e%2Fhamilfans-2603090132.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7f6cff6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+132/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F7f%2Fac%2F5a0e64e142de9be7a1dbb823d25e%2Fhamilfans-2603090132.jpg 2x\" width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/60c4d8a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+132/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F7f%2Fac%2F5a0e64e142de9be7a1dbb823d25e%2Fhamilfans-2603090132.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" > </picture> <div class=\"Figure-content\"><figcaption class=\"Figure-caption\"><p>A.D. Weaver, who plays George Washington, said “Hamilton” feels heavy in this current run.</p></figcaption><span class=\"line\"></span><div class=\"Figure-credit\"><p>Manuel Martinez/WBEZ</p></div></div> </figure> </div> </div><p>Weaver said his favorite song in the musical, “Wait for It,” delivers a message of hope.</p><p>“I love how it talks about the plight of being a person in society who just wants to do what they were called to do,” he explained. “It doesn't matter where you come from, your religion, your creed. It's just ‘I put in the work. I'm going to wait and I'm going to do what I have to do to get there.’”</p><p>May, a 21-year-old film student from Yorkville who declined to give her last name, has a long standing connection to “Hamilton.”</p><p>“I love ‘Room Where It Happens’ and I love ‘Wait for It,’ I’m a big Burr girl,” she said. “But I used to sing myself to sleep singing ‘Satisfied,’ so I think that may be my favorite.”</p><p>While she admits she loved the music, May also notes the inescapable context from recent headlines that seep into the story.</p><div class=\"Enhancement\" data-align-center> <div class=\"Enhancement-item\" data-crop=\"\"> <figure class=\"Figure\"><a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-200000\" name=\"image-200000\"></a> <picture data-crop=\"medium\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e4ae50a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+132/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F2c%2Fdc%2F603449614dbe93116fc8f39dd597%2Fhamilfans-2603090044.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e67bcbf/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+132/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F2c%2Fdc%2F603449614dbe93116fc8f39dd597%2Fhamilfans-2603090044.jpg 2x\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <source width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/174f501/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+132/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F2c%2Fdc%2F603449614dbe93116fc8f39dd597%2Fhamilfans-2603090044.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"May poses for a portrait during the first show of the Chicago run of Hamilton at the CIBC Theatre in downtown Chicago, Illinois on March 5, 2026. \" srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/174f501/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+132/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F2c%2Fdc%2F603449614dbe93116fc8f39dd597%2Fhamilfans-2603090044.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/759ff1d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+132/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F2c%2Fdc%2F603449614dbe93116fc8f39dd597%2Fhamilfans-2603090044.jpg 2x\" width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/174f501/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+132/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F2c%2Fdc%2F603449614dbe93116fc8f39dd597%2Fhamilfans-2603090044.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" > </picture> <div class=\"Figure-content\"><figcaption class=\"Figure-caption\"><p>“With the way the United States is behaving right now, it reminds me of the imperialism that the British enacted on their colonies,” May, a student from Yorkville, said.</p></figcaption><span class=\"line\"></span><div class=\"Figure-credit\"><p>Manuel Martinez/WBEZ</p></div></div> </figure> </div> </div><p>“With the way the United States is behaving right now, it reminds me of the imperialism that the British enacted on their colonies,” she said. “The way that we treat the people of Hawaii, and the way that we treat the people of Puerto Rico, and the way that we treat immigrants in our country is just without humanity.”</p><p>Tyler McKenzie is a swing in the show and plays multiple roles on stage, including Charles Lee on opening night. He first joined the production in 2017 on Broadway, then joined the national tour soon after.</p><p>“I've been able to grow up with the show,” he said. “I got married while doing the show. I got engaged while doing the show. I've discovered a lot about myself while doing the show, so that has also impacted how I perform the show. There's a redefined ego. There's a redefined maturity. Which the show does ask for a good, mature actor, dancer, performer, who is able to control energy and put it in the places that are necessary.”</p><div class=\"Enhancement\" data-align-center> <div class=\"Enhancement-item\" data-crop=\"\"> <figure class=\"Figure\"><a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-fa0000\" name=\"image-fa0000\"></a> <picture data-crop=\"medium\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/93f1e68/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+132/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fd0%2Fa2%2F72c1cb3e45efb06da9edacb25b63%2Fhamilfans-2603090098.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/41b4981/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+132/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fd0%2Fa2%2F72c1cb3e45efb06da9edacb25b63%2Fhamilfans-2603090098.jpg 2x\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <source width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0e4446e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+132/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fd0%2Fa2%2F72c1cb3e45efb06da9edacb25b63%2Fhamilfans-2603090098.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"Tyler McKenzie poses for a portrait during the first show of the Chicago run of Hamilton at the CIBC Theatre in downtown Chicago, Illinois on March 5, 2026\" srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0e4446e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+132/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fd0%2Fa2%2F72c1cb3e45efb06da9edacb25b63%2Fhamilfans-2603090098.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/244ac3a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+132/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fd0%2Fa2%2F72c1cb3e45efb06da9edacb25b63%2Fhamilfans-2603090098.jpg 2x\" width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0e4446e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x1403+0+132/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fd0%2Fa2%2F72c1cb3e45efb06da9edacb25b63%2Fhamilfans-2603090098.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" > </picture> <div class=\"Figure-content\"><figcaption class=\"Figure-caption\"><p>“I’ve discovered a lot about myself while doing the show, so that has also impacted how I perform the show,” Tyler McKenzie said. </p></figcaption><span class=\"line\"></span><div class=\"Figure-credit\"><p>Manuel Martinez/WBEZ</p></div></div> </figure> </div> </div><p>McKenzie enjoys feeding off the energy of the audience, and his favorite number in the show is a fan favorite.</p><p>“‘Battle of Yorktown is my favorite song to perform,” he said. “I think the audience is super, super in it during that time, it's high energy. There's a lot of crisp movement that's really awesome. It's also really fun to teach as a dance captain,” he added, “so teaching that number is really fun.”</p>",
  "title": "“Hamilton” debuted more than a decade ago. How is Chicago feeling about the musical now?",
  "updatedAt": "2026-03-10T10:30:19.854Z"
}