For my 18th birthday, my parents got me what is probably the best birthday gift I’ve ever received: Hamilton tickets. When I opened them I was completely surprised; I never expected to actually get tickets, let alone ones to see it in New York. My mom then told me that she bought them all the way back in July, and had kept them completely hidden from me until my birthday in November, and the tickets were for a show in March. Thus led to the best spring break trip ever.

We arrived in New York the day before the show. We found adventures to keep us busy but all I could think about was the next night. Finally, it was time. I showered and put on the outfit I had picked out and then spent a good deal of time doing my makeup to make sure it was perfect for the night. We had reservations for dinner at four o’clock, which turned out to be a bit too early but we wanted to make sure we had plenty of time to get from the restaurant to the theater, taking into account the death-defying traffic of New York City.

The restaurant we went to was this place I found online called Beetle House. It was a Tim Burton themed restaurant, so we decided to check it out. The outside of the restaurant, to be frank, looked kinda sketchy. Our Uber driver even lingered a bit to make sure we actually wanted to be there. But the inside was amazing. It was a small restaurant, hence the need for a reservation, but the walls were covered in Tim Burton memorabilia. Everything was perfectly fitting for the theme. The service was great, the food was largely portioned and delicious, and we even got to meet Sweeney Todd at the end. It was definitely a great find.

After the fun dinner, it was off to the Richard Rodgers Theater. Even though we had to stand outside for a while before they opened, I was glad to do so. I couldn’t help but smile up at the sign. It was just so surreal that I was actually there. The doors opened and we all flooded inside. We soon flocked to the merchandise stand, knowing from much previous experience that it is always best to buy souvenirs early. Everything was all so overwhelming at first that I couldn’t really register everything at the stand. But after we found our seats and returned I was able to kind of calm down and pick out what I wanted.

Our seats were great. The whole theater actually doesn’t really have many bad seats. We were fairly close to the stage, with the row in front of us low enough that nothing was blocked. I saw the set and it was just so beautiful. I’d seen pictures and short videos of the set, but seeing it in real life is a whole different experience. Just as everyone was settling into their seats, the lights dimmed, and the voice of King George rang out. It was happening.

I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve listened to the Hamilton soundtrack. I very likely could quote nearly the entire show. But as soon as the first note played, it was like magic. One by one the actors and dancers came on stage during the first number, and literally everything was perfect. As soon as Alexander Hamilton stepped out and said his name, I nearly cried. I was actually seeing Hamilton.

I almost cried probably at least 17 times during the show. As hyped as I was to see it, it still completely exceeded my expectations. Every single actor completely nailed their role, every single dancer was absolutely gorgeous in the stunning choreography, the freaking turntable just making everything that much cooler, there’s no way to accurately describe just how incredible it was to see this show live. Even writing this article, thinking back on the experience, my eyes are starting to water. In one day, I had eaten in a Tim Burton themed restaurant and saw Hamilton live in New York. I know it is not the easiest to do, but if you ever have the opportunity to see this show live, I highly recommend it. If you are already in love with the soundtrack, seeing the show live will blow all your expectations away. I have been in the room where it happens, and it is definitely worth it.