If you’re a fan of musical theater, American history, or hip-hop, you’ve probably heard of “Hamilton” by this point. If you haven’t, you may be trying to imagine how all three of those things could possibly fit together. It may sound crazy, but the Broadway hit’s creator and star, Lin-Manuel Miranda, will have you know that they fit together impossibly well. After reading "Alexander Hamilton," a biography by Ron Chernow, the writer/composer/actor/rapper/mastermind started working on a “Hamilton Mixtape,” which later grew into the hottest hip-hop musical to hit New York.
The show has basically been sold out since it opened earlier this year, but that isn’t stopping fans. Most of the show is rapped or sung, so anyone with iTunes or Spotify is able to listen to the three-hour show for free and hardly miss an audible moment. The fact that the show is so accessible to people anyone who wants to listen has granted it a huge fanbase, meaning tickets are selling out even faster and are rarely found for less than a couple hundred dollars. So, at this point in time, the only affordable option is going to the “Ham4Ham” lottery.
What it is:
“Ham4Ham” is short for “Hamilton for a Hamilton,” meaning that, if you win, you pay one Hamilton (a ten dollar bill) to see another. Two and a half hours before every show, 21 front row tickets are given away, as well as standing room tickets, if there are any that day. For many, it's the only way to see the show.
How the lottery works:
Like I said, the lottery starts two and a half hours before every single show and closes half an hour later. If you get there before that, you'll have to wait in a line outside the theater. This line can stretch back past the Marquis Theatre next door and usually loops around a couple times, but don't let the size of the crowd scare you away from entering. As long as you’re there on time, your entry will be in the bucket and mixed in with the rest of the entries before each name is picked. You actually don't even need to wait in the line if you get there a bit after the two-and-a-half hour mark. The entry line moves so quickly that anyone arriving after ten minutes of the lottery being open won't even find a line.
If you do choose to wait in line, you will be handed a lottery ticket a few minutes before the lottery starts. On the slip, you'll write your first and last name as it is on your ID, as well as whether you want one ticket to the show or two. Once the lottery starts, you'll drop your ticket in the bucket up front and then stand in the roped off waiting area until they close the lottery and start picking names.
Here are the rules explained before a recent lottery:
#Ham4Ham:
While the whole "Hamilton for a Hamilton" idea technically refers to the entire lottery, the name "Ham4Ham" is normally used for the pre-show performance outside the theater. Wednesday and Saturday evening lottery drawings are preluded by a short five minute performance introduced by and sometimes including none other than Lin, himself. It usually includes special guests that can range from poets to musicians to Broadway actors to other audience members. Though the performance means a larger crowd and, subsequently, a smaller chance of winning the lottery, the performance is always a surprise and always worth it. Past performances have included the three actors who have played King George lipsyncing to the show's "The Schuyler Sisters," a rap battle between fans (featuring what is arguably the fastest song in Broadway history at a peak moment of 6.3 words per second and undeniably my favorite song in the show right now), and, at the performance I saw, a red, white, and blue clad Lin and The Skivvies performing songs by Outkast.
If you're entering the lottery and want to get a good spot at the "Ham4Ham" performance, I'd suggest getting to the lottery over an hour early. People often get to the theater just for the five minute show and have been standing there for two hours so they can be at the front of the crowd. The lottery lines are also very long on performance days, but if you’re there first, you might be able to get a decent spot before the rest of the crowd gets their names in the bucket.
Also, make sure to check Lin’s twitter and the Hamilton twitter for updates or changes in the schedule. You might find the pre-show day has changed. Or you’ll find Lin hinting at the special guest. Both are important.
How to get the odds in your favor:
There's honesty not much you can do to guarantee a ticket for this show. The girl in front of me in line said that a friend of hers has won the lottery four times after only eight tries, while a man in back of me said that it's more likely you'll slip and crack your head in the shower than win tickets. The fact is, there are almost always between 500 and 1,000 names in that bucket, and you are just one of them.
I may not have won when I went this past Saturday, but I did notice some things about those who did, so while we're talking let me offer you some free advice:
1. Make something about your entry different.
The first ticket drawn was folded like an airplane. Another was crumpled and then straightened out before being thrown in the bucket. One had just one edge folded over. Giving your entry some texture that can catch the hand of the person choosing names is an easy way to make your name more likely to get picked.
A few names picked also had little messages written on the outside. One had "41st try" on it. Another had "I'm done patiently waiting" written at the top. Writing or drawing something on your ticket might catch the picker's eye, even if they're not meant to look in the bucket when they choose.
2. If you're serious about the lottery, don't go on a Wednesday or Saturday.
As much as I love #Ham4Ham, the amount of people that show up on those days seriously hurts your chances of winning. The odds of winning among a few hundred people are a lot better than the thousand at Lin's performances. They're almost always up on Youtube later than night, anyway.
3. Bring a friend or make a friend.
By bringing a friend, you double your chances and both get the chance to win tickets for the two of you. If you win the lottery, you are given a choice between getting one ticket or two, so having a larger group won't help all that much, but having one other person by your side doubles your odds. If you can't find someone to go with you, try to find someone else at the lottery who is alone and make a deal to give each other the second ticket if one of you wins. Win or lose, you made a friend.
4. Check the weather.
Less people in the city = less people at the theater. It doesn't lessen the crowd too much, but no one wants to wait over an hour in the rain.
Even though the chances are slim, it's definitely worth the trip. Spending the hour or more with a group of people who love the show is amazing. The energy outside the theater is great, and getting to see the genius behind it all was even better. I left the theater completely empty-handed and absolutely satisfied, as did everyone around me. I'll be back soon, though. I'm going to see "Hamilton" one of these days, no matter how long I have to wait for it.
If you're curious about the show or have questions, check out their website or leave a comment below!
