A Presidential Performance! President Clinton and Family Attend Broadway-Bound Hamilton at the Public

Most audiences at Lin-Manuel Miranda’s critically-acclaimed new musical Hamilton get to see historical presidents Washington, Jefferson and Monroe. But the audience at the 8 PM March 1 performance got to see one more: Bill Clinton.

The 42nd president and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, were in attendance at Off-Broadway's Public Theatre, along with their daughter, Chelsea Clinton, to see Miranda’s tribute to founding father (but never president) Alexander Hamilton.

Among other scenes, they were treated to Miranda’s portrait of Hamilton (the face on the ten-dollar bill) born to a single mother and working his way up becoming Secretary of the Treasury and President Washington's right-hand man. They also saw Hamilton cheating on his wife, and the couple then working their way toward forgiveness and reconciliation.

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The Clintons slipped in to the Newman Theatre space at the Public just before the lights went down, but at intermission were mobbed by as many well-wishers as the Secret Service would allow to get within handshake distance of the former Commander-in-Chief. At the show’s finale the Clintons joined in the standing ovation, and then slipped out through an emergency exit.

Hamilton will transfer to Broadway, beginning previews July 13 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. The announcement was made Feb. 24 at Off-Broadway's The Public Theater, where the musical is playing an extended, sold-out engagement through May 3.

The production, featuring a book, music and lyrics by Miranda, will officially open on Broadway Aug. 6. The Richard Rodgers Theatre was home to Miranda's Tony Award-winning musical In the Heights. The theatre's current tenant is the musical If/Then, which concludes its run March 22.

As previously reported by Playbill.com, Clinton has long been a supporter of Broadway, recently taking his wife, daughter and son-in-law to see Sting's musical The Last Ship. He has also attended A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Lion King, The Iceman Cometh and Rent.

Read the Playbill feature Hail to the Theatregoers-in-Chief: A Brief Tour of Presidential "Theatrics" here.

Hamilton began Off-Broadway previews Jan. 20 and opened to critical acclaim Feb. 17. The Public Theater engagement is supported by Jeffrey Seller, Sander Jacobs and Jill Furman, all of whom helped usher Miranda's In the Heights to Broadway in 2008. They will produce the Broadway run of Hamilton along with the Public Theater.

The new musical reunites the award-winning In the Heights team. Tony nominee Thomas Kail is at the helm, with choreography from Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler. Miranda, who wrote the show's book, music and lyrics, stars in the title role.

A record label or timeline for the forthcoming cast album of Hamilton has not yet been announced.

Read Off-Broadway reviews for Hamilton here.

Tickets for the Broadway transfer go on sale March 8 at 10 AM via Ticketmaster.com.

Read the Playbill magazine feature with Miranda and Leslie Odom, Jr., who co-star as the show's respective fatal friends, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr.

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Inspired by the book "Alexander Hamilton" by Ron Chernow, the musical incorporates historical figures such as George Washington, Aaron Burr, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson. Miranda previously performed a song from Hamilton for President Obama and the First Family at the White House in 2009.

The complete Off-Broadway cast features Carleigh Bettiol (ensemble); Andrew Chappelle (swing); Ariana DeBose (ensemble); Alysha Deslorieux (swing); Daveed Diggs (Marquis De Lafayette, Thomas Jefferson); Renée Elise Goldsberry (Angelica Schuyler); Sydney James Harcourt (ensemble); Sasha Hutchings(ensemble); Christopher Jackson (George Washington); Brian d'Arcy James (King George); Thayne Jasperson (ensemble); Jasmine Cephas Jones (Peggy Schuyler, Maria Reynolds); Stephanie Klemons (swing); Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton); Javier Muñoz (Hamilton Standby); Leslie Odom Jr. (Aaron Burr); Okieriete Onaodowan (Hercules Mulligan, James Madison); Anthony Ramos (John Laurens, Phillip Hamilton); Jon Rua(ensemble); Phillipa Soo (Eliza Hamilton); Seth Stewart (ensemble); Betsy Struxness (ensemble); Ephraim Sykes (ensemble); and Voltaire Wade-Greene (swing).

The production has scenic design by David Korins; costume design by Paul Tazewell; lighting design by Howell Binkley; sound design by Nevin Steinberg; hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe; music direction and orchestrator Alex Lacamoire.

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