How Boomers Can Watch “Hamilton” Broadway Show Movie

I was determined to see the recorded Broadway show Hamilton in its movie form.

Three weeks before its release date, I learned from a fellow oldster that it would be shown on an entity called Disney Plus.

What’s Disney Plus?? I‘m a Baby Boomer with no grandchildren nearby. And, none the age that would be watching a film about American history. Not yet.

If you are in the same shoes I was in – basically CLUELESS – here is how easy it is to watch the acclaimed musical about the founding of the United States of America.

Disney Plus is a website. You do not need to be a cable TV subscriber, Hulu member or involved in any other costly, long-term arrangement.

You can subscribe directly with Disney Plus and you don’t need to commit for more than a month.

First step: On your computer device, go to disneyplus dot com.

Second step: Join the service by entering all your name and address data. Also, supply a valid active credit card.

Third step: Choose the month-to-month option, which is $6.99 per month. You are consenting to automatic monthly payments when you do this.

Fourth step: Make a reminder to yourself to cancel the service. This can be a note on a paper or virtual calendar. Of course, if you fall in love with Disney Plus and what it offers you, you do not need to follow through on cancelling.

As of July 2020, the announced plans on Disney Plus is that it will be offering Hamilton indefinitely into the future. Yippee!

For some odd reason, when I learned about its airing on July 3^rd, I feared that it would be available for only 24 hours OR for only a three-day holiday weekend. I don’t know how or why I got this impression, but others also thought this way.

Happily, we are all wrong!

Hamilton is still available to watch!

Here’s how –

1. Set aside a block of time that is 2 hours 40 minutes. Yes, the show is that long. The movie does provide a one-minute intermission. Also, similarly to watching a YouTube video or any other video on your computer, you will have the ability to press the pause button to stop it if you need a break while watching.
2. Go to disneyplus dot com
3. Log in.
4. Your screen will then have a menu going horizontally across the top with choices such as Home, Series, Watchlist. You should click on MOVIES.
5. You will get either a screen with about ten small icons with movie names or one movie picture and name which scrolls to a new name every few seconds. Get to the picture for Hamilton and click on it.
6. Click on the Play triangle and enjoy!

I streamed the show on my computer and took in the theatre experience. I was open to the mystery of a “rapped” show. However, being a Boomer who did not grow up with rapping, it took me a few minutes to re-calibrate my ears and brain.

It is totally worth it!

Broadway is just so creative and fabulous. But, you know that!

But, buckle your seat belts. It was beyond belief how creative Hamilton is. I love that it was recorded in the theatre with a live audience. It makes the entire production feel as close to “theatre” as we can get these days.

Just an FYI if you are wondering: the Hamilton movie is rated PG-13. Adult topics are included.

I have several recommendations.

I am the personality type who likes to be surprised by a movie or by a show. Once I have learned enough to decide that I want to see a production, then I close myself to getting any further information about it. I want to receive it the way the writer, producer, director and cast offer it.

This being the case, after being wowed by my first watching, I decided that I would watch it again with closed captions if they were available.

It is tricky to get to closed captioning. After you click on the Play triangle for the movie, look in the upper right corner for a TINY rectangle. That is the menu that will get you to closed captions.

When I watched with the captioning, I picked up much more information. However, I would not recommend closed captions for the first viewing because you will miss much choreography and staging if you are busy reading words.

Disney Plus offers a 33-minute safely socially distanced virtual interview program with many members of the cast. It is worth watching.

United States history is full of alive, breathing, passionate folks. Our school texts of the 1950s and 60s just weren’t allowed to let us know that.

Thank goodness Broadway does not have such silly constraints!

It’s easy to watch Hamilton on your computer.

Do it this weekend!

(I’m watching it again today.)