Hamilton or Rent, Which one was the bigger hit?

I'm a massive Rent fan who saw the show at the Nederlander in spring 1996, and while I would love think that Rent is bigger than anything, while it was a sold out hit, there would be tickets available at the box office without a cancellation line. Hamilton is massively bigger.

I don't think you can really do an easy head-to-head comparison between a show that came out at the dawn of the Internet age, and now, since that is helping to drive a lot of the insanity. Even if a lot of the same things happened back then, you couldn't just go online and see how many tickets were being resold, etc.

Hamilton, by far. The only thing in my adult life -- I'm 65 -- that comes close was "The Producers" in how it sucked all the air out of the room that year. Nonprofits auctioned tickets. People bragged to fellow workers that they had seen it. Premium tickets were "invented" because the scalpers were making a killing.

But Hamilton is even bigger than The Producers in that it has transcended the Broadway "scene" and be prominently featured throughout the country -- The Grammys are one example, but the comments that came from the White House, the "pull" that Miranda had to change the plans to re-design the $10 bill, and how other "industries" are trying to get some "reflected" Hamilton-sunlight. (A stamp convention in NY is inviting people to "come see Hamilton for free" -- the ad shows an old US Postage Stamp with his picture.)

This is all new.

(Also, The Producers was already a "known" quantity from Mel Brooks -- it had, of course, been a movie which "everyone" around the country has seen. People wanted to know "how does Nathan Lane do in Zero Mostel's part..." Hamilton is new material -- if you haven't seen it (or more recently bought the CD, or the book) -- then you don't know it. And that increases the buzz, of course.



And while I understand that the internet and social media have changed a lot of the dynamics -- we've never had people camp out overnight outside a theatre hoping someone will turn back a ticket....

IT'S A HUGE F*CKING HIT

WE GET IT

WE DON'T NEED TO DISCUSS IT ANY FURTHER

If I ever happen to hear Rent, I'm reminded of how crappy it is (in my opinion). I'm shocked that it was successful, let alone a smash hit.

haterobics said: "I don't think you can really do an easy head-to-head comparison between a show that came out at the dawn of the Internet age, and now, since that is helping to drive a lot of the insanity. Even if a lot of the same things happened back then, you couldn't just go online and see how many tickets were being resold, etc."

I agree. Back in 1996, there was no YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat, etc. I was in high school at the time and I first heard of RENT from my friend in marching band who told me about it. I still didn't know much about it until I saw its performance on the Tonys. My older sister got me the CD soundtrack for my birthday and I'd put it on the stereo whenever I can.

Now with social media and YouTube, it's so much easier to widely hype something if it's really really good. Even with the cancellation line, I bet most people found out about it from online or some hashtag or through these boards. Back in 1996, only people in the theater world would know about the cancellation line.

I remember the Producers and that was crazy too. I think the closest musical in recent times that was super popular somewhat similar to Hamilton is Book of Mormon. Sure it was 5 years ago back in 2011, but back then we already had YouTube, Twitter, Instagram. I recall going to the rush lottery almost every day after work and the crowds were massive (though Hamilton's is bigger.)

Mike66 said: "icecreambenjamin said: "IT'S A HUGE F*CKING HIT

WE GET IT

WE DON'T NEED TO DISCUSS IT ANY FURTHER



"

So rude.

Why does it bother YOU what other people want to talk about. So much that you would yell and curse? Really.

Would you walk up to someone else in a restaurant and curse at them because they chose a topic that you didn't like? Or is it that the anonymity of the internet gives you license to be a boor?

Do you somehow feel that you MUST reply to every post. That would seem to be the only reason that might explain your comment. Here's a secret for you. You don't have to even look at any post that says "Hamilton" in the title. Will that help?

Why would you even open up a thread with the word "Hamilton" in it, given your disposition on it?

And how does it offend YOU if I still enjoy talking about it. Or do you think that you are just being clever. (Spoiler -- you are not.)

Thanks for listening.





"

I just want to say that I LOVE Hamilton, but we don't need a thread created every single day that compares a completely unrelated show to Hamilton. Hamilton is massive. It's absolutely everywhere. There have been previous shows that have been nearly as big a deal within the theatre going community, but Hamilton has broken into pop culture realm. I love it just as much as everyone else, but can we please stop with the unnecessary threads about it? There's a general Hamilton chat that this could've been discussed in.

They've already put up banners all over L.A. advertising Hamilton's run at the Pantages. You know, the one starting in August of 2017. I don't think they did that for Rent.