Alexis Fowler, CFNN Reporter

In 2015, the Broadway musical “Hamilton” debuted. Nobody could have ever imagined that the show would earn the success that it has, becoming a billion dollar franchise.

Over the summer, their horizons expanded, and the recorded musical was released on Disney Plus. Even though the camera quality is fantastic, having a good view of the stage is not necessarily an authentic Broadway show experience. So, how does seeing it on TV compare to seeing it in person?

The recorded musical on Disney Plus is with the original cast, including the main writer and composer, Lin Manuel Miranda, who stars as Hamilton himself. Seeing the original cast, especially in person, is super rare and special, because this is the first group of cast members to ever perform the show. After new people are casted, the original group most likely will never be together again. 

Viewers also don’t have to pay a ton of money to watch the show. Tickets for the show are pricey and can be over three or four hundred dollars each, some even going over a thousand dollars. With the normal Disney Plus subscription, there are no additional fees.

This has allowed a much larger audience to see the show: approximately 2.7 million households have seen it since July. This surpasses the number of people who have seen the show in person! About 2.6 million people have seen the show live, but that has been over the span of 5 years since its debut. 

The biggest difference between the show on Broadway and on Disney plus is the authenticity of going to a Broadway performance. No matter how hard anyone tries to simulate the experience, there is absolutely nothing in the world that compares.

In person, you can look at whatever part of the stage you want. On Disney Plus, they often only focus on one person at a time. This causes you to miss some of the more intricate moments in the background.

At the theater, the atmosphere is different then it is in the comfort of your own home. You’re surrounded by people who are also excited to see the show, so no one tries to talk over it. You can also buy merchandise at the shows and get PlayBills! A PlayBill is a long poster announcing a theater performance, but PlayBill also produces smaller programs for attendees to keep.

One of the coolest things you can do after seeing the show in person is going to the stage door, where the cast members enter and exit each day. At the stage door, some of the cast members come out and greet the fans, signing their PlayBills and taking pictures with them. It’s truly a special moment.

It’s hard to say which one is really better. Disney Plus allows you to watch it over and over again, but the Broadway version allows you to have a more personal experience. Which one do you believe is better?