Hamilton cancelled on Labour Day due to ‘unexpected illness’
Organisers of visiting Broadway musical Hamilton on May 1 announced an eleventh-hour cancellation of the night’s show, citing “unexpected illness” within the company.
At around 7pm, about an hour before the 8pm curtain time, ticketing company Sistic informed would-be showgoers of the change in a text message, which was seen by The Straits Times.
A photo posted on Facebook on May 1 showed throngs of patrons gathered outside the entrance of the Sands Theatre in Marina Bay Sands, where the show is held.
Ms Chang Zi Hui, a 22-year-old ticket-holder, said she was “just disappointed” by the last-minute nixing and even suspected the message might have been a scam, until she received an official e-mail repeating the news at 7.30pm.
“I was already out for dinner nearby,” she said.
In response to queries from ST, a spokesperson for Hamilton said all affected patrons will be given the opportunity to attend another session of the show.
Those unable to attend another session of the musical during its run here will be given refunds, the spokesperson added.
The organisers declined to say how many ticketholders were affected, what illness the troupe is indisposed with, or why understudies were not available.
The Sands Theatre can seat up to 1,679 people, with Hamilton tickets going from $80 to $300 each on Sistic.
“Cancelling a performance is always the last resort. All future performances are due to go ahead as scheduled. In the unlikely event additional performances are cancelled, affected patrons will be contacted directly,” said the spokesperson.
In the e-mail to affected patrons seen by ST, Sistic said their May 1 tickets could be exchanged for performances on other nights, as long as the new seats chosen were within the same price category.
Sistic will contact those affected to assist them in booking a replacement session, the e-mail added.
The acclaimed production premiered in Singapore on April 19 and will play at the Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands until June 9 – extended from the earlier announced last day on May 26, due to overwhelming demand.
Created by American songwriter-actor Lin-Manuel Miranda, it covers the life of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and his involvement in the American Revolution up to his death in 1804.
Since its premiere in 2015, the musical has swept major awards, including 11 Tony Awards, seven Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album.
The show has been to Broadway, the West End, and a medley of countries, including Australia and Germany.
Its Singapore run features a cast drawn from earlier productions around the world, with an Australian actor in the titular role and an American actor as his rival, Aaron Burr.
It is noted for its score, which draws heavily from hip-hop, jazz and R&B, together with traditional show tunes.
My Shot, The Room Where It Happens and You’ll Be Back are some of its notable hits.
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