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Clear your calendars and warm up those vocal cords. Lin-Manuel Miranda is inviting New Yorkers to be in the room where it happens. On Sunday, September 7, the Hamilton creator himself will take the stage at Washington Heights’ ornate United Palace to kick off a very special sing-along screening of the smash-hit musical.
The event marks the grand finale of “HamilTEN,” a year-long celebration of the Broadway juggernaut’s 10th anniversary. And yes, this isn’t just any film screening. It’s the 2016 filmed version of Hamilton projected in full, with lyrics on screen so the entire audience can belt out “My Shot” and “The Schuyler Sisters” together. Consider it the karaoke night to end all karaoke nights.
But before the main feature, attendees will get a bonus: a screening of Hamilton’s America, the 90-minute documentary that offers a behind-the-scenes look at how Miranda and his collaborators turned Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton into a cultural phenomenon. Doors open at noon, the doc starts at 1 pm sharp, and then it’s on to the big sing-along event at 2:45 pm. Expect a 10-minute intermission to give your vocal cords a rest before charging into Act II.
Here’s the kicker: Tickets are free. They’ll be released online starting Tuesday, September 2, at 10 am, and if past United Palace events are any indication, they’ll vanish faster than you can say “Alexander Hamilton.” If you can’t snag a spot, don’t despair: The venue will run a standby line on Wadsworth Avenue at 176th Street, and empty seats will be filled just before showtime.
Of course, superfans who refuse to throw away their shot can secure their place by becoming a Movies at the Palace member. A $65 membership guarantees two seats for the sing-along spectacular, but the offer vanishes after Sunday, August 31, at 11:59 pm.
The United Palace, with its gilded ceilings and grand movie-palace heritage, is the perfect backdrop for this once-in-a-decade celebration. Thanks to the Miranda Family Fund, which has long supported the venue, the theater has become a cultural hub uptown, screening everything from world premieres (In the Heights) to holiday classics.
This time, though, the spotlight is squarely on Hamilton. Thousands of fans, one massive screen and Lin-Manuel himself setting the tone—it’s safe to say this will be history, live and loud.