A far cry from the chilly, cloudy New York City evenings where Ham4Ham originated, a mob of screaming fans crowded outside the Pantages Theater on this sunny Los Angeles afternoon, eagerly awaiting Lin-Manuel Miranda’s one-time-only revival of his beloved Hamilton lottery performance tradition. With Daveed Diggs on hand to help out with the selection process and a new cast around to perform a selection of Cali-themed hits — from “Hotel California” to “California Love” and many more — the atmosphere amid the new Ham4Ham was positively jubilant, the crowd so large and so hungry for $10 tickets that Hollywood Boulevard was closed off in advance of the musical’s West Coast premiere. So: No, Hamilton mania is not dying down anytime soon, and yes, Miranda’s combination of passionate energy and sheer talent remains as infectious as ever under the L.A. sun.
