APRIL FOOLS: Coming arts and culture center books Hamilton

Longboat Key is not throwing away its shot.

Its shot at seeing Hamilton: An American Musical, that is.

On March 26, the Longboat Key Foundation and Ringling College of Art and Design announced that the critically-acclaimed musical, which has won 11 Tony Awards, will be the first performance to set foot on one of the stages of the Longboat Key Center for the Arts, Culture and Education Center.

Hamilton, a musical based on the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, will run on Longboat Key for three weeks once construction is finished. Earlier this month, a conceptual plan for the center was approved by the Town Commission. The center will provide classrooms, studios, a computer lab, gallery and black box theater in two buildings. An amphitheatre and courtyard will sit between the two buildings.

“We are ecstatic that the Hamilton producers have decided to bring this incredible performance to our stages,” Mark Smith of the Longboat Key Foundation said. “Longboaters always say they hate leaving the island to go to Sarasota for performances, and now we have the chance to bring them plays right off broadway. This is exactly what we wanted for the new arts and culture center.”

It is unknown at this time if Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the book, music and play for Hamilton, will make an appearance. Regardless, the musical that has charmed audiences across the country will bring a top-notch cast to the island so Longboat residents have the chance to see the Schuyler sisters [even Peggy!] and Aaron Burr, sir to you, in all their glory.

Executives from Hamilton said the cast for the Longboat Key run will be announced in 2019 but could include names such as Patti LuPone, Ben Platt and Norm Lewis depending on scheduling a statement from the musical said.

As the news broke around the island, residents weighed in on how excited they were to have a chance to be in the room where it happened.

“This is a dream come true,” Annie Groves said. “This will be an unforgettable performance.”

Despite their excitement though, some worries seem to be on residents’ minds.

“As someone who has listened to the Hamilton soundtrack over and over, I understand how great this is for the island,” Grand Bay resident Carol Marks said. “The only problem is that traffic in and out of that performance will be God awful.”

Town officials said they promise they will do what they can to make parking and traffic as easy as possible when the time comes.

In the end, it’s hard to deny the historical impact this run will have on Longboat Key.

“Longboat Key is now joining the ranks of other great cities and towns that have called Hamilton home for a bit,” Gary Parker of the Longboat Key Foundation said. “ Places like Chicago, New York and even Indiana have gotten a taste of Hamilton, and we are honored to be chosen among places like those.”

Tickets are likely to go on sale in 2020 and will most likely range from  $385 to $1,020 a piece.

A specific opening date has not been announced.