The Broadway hit musical Hamilton is making its digital debut on Disney Plus this Friday, July 3, making it available to millions for the first time ever. While you could just hit play and watch it like any other movie, #Hamilfilm is a pretty big deal, so why not make it an event? Even if you’re or in quarantine, you can throw a watch party to remember.
Together or Apart
First things first, you’re going to need to invite people to your watch party. A text will do the trick, but a cool digital invitation will make it more exciting. (You can use free programs like Adobe Spark to make easy e-vites.) Include when you plan to watch the musical, how and where you’re meeting up (even if it’s digital), and whether or not costumes are required.
If you’re doing a socially-distanced watch party, then you need to pick a way to share your excitement with your friends. If you want to see the awe on everyone’s faces when Lin-Manuel Miranda first takes the stage, then you’ll probably want to use an app like Zoom or Houseparty, but if you just want to hear people’s reactions, a group audio or phone call will work perfectly. Just make sure everyone presses play at the same time!
Snacks
Even if you’re throwing a virtual party, snacks are important (you’ll just have to make less food). Popcorn, chips and dip, and all of the other go-to party foods are fair game but bonus points if you create some more themed dishes. If you’re having a party in-person, then coordinate snack options with your guests. If it’s a virtual watch party situation, swap recipes, decorating ideas, and food puns!
Decorations
What’s a party without the decor? You might not want to commit to throwing your living room aesthetic all the way back to 1776, but gold stars, iconic Hamilton quotes, and even printed Playbills (Playbill made Hamilton‘s original Broadway Playbill available to print here.) will set the scene for your at-home musical theater experience. If you want to be extra fun, you can even print tickets like the ones above by Cheeky Little Matinee.
Games
Before you press play on #Hamilfilm, enjoy your time “outside the theater” playing games. Play Hamilton song bingo by making bingo cards with song titles or lyrics and then playing the cast album on shuffle. Do charades with characters and songs as prompts. Create Hamilton trivia questions (ie. What musical did Lin-Manuel Miranda win his first Best Musical Tony Award for? Hint: It isn’t Hamilton.), and see who’s the ultimate superfan! For something less competitive, you could also include Hamilton karaoke in your plans for the evening.
Watch With the World
Even if you don’t have a group of musical theater-loving #Hamilfam to watch the film with, there’s always the entire internet to enjoy it with. On July 3 at 6:30PM ET, the Twitter watch party hosted by Disney PLus and the cast of Hamilton will begin! Tweet along with them to show you excitement for this musical theater r!
