The musical tells the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton. Photo: Hamilton International Tour
The musical tells the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton. Photo: Hamilton International Tour
The musical tells the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton. Photo: Hamilton International Tour
The musical tells the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton. Photo: Hamilton International Tour

Hamilton the musical is coming to Abu Dhabi's Etihad Arena next year


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The rumours are true — award-winning US musical Hamilton is on its way to Abu Dhabi.

The show's Middle East premiere will take place on January 17 at Etihad Arena, where it will have a three-week run, finishing on February 4.

Hamilton is known for its diverse casting. Photo: Hamilton International Tour
Hamilton is known for its diverse casting. Photo: Hamilton International Tour

Those who want to purchase tickets early can sign up to a wait-list on the international tour's official website, hamiltonmusical.com, where pre-sale tickets will be available from May 19. General tickets will go on sale on May 22, with prices starting from Dh180 for the Bronze category to Dh1,700 for a spot at the Royal First Row. Tickets can be purchased via the Etihad Arena website and Platinumlist.

The Abu Dhabi show is part of an international tour spanning cities including Auckland and Manila.

“I'm thrilled to bring Hamilton to Abu Dhabi and continue the show's global journey,” said producer Michael Cassel, who was also behind The Lion King musical's global run in the capital last year.

“Hamilton's themes of hope, equality and the power of storytelling are universal, and I believe they will resonate deeply with audiences in the Middle East.”

The show continues Abu Dhabi's “growing interest in theatre culture, from locally produced shows to international stage performances,” said Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, director general of tourism at the Department of Culture and Tourism in the capital.

This theatre boom is also present in neighbouring Dubai, which recently hosted a run of West Side Story, and will welcome the award-winning musical Matilda in October.

What is Hamilton and why is it so popular?

The musical is the brainchild of Lin Manuel-Miranda, who wrote the music, lyrics and the script over a seven-year period starting in 2009.

It tells the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton, from his days at King's College in New York in 1776 to becoming the first US treasury secretary and his eventual death in 1804.

Miranda based it on the 2004 book, Alexander Hamilton, by Ron Chernow.

The musical is rapped and sung throughout, with little spoken dialogue. It features 46 tracks, drawing heavily from hip-hop, RnB, pop and soul. The eclectic blend of mainstream genres and the grandeur of the theatrical stage plays a huge part in its success.

Hamilton premiered on Broadway in 2015, and received a record-breaking 16 nominations at the 70th Tony Awards, taking home 11 trophies, including Best Musical. It also won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Its West End production, which opened in 2017, won seven Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical.

Pre-sale tickets will be available on May 19; from Dh180; hamiltonmusical.com/international-tour

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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
  • Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
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Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz

THE BIO

Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979

Education: UAE University, Al Ain

Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6

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Favourite book: Science and geology

Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC

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Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 258hp from 5,000-6,500rpm

Torque: 400Nm from 1,550-4,000rpm

Transmission: Eight-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.1L/100km

Price: from Dh362,500

On sale: now

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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989

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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Based: Dubai and Muscat

Sector: Automobile retail

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Create and maintain a strong bond between yourself and your child, through sensitivity, responsiveness, touch, talk and play. “The bond you have with your kids is the blueprint for the relationships they will have later on in life,” says Dr Sarah Rasmi, a psychologist.
Set a good example. Practise what you preach, so if you want to raise kind children, they need to see you being kind and hear you explaining to them what kindness is. So, “narrate your behaviour”.
Praise the positive rather than focusing on the negative. Catch them when they’re being good and acknowledge it.
Show empathy towards your child’s needs as well as your own. Take care of yourself so that you can be calm, loving and respectful, rather than angry and frustrated.
Be open to communication, goal-setting and problem-solving, says Dr Thoraiya Kanafani. “It is important to recognise that there is a fine line between positive parenting and becoming parents who overanalyse their children and provide more emotional context than what is in the child’s emotional development to understand.”
 

Updated: May 09, 2023, 7:10 AM