Hit musical Hamilton arrived in movie theaters this past weekend to celebrate its 10-year anniversary. However, fans are divided on what constitutes proper movie theater etiquette, with some wanting to sing along and others preferring a more traditional experience.
Why are fans fighting over the Hamilton movie?
In a promotional video for the Hamilton movie, creator and lead actor Lin-Manuel Miranda tells fans to “turn up” while they watch the movie in theaters.
However, fans say they are confused about what he actually meant, as the movie was not originally advertised as a “singalong” event.
Some moviegoers say fans broke out into song, while others aggressively hushed them and asked the theater staff to remove the disruption.
In one TikTok, a fan shows movie theater staff telling fans that they didn’t get the “memo” that fans planned to sing during the show.
“What I’m coming here to say is we have no official statement. You can sing, but please keep it down,” the theater worker says as the audience groans. “No running around the theaters, screaming, yelling…We’ve had multiple people leave, claiming that was happening.”
A woman chimes in, saying, “You guys are louder than the theater itself.” The staff member offers a full refund to audience members who don’t want to stay due to the singing.
Some fans left the theaters unhappy
In another TikTok, two fans decide to leave the movie theater because they were the only ones singing along to the show, creating an awkward experience for everyone.
“We decided to leave because everyone in that [expletive] theater didn’t know a thing and we was singing the songs and nobody was singing the songs,” she says.
Another fan complains that many Hamilton cast members encourage fans to “sing along,” adding to the confusion.
“The movie begins with them telling you to sing along,” she laments. “And yet, it’s not a singalong.” She calls out the studio for not providing movie theaters with guidance about the intended format of the showing.
“I keep seeing video after video of people either having a great time and singing along with other people or being really annoyed. Other people have gone from singing along to fully screeching,” she says.
Can fans agree on theater etiquette?
In the comments of the viral TikToks and on X, debate about proper “theater etiquette” continues.
“Went to see Hamilton at my local movie theater. And it quite literally was the most insane display of poor theater etiquette I’ve ever seen. I am genuinely SHOOK,” one X user writes.
“Unless it’s a sing-along… It’s normal theatre etiquette to be quiet so everyone can watch the play properly,” another TikTok commenter suggests.
“I know *Lin* said to turn up. But, to my knowledge, it wasn’t promoted to be a sing-along. So I think it makes sense why folks weren’t singing. It was a normal theater viewing experience,” a third adds.
However, others blame the studio and the movie theaters.
“If a movie is not being advertised or listed as a singalong, you have no business adding a ‘please sing along!’ clip at the beginning of the film that can only be seen AFTER buying your ticket and sitting down in the theater,” another X user writes.
“I got screamed at by the armed security guard for singing (lots of people singing in my theater). Then afterwards, I spoke to the manager, and she thought it was supposed to be a sing-along, and singing was allowed. So they’re not even communicating in the theaters either,” another shares.
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