Broadway Up Close Hamilton Tour

Tim's Broadway Up Close virtual tours have been a lifesaver during the pandemic. Tim Doolan reinvented his in-person tours and started giving them "live" via a link either through Playbill.com or on his website. After enjoying many tours from our living room, including his Broadway Beginnings tour, the Ghostlight Tour, and his Christmas in the City tour, we knew we wanted to meet him and go on an in-person tour once the pandemic seemed at a lull.

In the age of social distancing, his energy on his Zoom calls in front of his apartment's exposed brick wall made him a stand out. He not only showed us pictures (the same ones he shows on his tours) and told us lots of neat trivia, he did so while fielding odd questions in the comments making us feel as if we were together. Almost always his dog, Belasco, woke up as the tour was concluding. In his spare time he created wood items (picture frames, ornaments, etc.) to sell online until his shop opens up again this summer.

I saved his Hamilton Tour to do in person to celebrate Ashley's 19th birthday. Our tour guide was John, and not Tim. Turns out John applied for a job at Ashley's college and has taught at other schools she either toured or applied to. We had lots of good conversation topics and sidebars. Serendipitously for us, it was a private tour at the group tour rate. Unfortunately it was freezing. By freezing I mean the handwarmers they give out during their winter tours came in "handy" on our Memorial Day Weekend tour.

Unlike their other tours which start in Times Square, this one starts in the Financial District, not far from Wall Street and the World Trade Center. You can see the cobblestones that Hamilton and his friends stepped on, the narrow street where he and Burr had their law offices, and an archaeological site that explains some of the history through a glassed off section.

John showed us around the area and had us imagine what it was like in Hamilton's day. In this restaurant, Hamilton had his first government office in an upper room.

It was mighty cold and rainy that day nearly a month ago, and I did not take notes, instead I lived in the moment. I took very few pictures, and even less notes. 

At this point, Tim found us -- yes THE TIM! We chatted with him for a few minutes before he left us to give another group the same tour to a private group.

The tour culminated with Hamilton's grave at Trinity Church, and a picture because it was Selfie Sunday.

Tim concludes his virtual tours with the tagline: One day closer to Broadway -- a mantra that sums up his eternal optimism. Today, as Bruce Springsteen revives his show on Broadway, we can finally "We made it. You. Made. It. ... Broadway here we come!"

I highly recommend their tours -- both in-person and virtual!