Hamilton and Merrily Documentaries to Premiere at New York Film Festival

The New York Film Festival has added two theater documentaries to its lineup: Alex Horwitz’s Hamilton’s America, a behind-the-scenes look at the history of Lin-Manuel Miranda's hit musical Hamilton, and Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened, Lonny Price’s chronicle of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along.

Price, the original Charley Kringas in the 1981 Broadway production of Merrily We Roll Along, will attend the screening of Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened, as will Sondheim himself. The original Broadway production of Merrily We Roll Along played only 16 post-opening performances at the Alvin Theatre (now the Neil Simon), but earned a Tony nomination for Best Original Score.

Horwitz, director of Hamilton’s America, will attend the screening of his film as well, and will be joined by guests yet to be announced. Hamilton’s America is set to premiere at the New York Film Festival in advance of its fall PBS airing. Part of the Great Performances series, the two-hour special will air on Friday, October 21 at 9pm to kick off the annual Arts Fall Festival.