Tickets are on sale now for 'Hamilton' at Des Moines Civic Center. Here are 3 songs to know before you go

The revolutionary musical that took the world by storm in 2015, and appeared in Des Moines on the Civic Center Stage in 2018, is back again.

For the few who haven't heard of the musical that took home 11 Tony Awards in 2016, "Hamilton" blends hip hop with a traditional musical theater format to tell the story of Alexander Hamilton, the United States' first secretary of the Treasury.

The show begins with the conceit that Hamilton's story — and that of his dramatic foil, Aaron Burr — is underplayed relative to other tales of Founding Fathers such as Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and John Adams.

The show's 2018 performance drew approximately 65,000 showgoers over the course of 24 performances, according to an e-mail from Jonathan Brendemuehl, director of communications with Des Moines Performing Arts.

How to get 'Hamilton' tickets for Des Moines shows

The touring company of "Hamilton" comes back to the Des Moines Civic Center, 221 Walnut St., with shows from May 17 through June 5. Tickets went on sale at 10 a.m. on Jan. 24. through DMPA.org. Prices for tickets generally range from $59 to $159, but the release noted premium seating at all shows available from $249.

You can take a look at the seating chart before the Hamilton show on the Des Moines Civic Center's website.

There will also be a lottery for 40 seats priced at $10 for all performances. Details on this will be announced closer to the show.

More: Produced with Des Moines Performing Arts' support, Broadway's 'The Band's Visit' comes to Civic Center

'Hamilton' makes references to many musicals, hip-hop songs

Since the release of "Hamilton," Lin-Manuel Miranda, the show's creator and original star, has remained a prolific creator, especially in the world of film.

Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes adapted their 2008 hit Broadway musical "In the Heights" into a feature film released in 2021. Miranda also wrote songs for Disney animated films "Moana" and, more recently, "Encanto."

Late in 2021, Miranda also made his directorial debut with his film adaptation of "Tick, Tick... Boom!," based on the work of the late, great Jonathan Larson, most known for the musical "Rent," which has its 25th anniversary farewell tour coming through Des Moines on March 11.

More: For this first-generation American, seeing ‘Hamilton’ on Independence Day in Des Moines is ‘electrifying’

Those who plan to attend "Hamilton" can stream visual and audio performances of the original Broadway cast: In 2020, Disney+ released a filmed recording of an original cast performance and the soundtrack is available to purchase or stream. However, some may want to break up their binging with various songs that stay in a "Hamilton" state of mind.

The musical makes allusions to dozens of musicals and hip-hop pieces over the course of its over two-hour run time. However, listed here are just three stage-music shows lyrically referenced in "Hamilton."

'The Adams Administration' references '1776'

Perhaps the most on-the-nose musical "Hamilton" could reference is "1776," a Tony-winning musical following a few of the American founding fathers attempting to declare independence from British rule

About halfway through the second act of "Hamilton," we get one of the shortest tracks of the show with "The Adams Administration," in which, following John Adams' ascendency to the presidency, Hamilton tells off the newly elected president, saying, "Sit down, John, you fat, mother —" before the musical itself censors Hamilton.

That sentiment hearkens back to the first lyrical song in "1776," in which John Adams, not yet elected president at this point, hears the repeated refrain of "Sit down, John" by members of Congress as he pushes for a vote for American independence.

While there is a film adaptation of "1776," the touring production of the musical arrives at the Civic Center on March 14, 2023.

'Right Hand Man' references 'Pirates of Penzance'

In the first act of "Hamilton," we get the inevitable introduction of George Washington in the song "Right Hand Man." Almost immediately after the president-to-be takes the stage, he makes a reference to the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta "The Pirates of Penzance."

"The Pirates of Penzance" first premiered in 1879, more than 60 years before "Oklahoma!" defined what is traditionally considered the modern musical form. "Pirates" is a humorous piece following a young man who joins up with a group of pirates (having misheard instructions to be an apprentice to a pilot) and follows his exploits.

As George Washington declares in his entrance, "I'm the very model of a modern major general," before launching into grievances about how Congress is not giving his war campaign the resources he requires.

The dire nature of Washington's entrance contrasts with the comical nature of the Major-General's entrance in "Pirates of Penzance." The patter song, "Modern Major-General," marks the entrance of the titular figure as he attempts to protect his daughters from pirates. During the song, he lists his myriad achievements and announces that "in terms of matters vegetable, animal and mineral, he is the very model of a modern major general."

'Say No to This' references 'The Last Five Years'

Another Act 2 song, "Say No To This," makes reference to "The Last Five Years," the most contemporary of the musicals listed here.

"The Last Five Years," played off-Broadway around the turn of the century and follows a couple over the course of their five-year relationship. The wrinkle of the show is that the woman's perspective is displayed starting at the end of the relationship in reverse chronological order, while the man's perspective proceeds chronologically.

The reference in "Say No to This" comes at the very end of the song. Over the course of the piece, we hear Alexander Hamilton grappling with the decision of whether to cheat on his wife. When he eventually gives in to this inclination, he ends the song singing the simple phrase, "Nobody needs to know."

The line appears in a similar context in "Nobody Needs To Know" from "The Last Five Years." In the somber piece, we hear the male lead's fraught reflection on his own adultery.

"The Last Five Years" is a musical written by Jason Robert Brown, a composer whose work many Iowans will know since Brown is the composer behind the musical adaptation of "The Bridges of Madison County."

Miranda said Twitter that he texted Brown for permission to use the "Nobody needs to know" line, because as he wrote "Say No To This," Miranda realized Brown had "written the perfect ending already."

Isaac Hamlet covers arts, entertainment and culture at the Des Moines Register. Reach him at ihamlet@gannett.com or 319-600-2124, follow him on Twitter @IsaacHamlet.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: 'Hamilton' tickets on sale now for Des Moines Civic Center shows