With #Hamifilm dropping, I want to recount the best theater experience of my life - one that ends with me half drunk in a bar, hanging with @Lin_Manuel, while holding original letters from Hamilton/Burr - all courtesy of @curtisisbooger.

November 11th, 2015. I was in NYC for work, all by my lonesome, and I decided to buy some ridiculously priced aftermarket ticket to see Hamilton that night. And lo, what do I see? @curtisisbooger posts on his social media that he is going to see Hamilton that night as well.

I was a showrunner on King of the Nerds (God I miss that show), which @curtisisbooger created and hosted. So I DM’d him telling him we should meet up. Being the kind soul that he is, he invited me out to a drink beforehand with him and his lovely wife Elaine.

And what a drink it was. He and his wife were celebrating the fact that he was writing an autobiography and that it was being published. And he also let slip the he happened to know @Lin_Manuel. They had worked together on an episode of House.

On downtime between takes, @curtisisbooger was reading Chernow’s Hamilton bio. When @Lin_Manuel found out, he shared with Curtis that he was writing a musical based on the book. With their bond cemented, Lin Manuel even let him listen to some of it. This was around 2009.

They had stayed in touch ever since, and they were communicating back and forth about meeting that night after the show. @curtisisbooger told me to find him and Elaine after the performance so we could all meet @Lin_Manuel. I told you, he’s a kind soul.

We headed to the theater, and took in a perfect performance of Hamilton with the original cast. It was overwhelmingly beautiful.

Afterwards, as the giddy crowds filed out, I met back up with @curtisisbooger and Elaine and we waited outside for @Lin_Manuel to come out.

He popped out, unassuming in his street clothes. This was when he could just do that and not be mobbed. He signed autographs, and when he saw @curtisisbooger his face lit up. They embraced, Curtis introduced me and Elaine, it was amazing to meet him and I figured that was that.

But it wasn’t. @Lin_Manuel told us he was meeting a friend for a drink across the street and that we were welcome to join him. I remember all of us looking at each other, thrilled at the prospect.

Drinks with Lin Manuel Miranda? Yes please.

At the bar, we ordered drinks and sat at a booth while @Lin_Manuel regaled us with stories about making Hamilton. He answered questions and even sang bits that were cut out. To say that I was in awe is an understatement. How could the night get better? Oh, but it did.

His friend showed up. This was @jbf1755, Yale Professor and Hamilton expert extraordinaire. She worked with @Lin_Manuel while he was creating the show.

She didn’t show up empty handed either. She had a duffle bag of sorts. And she was quite excited to show Lin what was inside.

I kid you not, she had brought along Hamilton/Burr letters. Originals. They were in protective plastic, but she let us hold and look at them.

I remember the absurdity of the moment. In one hand I had a Moscow Mule, in the other, I had an amazing piece of American History.

The rest of the night was a blur of @Lin_Manuel stories of the show, @jbf1755 stories about the actual history and all of us just soaking it in.

It was one of those magical nights that can only happen in New York City.

I will always be in debt to @curtisisbooger for letting me tag along.

I can’t wait to watch #hamifilm to experience some of that magic again. And I can’t wait for Broadway to open again so I can experience some other shows magic. Because that is what Broadway is: magic.

Update: @jbf1755 told me what she actually brought was pamphlets: an original copy of the Reynolds Pamphlet and Hamilton’s pamphlet attacking John Adams. Apologies for the error, but in my defense, I did say the night was blurry : )