“Hamilton” tickets will go on sale to the public Saturday, Aug. 18, at 10 a.m. — 18 months after the announcement that the musical sensation is headed to Durham.

This is not a drill.

“Hamilton,” the winner of 11 Tony Awards, a Pulitzer Prize, a Grammy Award and Kennedy Center honors in its original Broadway incarnation, has been on the road as a touring show since last year, drawing raves and sellout crowds.

It plays Durham Performing Arts Center Nov. 6 through Dec. 2.

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Up to now, you had to be a DPAC season-ticket holder to get “Hamilton” tickets, and those ticket-holders had an option to buy two more tickets.

Wednesday, DPAC announced that tickets will go on sale to the public in a week and a half. Tickets range from $78.50-$188.50, with a select number of $398.50 premium seats available (plus tax and service fees). There is a maximum number of 4 tickets per household.

They also revealed there will be a lottery of 40 tickets at $10 apiece for all performances. Details for the lottery will be announced at a later date.

Note: There will not be any phone sales.

There is a big process involved. Here’s how to prepare, according to DPAC’s news release.

1. You’ll have to register ahead of time.

Before attempting to buy “Hamilton” tickets at Ticketmaster.com, you’ll have to register as a Ticketmaster Verified Fan — a system implemented to battle scalpers and bots.

Registration is open a week — from today (Aug. 8) to Aug. 15. You will be notified on Friday, Aug. 17, to confirm if you’ve been selected for the Verified Fan sale.

Registering for the program doesn’t guarantee you’ll get an access code to buy tickets, nor a ticket.

For details, see https://verifiedfan.ticketmaster.com/hamiltondpac to register.

2. Buying tickets online? Read the fine print.

Those who are verified and are randomly selected to get an access code will get a text message with this code on Aug. 18 that “unlocks the opportunity to buy tickets,” according to a DPAC news release. Tickets will be first-come, first-served.

If you’ve been given an access code, keep your phone handy. You’ll get a text with a time and a link to buy your tickets. You’ll get another text message with another code. All of this will happen two to four hours before the sale begins, according to DPAC.

Worth noting: When tickets went on sale in Charlotte, where “Hamilton” plays at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center before its Durham run, there were major problems and delays when thousands of “computer bots” tried to get in line. But the issues were addressed, and all available tickets sold out in a matter of hours.

3. Buying in person? You’ll have to line up, but you don’t have to get there first.

If you want to buy tickets the old-fashioned way, a limited number will be sold at the DPAC box office, 123 Vivian St., Aug. 18 at 10 a.m.

No overnight camping will be allowed, but it shouldn’t matter when you get there, as long as it’s between 7 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., when a wristband lottery will determine your place in line. This will be on the plaza to the west of the venue.

4. The inevitable fast sell-out might not be the last word — especially if you wait.

Some season tickets for DPAC “Hamilton” dates already have turned up on secondary-market broker sites like SeatGeek, at stratospheric prices up to $2,000.

You might be tempted, but buyer beware. Shelling out that kind of money is risky because DPAC warns that tickets purchased from “unauthorized sources” (anything other than its box office or Ticketmaster) “may be stolen, counterfeit or invalid due to payment issues and will not be honored.”

DPAC management is serious enough about that to have a warning video on the venue website.

Once “Hamilton” begins its Durham run, DPAC will hold a free lottery for each show, making 40 tickets available at just $10 each. Stay tuned for details, sign up for DPAC’s email list or download the official “Hamilton” app.

But in other cities, the process involved a special app to enter two days before each show date. Winners can buy up to two $10 tickets.

In the meantime, you can also try your luck in the North Carolina Justice Center’s fundraising lottery. Enter for $25 by Oct. 14, and you’ll be in a drawing for a pair of tickets worth $400 for the Nov. 18 show. See ncjustice.org for details.

Otherwise, see the complete “Hamilton” FAQ at dpacnc.com/home/hamilton-dpac-complete-faq.

Good luck to all.