Photos provided by Kevin Berne

Broadway In Chicago started showing signs of post-lockdown life with a national tour of “Rent,” but it truly came bounding back with the long-delayed debut of “Paradise Square,” which gains additional significance as the America’s first pre-Big Apple premiere of the era.

However, the musical set in New York City’s Five Points slum in 1863 as the Civil War raged actually started sewing its seeds a decade ago, but continues to be refined, and in the process, reflects all that much more relevance today.

Given its historical context and based on the audience’s reception, at least as far as opening night at the James M. Nederlander Theatre was concerned, its poised to be “Hamilton” huge thanks to a dynamite cast, magnetic soundtrack, tremendous chorography, and perhaps most importantly, so many lessons to be learned it will likely take days to fully digest.

The complex but well-positioned premise revolves around Irish immigrants, who were seeking refuge from the Great Famine, settling alongside both free-born Black Americans and slaves who escaped on the Underground Railroad.

Despite their differences, the two impoverished communities embraced one another, joined together in marriage, raised families and combined their rich cultures, frequently revolving around the “Paradise Square” tavern that welcomed everyone.

Though it’s unclear if the show is an exact depiction of precisely what happened or adapts artistic liberties in order to streamline the storyline into a digestible runtime of a couple hours and change remains to be seen, but it makes no difference in terms of ultimate impact.

In fact, “Paradise Square” could easily become the subject of many college theses to come, but in the meantime, it’s positively gripping a diverse audience as it takes deep dives into politics, prejudices, privilege, and ideally, the pursuit of peace in the ashes of the deadly NY Draft Riots.

All the while, Tony Award nominee Joaquina Kalukango, as the trailblazing bar owner Nelly O’Brien, is a certified superstar-in-the-making whose jaw-dropping rendition of the showstopping “Let It Burn” could easily be in the running for this century’s stand out thus far.

Fellow belter Chilina Kennedy, as her sister-in-law Annie Lewis, is right up there when it comes to charisma, while A.J. Shively, as their nephew Owen Duignan, and Sidney DuPont, as fugitive Washington Henry, rival one another with their Irish step and African juba dancing abilities.

In other words, “Paradise Square” is certain to sweep the Tonys in so many categories and the Windy City was amongst the very earliest to be in the room where it happened before making its way to conquer the Great White Way.

“Paradise Square” continues at the James M. Nederlander Theatre through Sunday, December 5. For additional details, visit ParadiseSquareMusical.com and BroadwayInChicago.com.

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