A little bit before 9:00 on the Friday night of October 21st, my friend and I frantically raced up the stairs to my dorm room. You may be wondering why and it was for a fairly simple reason. We wanted to get to my room in time to watch the PBS documentary, "Hamilton's America". Since we are both captivated with the musical we could not wait to see what treasures the feature had in store for us. We certainly were not disappointed. Instead, we practically spent the entire time gasping at all the wonderful things in it (like witnessing Leslie Odom Jr. sing and dance to "The Room Where it Happens") as well as sighing at the heartfelt moments (such as the meaningful conversation between Lin-Manuel Miranda and his father on his immigration to America). In short, there are 3 incredible things for you to love and enjoy about "Hamilton's America".
1. You get to discover more details about the historical figure Alexander Hamilton.
In the documentary, "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda discloses how he was motivated to pen such a fascinating musical. His initial inspiration came from the biography by Ron Chernow about our nation's unforgettable treasury secretary. We are shown where Hamilton lived in the Caribbean before coming to America. It is extremely clear the extent Miranda went to in researching this dynamic period in history. I appreciated the parts where he and other cast members such as Daveed Diggs, Okieriete Onaodowan, Renée Elise Goldsberry, and Philippa Soo visited crucial historical sites to truly understand the characters they were portraying. My favorite moment in the entire PBS feature is when Leslie Odom Jr. and Miranda read to each other letters written by the real Hamilton and Burr.
2. You get tantalizing glimpses and clips of the Broadway musical.
Like a lot of diehard Hamilton fans, I have not yet seen the Broadway show. However, I was able to catch bits of it in the documentary. It was absolutely mesmerizing. I almost lost it when I saw the Schuyler sisters take the stage and powerfully sing their hearts out. Seeing these pieces of the show reaffirmed my belief of what a stunning masterpiece Hamilton is. It was immensely exciting to finally see the actors in action, instead of just listening to them on the soundtrack (no matter how awesome that is).
3. You get to learn more about Lin-Manuel Miranda himself.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creative and intriguing genius behind Hamilton, is someone I want to know more about. Hamilton's America provided me an opportunity for this as I happily watched him being interviewed back in 2014 when he was still trying to finish writing Hamilton. It was amazing to see him in his unpacked apartment while he avidly talks about his work. His enthusiasm for the show is infectious.
There are so many reasons to watch "Hamilton's America". From learning more about Hamilton himself to catching pieces of the musical to seeing a new side of Lin-Manuel Miranda, the PBS documentary has much to offer. I hope you don't that you watch it. It is definitely worth the time.
