Lin-Manuel Miranda is the creator and star of Hamilton, a hip-hop musical on Broadway. If you haven’t heard of it yet, this musical is all about Alexander Hamilton’s life. The musical follows the first Secretary of the Treasury from the time he sets foot in America to his death, and everything his wife did in his memory. There are hundreds of reasons for people to see the musical, or at least listen to the soundtrack if (like for me) ticket prices are not agreeable to your wallet. I’ll keep this list somewhat short, and give you six reasons to love Hamilton:
1. Historical Figures as Real People
Growing up everyone learns about the Founding Fathers of America and other figures in history only in the context that history remembers. We know that George Washington was the first president, and that he was a great leader. But we aren’t taught that he worried about if he could really lead the country to victory. We are all taught that Alexander Hamilton was the first Secretary of the Treasury, and that he was shot by Aaron Burr in a duel.
No one talks about his ambition and drive to make a better life for himself, no one is taught in school that he and his wife lost their son and Alexander even fainted on the way to his sons’ grave for the funeral. Hamilton shows these remarkable figures, the people who we grow up knowing only a portion of, as real people. There is truly a relatable quality to how the figures in the play are portrayed, and that is something that is almost entirely absent from history books.
2. The Cast
I’m just going to say it, whitewashing American history is a thing. An inordinately huge thing. Hamilton takes the traditional white figures of history and give them new life, with Hispanic and black actors. All of the parts are flawlessly cast, including the four actors who play two roles each in the musical.
3. The Women
From the moment we hear “The Schyler Sisters,” the audience knows these women are going to hold their own in the narrative. Angelica is amazing, strong and obviously the leader. She matches wits with Aaron Burr without missing a beat and she is not afraid to be out in New York City without an escort… or her father’s approval. Later in the musical she shows she is selfless and kind, confessing to the audience that she would always put her sisters happiness above hers.
Maria Reynolds is sultry, seductive and in control of herself both in and out of bed. Although we do not see her much through the soundtrack, we know there was something that kept Hamilton going back and (spoiler alert) continuing the affair.
Eliza Hamilton (nee. Schuyler) is truly amazing. She is strong and loyal to her husband through everything that he does. She loves Alexander in a truly unconditional way, and she forgives him for the affair and for his hand in their son, Phillip's, death. More than that, she continues her life after Alexander’s death. She pulls herself out of grief and ensures that, even though as a woman she is likely to be forgotten by history, her husband will have a legacy. She documents everything she can about his experience in war, Eliza co-founds the first ever private orphanage in New York to honor the memory of her orphan husband. She plays an inspirational part in the narrative with little hope she will be remembered, because of her gender.
4. Hamilsquad
In the musical, Alexander Hamilton, Hercules Mulligan, John Laurens and the Marquis de Lafayette make up the big quartet of the first act. They are rowdy, loud, obnoxious, confident, arrogant and basically just like every other 20-something boy you’ve ever met. This goes back to the historic figures being shown as real people. How often do we see anyone in history who is normally a role model going out and having drinks with their friends to the point of getting drunk? We don’t. On top of that the musical doesn’t negate, ignore nor cover up the fact these are all young men, all roughly college age. If we saw them leading a revolution today we’d be terrified or laughing at them! Oh wait, people did.
5. The Music
This may not be the first time rap music has graced the Broadway stage (looking at you Rent or Miranda's other musical In the Heights) but this is the first fully hip-hop musical to become a national sensation, and let’s look at why that’s important. White American society has this bias against hip-hop and rap, it’s considered trashy, “ghetto” and simply distasteful. On the other hand, Broadway has always been the seat of artistic culture in musical theatre. So putting these two things together is a great way to showcase the poetic nature of rap, and bring it to a wider audience in a way that can open them up to experiencing the genre more than they normally would have.
6. History is Cool Again!
I’ll be honest, I’m a history geek who specializes in the Revolutionary War period so this musical had my name written all over it. I actually thought I would be one its few fans, because through most of my academic life all I’ve heard is, “history doesn’t matter now, that’s why it’s in the past.” So for my various social media pages to be filling up with fanart, covers of songs, fan theories and debates on who was actually right in such and such argument in the play is amazing! History is cool again! People are wanting to learn about our country and its start, who built it, who made it for us, what they wanted for the future. History is alive and thriving in the public consciousness, and it’s all because of this musical.
