July 9, 2016 was a day I was dreading and in denial about for a good few months. Since the day has passed, and I did indeed cry my eyes out all day, I figured now would be a good time to post this. A few more tears aren't going to hurt me anyway.
I'd like to take the time to say thank you. This past year, I was a senior in high school who was just making her way out of a state of depression that had lasted since the middle of junior year, and all of a sudden, I was expected to know what I want to do with my life for at least the next four years. I've been a part of theater since I was six, so getting a BA or a BFA in musical theater or acting seemed like the most logical path to take. I love theater, and I knew that I wanted to be a part of it for the rest of my life. But it didn't feel right. Nothing felt right, like it was the best fit for my life and goals.
And then along came "Hamilton."
I can't remember exactly why I listened to it for the first time, but I can remember when. I made my mom take me to Walgreens so I could purchase an iTunes gift card to buy the cast soundtrack; the moment I got home, I downloaded it. I was sitting on my front porch, blasting the story of the bastard, orphan, son of a whore--a story of history in a language that made sense to me. My neighbors might not have been happy, but I was hooked for good.
After bopping along for a few weeks, and learning to white girl rap to "Guns and Ships" with only a little bit of embarrassment, I found out that Alexander Hamilton (aka Lin-Manuel Miranda) wrote the musical himself. I couldn't wrap my head around it. He wrote a musical for himself to star in? A musical to bring the representation Broadway lacked to the stage? That was insane! It was in that moment that I knew I wanted to be a playwright. I found solace in the ten dollar founding father, the man who wrote like he was running out of time. I related to his passion and his stubbornness and his desire to have a legacy. And I have Lin-Manuel Miranda and the incredible, cast, crew, writers, conductors--everyone who brought this musical into my life in a time when I so needed the inspiration and something, someone to relate to, to thank.
So thank you, Lin, for inspiring me with your good morning tweets and your ability to put your incredible mind to work for such amazing causes and such passionate work.
Thank you, Leslie, for introducing me to Aaron Burr, who is someone other than the man who shot Hamilton, for teaching me that I can be an inimitable original too.
Thank you, Phillipa, for bringing Eliza back into the narrative once again, and illustrating just how strong and powerful even gentle women can be.
Thank you, Ariana, for coming to my theater class in first semester and teaching me one of the most important lessons I learned in my four years of high school: you don't need a backup plan if what you're doing in life is what you're truly passionate about. You will make it.
And, although you aren't leaving, thank you, Javier, for being a kind, compassionate human being, and showing me that you can get through any adversity if you remain positive and strong.
Thank you all so much for changing my life, allowing me to have the belief in myself to declare my major in a passion--drama and theatre, to become a playwright--rather than a money-making desk job. I never got to be in the room where it happens, but through your voices, I found myself. I finally put myself back into my own narrative rather than letting life pass me by. Happy trails, y'all.
Thank you.