From the back row of the Richard Rogers Theatre in New York City, I sat quietly in disbelief while my best friend jumped up and down in uncontainable excitement. The people in front of us chatted about the other theatre they had seen, "but never something on Broadway!" A pair of sisters in the section next to us quietly sang through the opening, clearly having pre-divided out all the parts amongst themselves. People ruffled through their programs, whispering excitedly that no understudies were on tonight. Even the ushers were high energy, enthusiastically reminding us not to take pictures during the show. As the lights dimmed, the energy in the air was palpable, as we were all bound by our exuberant anticipation. Then the orchestra struck its first note and the entire theatre was sucked into a story where founding fathers rapped through the revolution, sisters proudly wore the different colors of their skin, dance numbers taught history lessons, and Broadway, pop-culture, and social justice became one.
When Lin-Manuel Miranda stepped on stage as Alexander Hamilton, the audience may have never stopped clapping if the orchestra hadn’t finally continued on with the show.
After the show was over (I won’t bore you with the details, but let's just say it’s as good as everyone is saying, and if you can get a ticket it will be worth it 100 percent), everyone left the theatre filled with the words and music that told not only the story of "Hamilton," but the stories of people of color, the stories of strong women, the stories of anyone with a cause they believe in. The music of this show is not just universal--it is transcendent.
If there is one thing I took away from "Hamilton," it isn’t from the brilliant music, stunning actors, beautiful scenery and record breaking ticket sales, it’s from the creator himself. It’s the fact that art--theater, in particular--can really change the world. Miranda has broken so many social rules and bonded so many young artists through his work. He has reached new audiences and made his work available to so many through Ham4Hams and Eduham. Every single person that sits in that theater, watches the youtube videos, sings “The Schuyler Sisters” in the car, and reads his tweets, are being shown that they can make a difference with their art. As a young artist myself, this is a reminder that lights a fire inside me and ensures that I will push myself to create art that will affect and inspire other people’s lives like Lin-Manuel Miranda has inspired mine.
