I remember when my friend Jose one day during my Statistics class my senior year couldn’t stop talking about a new musical that just came out called “Hamilton”. Listening to the songs on Spotify, I remember him expressing his new profound love for the songs as they were a mix of hip hop, rap and musical ballads and how he was dying to see the performance one day.

As everyone else already knows, “Hamilton” is one of the most raved about musicals of the decade, with having outstanding reviews from critics and play-goers alike; tickets being sold for the performance for hundreds of dollars; and people doing whatever they can possibly do to secure a ticket to see the hottest commodity on Broadway. Being very fortunate and thankful to have amazing parents, I was able to see the performance in Chicago this weekend.

Before hand, I listened to the soundtrack to understand what each song was about, as the musical unfolds with musical numbers that depict the life of Alexander Hamilton. Just from listening to the music, I could feel a sense of excitement and rejuvenation inside of me from how powerful and “hip” the songs were. The combination of the musical flare and hip-pop/rap components in each song adds a youthful spin to a Broadway show that has never been seen or utilized before. As great as “The Lion King” and “Wicked” are, they are examples of the old-age, musical sound that has been perpetuated for a very long time that, as new musicals come out with the same tone, can grow old. What the incredible Lin-Manuel Miranda produced in terms of lyrics and music for his musical, as well as book for the musical, is a game-changer for Broadway. It can be easily said that this show will ensue a new generation of Broadway and theater productions, as Lin-Manuel Miranda has certainly achieved acclaim for his different and ingenious new Broadway show. After listening to the songs and finally seeing the performance live, I understood even more as to why this show has received the acclaim and infatuation it so rightful deserves. The performances by the actors were extraordinary as the story unfolded on stage. Along with the musical’s phenomenal soundtrack, the wit and humor laced into the truthful storytelling of the life of Alexander Hamilton kept the audience engaged throughout the performance. In my opinion, what the performance was emphasizing in the story of Alexander Hamilton, not letting people take away your shot at glory and to see how you live your life and touch other people’s lives effects how people tell your story, are universal themes all people can understand and resonate with. The combination of the story’s themes, songs, performances, and overall story have turned into a beautiful masterpiece that will be marked as one of the greatest shows on Broadway.

I can 110% say this show is one of the best Broadway shows I’ve ever seen, and I am sure it will continue to mount on to more success as it runs for years to come. As it is still hot, do what you can to go see the amazing show. But in all honesty, I don’t think the hype for this show will ever cease to exist.