As the 2016 Tony Awards came to a close on June 12^th 2016, one thing became very clear… Hamilton is kind of a big deal. The production entered the award show with a record breaking sixteen Tony nominations. Over the course of three and a half hours, Hamilton ended up with a grand total of eleven wins, which is outstanding. In fact, it is incredible. Throughout the night we got to see just how impactful Hamilton has been, not just on the lives of Americans, but in the Broadway community as well. There were so many great Hamilton moments throughout the show, but here are a couple of the best.

From the very start, host James Corden opens the show with a parody of Hamilton’s opening number, “Alexander Hamilton.” However, instead of the cast rapping/singing about Alexander’s legacy, they were performing about Corden’s career. This led to many laughs throughout the audience, as well as the cast members themselves.

Another great Hamilton moment, was when the Tony’s did their own version of Ham4Ham. Ham4Ham is essentially a little show that the cast performs outside of the Richard Rogers Theatre, while the crowds are waiting in line to win Hamilton tickets. The Tony version witnessed greats like Lin Manuel Miranda himself, Steve Martin, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and so many more. They all decided to sing a little bit of the song “Tomorrow” from Annie. The best part was seeing Webber playing the tambourine, like how awesome is that.

Due to the fact that so many awards were given to Hamilton, this also led to many touching acceptance speeches. While they were all touching, Lin Manuel Miranda’s speech after wining Best Original Score was truly the best. In true Lin form, he decided to write a sonnet instead of a typical speech. He opens his sonnet with a dedication to his wife, and then delves into the mass-shooting tragedy that occurred in Orlando that same day. His words were stunning, and allowed him to give thanks to those close to him, while also paying tribute to those who tragically passed away.

The cast performance… Oh my goodness it was perfection. The cast decided to perform the songs; “History has its Eyes on You” and “Yorktown (the world turned upside down)”. These were good choices because it allowed for as many people as possible to perform at the Tony’s. There was an immense, tangible, energy that filled that room while they performed. It was like each person sat a little taller, paid a little bit more attention, and they were not disappointed. The cast also decided not to perform with muskets in light of what happened that same day. Hopefully, the performance reminded the crowd that America still has the ability to overcome obstacles. Also reminding us that we as a country can defy the odds.

It is musicals like Hamilton that can change the face of America. We need our spirit back, we need compassion, and most importantly, we need unity. Right now we are a nation divided, split between controversy, debate, and a constant battle of who’s better than the next person. We are breaking at the seams; using hate to fuel our beliefs instead of passion. To quote Hamilton, we are essentially “throwing away our shot” of being a successful country. The days ahead are difficult and perilous, but Hamilton gives us hope. It shows us that America always has a fighting chance. That a legacy is nothing unless you have love to back it up. Let’s all take these important lessons from Hamilton, and use love to put our nation back on top.