I'm sure everyone has heard of the hottest show on Broadway, Hamilton: the American Musical. Needless to say, the casting, album and presentation of historical figures is perfection, if I do say so myself. Though, some don't understand why this isn't just another musical.
First off, let's start with the director and writer of the musical. Lin Manuel-Miranda is a Puerto Rican man, who already has a hit musical under his belt. (In The Heights, anyone?). He wrote the roles and music for years, after reading an 800-page biography for the first Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton. He's basically a history professor's dream.
Next, the casting. Most of the cast are POC, which is unheard of. I cannot think of a musical off the top of my head that has done so well and attracted so much attention with nearly all POC. This is important because of representation. Lin wrote the roles knowing that he wanted POC and not white actors, because white actors almost always get roles. POC are mostly cast as thugs and villains, which is not positive for younger fans. Our founding fathers were white men and it's always white actors that represent them. There is much white representation, and this is such a great spin on history.�
Now for the music. There is so much history packed into the soundtrack alone. Every song tells you something, and makes you think. Lin did such a fantastic job making you think about the meanings of the lyrics, and it leaves you wanting more. It is more than a hip-hop musical, it's the history of our country presented in such a new fun way, making young adults wanting to learn about our past.
While tickets are nearly impossible to get your hands on, as they are very expensive. But this just shows just how great the musical is. Not only is it everything stated above, it also shows women in such a strong light. Eliza Hamilton, portrayed by Phillipa Soo is a strong figure in our history and accomplished so much in her lifetime, even after her husband died. She created the first ever private orphanage in NYC, raised funds in DC for the Washington Monument and continued her husband's legacy after his death.
I for one, cannot wait to see what is in store for this fantastic cast and to see what incredible projects Lin comes up with after this hit musical.
