Hamilton : An American Musical is taking the world by storm. With its riveting storyline, compelling performances, and cleverly crafted lyrics, this musical about one of America's Founding Fathers has become a cultural revolution.
For those unfamiliar with the musical, the story follows the ten dollar Founding Father without a father, Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton is mostly known for being America's first Secretary of Treasury and created the first national financial system. The story follows Hamilton as he comes to New York and meets his friend, and later foe, Aaron Burr. Hamilton then joins the war and become George Washington's right hand man. He then meets Angelica Schuyler, who introduces him to her younger sister, Eliza. Eliza and Alexander get married, and Alexander begins to climb the social and political ladder. He butts heads with many political figures, such as Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James Madison. He gets involved in a scandalous affair with Maria Reynolds and loses his son in a duel. The writer constantly writes and formulates new ideas in order to stake his claim in America and make a legacy for himself and his descendants. However, he becomes so obsessed with this idea that it leads to his demise.
But what makes Hamilton so special? What draws hundred of people to the Richard Rogers Theatre and spend their time watching a musical, about a Founding Father nonetheless? What sparks the interest in people from small-town folk to A-list celebrities? Well, there are four things you need to know :
1. The Incomparable, Effulgent, Transcendent Lin-Manuel Miranda
For starters, Lin-Manuel Miranda has an impeccable gift with words. The power of his speech is unimpeachable, his freestyle skills are unmatched, even his tweets are poetic. He, like Alexander Hamilton, is constantly writing and forming new ideas that leave the theater and the world in absolute awe. And Miranda had been formulating these ideas way before Hamilton2. The Compelling, Exuberant, Gregarious Ensemble
In the theatre world, the sad truth is that the main characters will end up getting all of the attention. They have more lines, more songs, more spotlight, etc. However, the show is incomplete without an ensemble. The ensemble helps make the scenes more lively, more fun, and more entertaining. Though they may have few to no lines, they're appearance and performance onstage is absolutely vital to the show. If an main character slips or cannot go on, the ensemble is there to make sure the show goes on. And the Hamilton ensemble does just this. The entire cast comes together to tell a story that is riveting, and they it so effortlessly.
From the Instagram posts and Twitter conversations, it is clear to see that the ensemble works exceptionally well together. More often than not, cast members are usually distant from each other or just don't get along. When this occurs, the performance dulls and becomes flat. But when the ensemble works amiably together to create something revolutionary, magic occurs onstage. And this is the case with Hamilton's ensemble. They are not only coworkers and performers working on the same show together. They are a family. And in the theatre world, there really isn't much else you can ask for.
3. The Innovative, Unprecedented, Ingenious Story-Telling
If you have seen any pictures, clips, or the performance itself (in which I am insanely jealous), then you may have noticed that something's a bit different about this musical. Yes, it involves rap and hip hop, but there's something else. And yes, I'm talking about the casting. As most of us know, the Founding Father and most of America's political figures at the time where Caucasian males. However, in Hamilton, such characters are portrayed by people of color. Miranda's parents hail from Puerto Rico. Phillipa Soo, who portrays Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, is the daughter of a first generation Chinese father. And the rest of the cast, excluding Samuel Seabury and King Charles III, are either African American or mixed. Why such a bold choice? Why not be historically accurate, Lin?
It's the story of America then told by America now. That phrase is the usual response when asked about the casting. The use of this casting choice offers the audience a sense of relatability to the founders of their nation. When they see these characters acting as they would, speaking as they speak, and looking similar to how they look, it makes the story more captivating.
When a young kid of color looks at Daveed Diggs rapping his verse in Guns and Ships, or when a young African-American girl looks at Renee Elise Goldsberry singing about being an intelligent, independent woman, hopefully they become inspired and motivated to follow in their footsteps and do something magical and, dare I say, revolutionary. Hamilton and its story brings originality and freshness to the theatre and leaves the audience breathless.
The use of rap, hip hop, and r&b are definitely not new to theatre, but they have not been used as prominently as they are sued in Hamilton. Rap is a form of art that helps the artist express their emotions, thoughts, feelings, and ideas freely. Through rap and hip hop, the story is kept fresh, intriguing, and alive. It gives the tale of our nation's founding the sort of unph that is needed when dealing with something that is normally not entertaining. These styles help keep the audience actually interested in history. And yet schools still want to cut funding from the fine arts...
4. The Unbelievable, Inconceivable, Unimaginable Truth
Probably one of the greatest things about Hamilton is that it is based on actual true events. Alexander Hamilton actually was a bastard from the Caribbean who lost his mother at a young age. He actually moved to New York thanks to the generosity of his fellow islanders. He actually had beef with almost every Founding Father. And he actually had a sexual affair with Maria Reynolds, which is documented as the first sex scandal of US history. And yes, Hamilton actually was fatally shot by Aaron Burr.
However, there are inaccuracies. Hamilton did not meet Burr as it is depicted in the show. Also, the young immigrant did not meet his fellow brothers-in-arms, John Laurens, Hercules Mulligan, and Marquis de Lafayette, until years later than shown onstage. In addition, in Angelica Schuyler's rap during her song "Satisfied", she says, "My father has no sons so I'm the one who has to social climb for one." However, the Schuyler sister had several brothers, including two that survived into adulthood. Although these are just a few inaccuracies, this does not erase the fact that the majority of the events that occur onstage actually occurred in real life. And the three hour production does not even scratch the surface of Hamilton's life. The amazing fact about this musical is that it gives the audience an insight into American history. It tells truths and draws people into history. It gets people talking and wondering about their nation's founding. It stimulates curiosity as well as a thirst for knowledge. Also, the truth in Hamilton's story is one that can reflect the story of many. Hamilton is a character of relatable nature, and the fact that these events occurred to him can occur to anyone is reassuring and encouraging.
As you could probably tell, I adore this musical. It is original and innovative, and as a writer, I am greatly inspired by Miranda's work. It's true, Hamilton and the name Lin-Manuel Miranda are everywhere. On TV. On the radio. On social media. Everywhere. People even decided to miss out on this year's Tony Awards because of the show's takeover. But the thing about Hamilton is that it is actually good. And that is the reason that it is everywhere. It captivates. It relates. It revolutionizes. And if it becomes overused and overly talked about, then too bad. If Hamilton is not your cup of tea, then that's okay. But we can all agree that it is a game-changer for the theatre world.
