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A World Turned Upside Down

Thanks to the musical Hamilton, the world will never be the same.

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A World Turned Upside Down
Rolling Stone Magazine

If you looked at my computer's search history, you would automatically see things like "what organs can you live without," "how much do kidneys sell for on the black market," and "what body parts can you legally sell." This can be easily explained: I desperately want to go see Hamilton on Broadway.

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past year, you've likely heard of Hamilton: An American Musical, a show about founding father Alexander Hamilton told entirely through hip-hop and rap music. While a show about 18th century men who sought independence from Britain hardly seems to be a thrilling endeavor, the music and acting are absolutely breath-taking. Lin- Manuel Miranda, the show's creator, song-writer, lead actor, and the precious cinnamon roll that I want to be my best friend, has crafted a show that is both historically accurate, catchy, and hilarious, leaving you well informed and singing rap music in public. My dad and stepmom recently went to see the show in New York City, and I can now utter the line "My parents went to Hamilton without me, and all I got was this t-shirt." Fittingly, they said that the show was the best that they've ever seen.

Several months ago, tickets for Hamilton sold for less than $1,000, still a hefty price for a show, but worth it for the amazing quality of the experience. Now, after the show recently won 11 Tony Awards, a near record-breaking amount, tickets have sky-rocketed to over $1,800 a piece at the minimum. This is why I've been Googling which organs of mine I could sell. The cast of the show holds lotteries for tickets every Wednesday, where 21 lucky people will win tickets for only $10. The odds of winning those tickets are roughly 909:1 for the online lottery and 476:1 for the in-person drawing. To put this in perspective, you have a higher chance of being on a plane with a drunk pilot, being born with 11 fingers and toes, and writing a New York Times best-selling novel. That makes me feel so much better.

I've fallen in love with this musical. Every car ride with me is a one woman show, as my phone automatically starts blasting whatever Hamilton song I've had stuck in my head. My little brother recently told me that his name was Alexander Hamilton, due to the amount of times I play the titular song of the show. My mom knows the words to some of the fastest songs now. I simply can't stop listening to the soundtrack, giggling to myself about Tumblr posts involving incorrect Hamilton quotes, or moping about the fact that I likely will never be able to go see it.

Lin-Manuel Miranda has done more than just create a catchy musical about the men who founded our country. Hamilton tells the audience that immigrants get the job done. It casts people of color in roles that were the exact opposite, putting underrepresented groups back into the nation's narrative. It tells you that writing like you're running out of time can be a dangerous game to play, and that you need to take your shot when you have one.

I'll never get the chance to see Hamilton on Broadway, and certainly not before Lin- Manuel, Leslie Odom, and Phillipa Soo (Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, and Eliza Hamilton neé Schyuler, respectively) leave to pursue other projects. I will be watching the documentary titled Hamilton's America that airs on PBS on fall, along with the other self-professed "Hamiltrash," obsessive fans of the show. I will wait until a new cast brings a version of Hamilton to Denver, and I will be singing along to all of the songs that I know and love.

Hamilton is revolutionary, to say the least. I have learned so much about America's history, simply from memorizing some rap lyrics. There's not much else that I can say other than this: Lin-Manuel Miranda has indeed turned the world upside down. So even though there are millions of fans like myself who have to resort to worshipping this musical from afar, we will continue to pour over social media posts, watch live streams of Hamilton videos, and hope that one day we will have the chance to witness this magic on stage. History is happening in New York, and we should count ourselves lucky to be alive right now.



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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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