I attended a performance of Hamilton: An American Musical and it changed my life. It was hands-down the most amazing theatrical experience I’ve ever witnessed—and I felt that way by the end of the opening number. Man, was I in for a treat for the next two and a half hours.
My guess is that you’ve probably heard of Hamilton, the awe-inspiring new Broadway musical depicting the life of founding father Alexander Hamilton, and if you haven’t, you have to get on that. The fact of the matter is that Hamilton is changing the musical theatre game. It’s not your typical musical theatre show full of melodramatic characterization and unnecessarily over-the-top musical numbers. It is something entirely unique and finally gives musical theatre what it has always needed—diversity.
Hamilton tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, who until now, most people only knew as the face on the $10 bill (if even that). The show addresses all of the big events in Hamilton’s life from childhood, through his rise in American politics, to his (SPOILER ALERT) death. However, since the show is factual, and Hamilton died over two centuries ago, I think you could’ve guessed how it ends…
So after reading a biography written by Ron Chernow, Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of Hamilton, did what makes sense—he turned Alexander Hamilton’s life into a hip-hop Broadway musical (It’s an obvious pairing, right?) At first, the idea seems so crazy and confusing but it works.
You may be skeptical of this and of the show’s mega success—how does one man write a musical that has such a profound impact on the whole of American society? Why are songs about cabinet meetings and passing bills through Congress appearing on radio stations and in front page news stories across the country?
By combining American history with contemporary (and relatable) music and dance, Miranda shatters all Broadway musical expectations. Through this, Hamilton invites audiences of all ages, backgrounds, and kinds to share in the inspirational journey of our founding fathers. This open invitation to those who love theatre, those who have never heard a single show tune, and those who would’ve never guessed they’d end up watching a performance on Broadway, is groundbreaking.
I was pleasantly surprised when I attended Hamilton and found that the seats behind me were filled with eager, elderly couples. They were engaged in the show, inquisitive about the story, and so incredibly respectful of the production’s modern take on old history. It wasn’t what I expected—I never knew that Hamilton would have such an incredible outreach to a variety of audiences.
The inclusivity of the musical is introducing generations of people to art forms they may have never otherwise experienced. Perhaps the elderly folks behind me at the performance had never heard rap music before, or perhaps some of the teenagers that I saw during intermission had never previously attended a theatre performance but were intrigued by Hamilton’s current music and presentation. Whatever their stories may be, Hamilton offered them all the opportunity to experience the beauty of history, theatre, contemporary dance, and modern music all in one setting.
This progressive musical has even inspired young students to want to learn about history. As part of a partnership created between Hamilton: An American Musical and The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, 1,300 New York City Public Schools students took a field trip to see Hamilton in action on Broadway on Tuesday, November 2nd, 2016.
These students were able to learn about American history in an intriguing and enticing way. To enrich their education further, each one earned their ticket by creating an original poem, song, or rap, surrounding a historical figure or event. Some even got to perform their original compositions on stage at the Richard Rodgers theatre.
Hamilton has revolutionized history education—and according to my father, “Every history teacher in America should write Lin-Manuel Miranda a personalized thank you note.” The musical’s innovative education on American history is unique, thrilling, and promotes the beauty of variety, in learning and much more.
Beyond the diversity of Hamilton’s structure and storytelling, the show’s cast represents this as well. The cast of Hamilton incorporates actors of all ethnicities and backgrounds, which is representative of our nation today.
Alexander Hamilton didn’t have the opportunity to live in a nation full of all faiths, ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds. In the 1700s, America was young and naïve. Our nation had no idea that it would soon become known as a “melting pot” for all kinds of people to come to and thrive.
Hamilton’s cast is a melting pot and accurately depicts how America looks today, not America in 1776. This is a conscious decision. After Hamilton’s Grammy awards performance in February 2016, viewers questioned why Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is Puerto Rican, portrayed Alexander Hamilton instead of a white actor. Tweets were found all over the Internet questioning whether Alexander Hamilton was white—and yes, he was.
Today, we live in a multiracial, multicultural society. We are not the same America that we once were and it is brilliant that the cast of Hamilton reflects this.
Hamilton is regarded as a cultural phenomenon in our day and age. However, I don’t believe that its hype is going to die down any time soon. It has revamped musical theatre to reflect the needs of our society. Hamilton has broken down the barrier between past and present. It has brought multiple generations of people, from all different places, together to appreciate American history. It has encouraged and excited students to learn and has endorsed diversity as a wonderful, enriching quality of our people and our nation.
Hamilton is not throwing away its shot to truly make a positive impact on our society and the musical theatre world. Hamilton: An American Musical is the story of tonight, and of today.