Random Blog Post #2 - Hamilton

Growing up in New York City, I have had the privilege of seeing numerous musicals on Broadway with my family. My favorite musicals include Come From Away, Book of Mormon, Les Misérables, and Dear Evan Hansen. However, one musical that absolutely blew it out of the park was Hamilton created by the Singer-songwriter and Actor Lin-Manuel Miranda. Hamilton is a brilliant musical that utilizes hip-hop/rap to tell the revolutionary story of the United States during the 18th and 19th century. What stands out about Hamilton is that it differs from traditional musical theater as it appeals to an audience that isn’t particularly fond of musicals by incorporating a popular genre of music. While I enjoyed studying history in school, Hamilton completely brought this portion of American history to life in my mind.

The storytelling and catchy lyrics of this musical draw in the audience to listen to the story of Alexander Hamilton’s life and his involvement during the American Revolutionary War. You don’t have to like history, especially American history, to appreciate this masterpiece. You will experience a rollercoaster of twists and turns, exhilarating highs, and heartbreaking lows while exploring themes of love, loss, power, ambition, and identity. With this musical, Lin-Manuel Miranda casts actors of color and actors from diverse backgrounds to reclaim historical narratives and highlight their contribution to American history that has been erased. Lin-Manuel Miranda, an immigrant himself, tries to create a powerful story that resonates with the audience by emphasizing the perspective of the immigrant experience that unquestionably shaped America into what it is today. Many of the musical’s songs succinctly weave in important messages about the immigrant experience. In the infamous song “My Shot,” Alexander Hamilton repeats the mantra, “I am not throwing away my shot, I am not throwing away my shot! Hey yo, I’m just like my country, I'm young, scrappy, and hungry, And I’m not throwing away my shot!” Lin-Manuel Miranda speaks to a sense of ambition and drive to create something of himself and make his mark. These brilliant lyrics capture the immigrant spirit and highlight Hamilton’s determined and courageous persona. 

While every song in this musical is well worth listening to, “Satisfied” sung by Angelica Schuyler is my favorite. “Satisfied” sheds light on the complex relationship Angelica Schuyler has with Alexander Hamilton. Throughout the song, we learn about her unrequited love for Hamilton and the sacrifice she had to make so her sister Eliza could marry him. Additionally, the blocking and choreography during this musical number are visually striking and allow Angelica to look introspectively into past events and comment on them. During the “rewind” portion of the song, Lin-Manuel Miranda acutely guides the audience through these past sequences of her life to create a clever and powerful production. 

Overall, Hamilton’s storytelling, lyrics, and choreography make it a stand-out musical that is 100% worth seeing.