Have you ever heard the tale of founding father, Alexander Hamilton? A vague question in all honesty but what if I asked “have you ever seen the Broadway hit ‘Hamilton?'”
“Hamilton” has Lin Manuel Miranda taking center stage, accompanied by a stellar cast. The thing that makes this spectacle musical genius is the multi-layered complexity.
For example, did you know that Manuel Miranda wrote the entire musical from top to bottom? The very essence of his personality and passion is found imprinted into the entire production.
Miranda coined the musical, Hamilton: An American Musical. A common description that many attach to the production is “America then, as told by America now”. The premise of the show certainly holds that to great respect. Most of the founding fathers are portrayed by non-white actors. It certainly felt that Miranda wanted the show to be representational and diverse on all levels.
“Hamilton: An American Musical” does a tremendous job of standing out and carving a new perspective of identity. One more interesting tidbit about the show is the inclusion of various music genres including rap, R&B and soul, along with a flair of traditional theater. Manuel Miranda has crafted a product that’s fresh in variety and just feels unique.
For those who don’t know, Hamilton was the hottest show on Broadway for the past couple of years. The reputation of the musical was unrivaled and the show was always sold out. The very thought of getting a seat was literally impossible.
However, to those who didn’t get witness this masterpiece of theater, the digital cut was slated for release on October 15, 2021. COVID-19’s outbreak caused Disney to take action and on July 3rd, Disney released an edited version of the production.
The show is pieced together from three separate performances at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in Midtown Manhattan, New York. The finished product was a rousing critically acclaimed success with a puff of movie quality cinematography that helped paint the illusion of a blockbuster film.
Hamilton is a musical through and through.
Hamilton may come off as excessively long, with a steep run time of almost three hours, but the show is a non-stop tale filled with the elements of heart.
It is so deep and real that the the narrative seems to immediately know the audience it’s appealing to. The shots are stunning and the lyrics always paint the stage. The actors add to the canvas with a tone of purpose and dynamic choreography.
All of the songs are so catchy but also have a different flair and identity to each. From such hits such as “The Room Where It Happened” combined with an overarching mystery were constantly in thought.
It was such a sight to witness, and truth be told, I could keep breaking down the songs to an extreme length but to embrace the glory which is ‘Hamilton’ in all aspects, one needs to experience this production on their own.
The finished product is an absolute blast to watch from start to finish. It goes to prove that Hamilton is a blueprint for the evolution of theater to come. It is predicated on inclusion, excellence of writing, stunning camera work combined with an ensemble like no other.
I want to give praise to Leslie Odom Jr., as Aaron Burr, due to the charisma he has on center stage. Another cast member who deserves recognition is Daveed Diggs’ eccentric nature as Thomas Jefferson. Diggs felt like the real MVP of the production.
Everyone who had a part in this love letter to the art of theater definitely deserves an applause. The ensemble was oozing to the brim with talent. From the likes of Jonathan Groff as King George III, and the sensational Philip Soo as the powerful yet troubled Eliza Schuyler. Sadly, though, this cast did disband after 2016. Some famous actors filled in the cracks though. For example, Taran Killiam from Saturday Night Live filled Groffs’ Shoes in his absence.
Lin Manuel Miranda should be proud of what he achieved with this musical. The beauty of Hamilton is in the complex commentary and established social cues in the lyrics combined with the production of set design.
The musical is a tale of two friends, turned brothers. The relationship between Hamilton and Burr was strong. Nothing could break it except the corruption of power.
Sing your heart out and don’t blow you’re shot, because Hamilton sure didn’t.
