I'm sure you've heard about the new hit musical that everyone's talking about. Hamilton took New York City by storm in 2015, and tickets to the musical are still as hard as ever to get. You may be wondering, "What is the big deal with Alexander Hamilton?"
One of the biggest questions asked is what, exactly, Hamilton is about. All based on the book by Ron Chernow, Hamilton follows the storyline of young Alexander Hamilton in the midst of the American Revolution. This is where most of us get confused, because why make a musical about Alexander Hamilton? These are exactly the kinds of thoughts I had before listening to the soundtrack and doing some research myself.
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Lin-Manual Miranda is the writer and star of Broadway's Hamilton. In fact, he was Alexander Hamilton. The idea for the musical came to him while he was reading the book, Alexander Hamilton, by Ron Chernow. He heard a tune inside his head, wrote it down, and one of the biggest songs in the musical, My Shot, was started. The whole song took an entire year. After it was finished, he performed it in front of president Barack Obama. And from then, he got the idea to make an whole soundtrack of songs to go with the biography.
A Rapping Musical?
Reactions to Lin-Manuel's plans for the musical were mixed. Devoted Broadway fans were outraged that rapping was apart of the historic musical. Lin-Manuel argues that Hamilton sits inside it's own category when it comes to Dramatic Art genres. He makes a valid point, that after you see the show, it's hard to think of that time without a little rap and hip-hop added to the mix. Against predictions and prejudice before its opening night, Lin-Manuel Miranda wowed critiques and broadway fans alike with this unique and dazzling play. With almost the entire musical rapping and singing, it's a wild ride from the beginning to the end. You can follow the storyline just by listening to the soundtrack.
Hamilton has won 11 Tony awards and has become the most successful Broadway musical of all time. Who would've thought that one of the founding fathers of America would've become so widespread and known?