Lin Manuel-Miranda has taken the life story of Alexander Hamilton and turned it on its head. And one of the best way to describe the importance of this show is to use Miranda’s own words: “This is a story of America then, told by America now”.
And that is why “Hamilton” is more more than a broadway play:
- “Hamilton” is the story of an immigrant trying to leave his mark in his adopted country
- It has put hip-hop on Broadway, something few other shows have attempted (with varying degrees of success)
- All but one of the central characters/historical figures is played by an actor of color
- Women are more than just background characters or foils for their male counterparts
In a time that most news stories involving people of color are hashtag campaigns for yet another victim of police brutality or social media posts demanding they defend their humanity or basic rights. So seeing the attention and admiration “Hamilton” has received is a refreshing respite.
These may seem like insignificant points but for those of us who are constantly searching for themselves in historical narratives and in popular media this show is pretty revolutionary.
High ticket price and sold-out showtimes, however, make this show fairly inaccessible so we are super grateful for the Keller Family Venture Grant Fund, the Dean’s Advisory Committee, the President’s Special Project Fund, and our wonderful advisors Rochelle Mason and Tip Ragan for helping us make this project possible.
And of course to our friends and family who have listened along (willingly and unwillingly) to the “Hamilton” soundtrack with us for the past few months!
Hamilton 