Lin-Manuel Miranda (Book, Music, Lead Actor, and Lyrics), put together a musical production the likes of which the Richard Rodgers Theatre, nor Broadway, has never seen before. Miranda’s musical is inspired by Ron Chernow’s scholarly biography, Alexander Hamilton, and introduces Broadway to the world of hip-hop, r&b, jazz, and pop while telling the stories of our founding fathers. To say that praise for this production, directed by Thomas Kail, has been positive, would be an understatement, seeing as the play has been sold out two years in advance. The cultural significance of this production lies not only in the music, but also in the fact that Lin-Manuel, who plays Alexander Hamilton, racebent history by casting Black, hispanic, and Asian characters in historical roles, such as Alexander Hamilton and George Washington. To say that the production uses color blind casting erases the intentionality of having a multiethnic cast.
While rooted in history, the way Hamilton is written speaks to the famous quote by Frank Harte, that “Those in power write the history, while those who suffer write the songs”. The production. does this in two ways. First, it includes the lives of people usually erased from history. Aaron Burr, played by Leslie Odom Jr., acts as a narrator as he speaks to the audience. Angelica Schuyler, played by Renee Elise Goldsberry, and her sister Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, played by Phillipa Soo, are given the space to share their stories. Elizabeth Shuyler is also Hamilton’s wife-to-be. The play also reminds you of who has power by having all the characters, with the exception of Jonathan Groff playing King George, played by Black, Hispanic, and Asian actors.
Miranda’s concept for the production creates a platform for powerful acting. In the first act, Angelica Schuyler Church, tells her version of what happened the night Hamilton meets the woman he is to marry, Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton. We first see the scene through the eyes of Eliza as she sings the song “Helpless”, but as soon as the song ends, the cast sings “Rewind” and Angelica sings, “I remember that night, I just might regret it for the rest of my days” as we discover that she too has feelings for Hamilton . The cast gathers in the center of the stage around Angelica as the moving floor revolves the cast in circles, lights flash, and “Rewind” is repeated and sounds like a DJ is scratching a disc. The scene feels like a shout out to Hype Williams, whose vibrant and flashing colors were all the rave in hip-hop music videos of the 90s. This scene reminds you that there are multiple perspectives and experiences of a particular event, which speaks to the entire play. Visually, the production of Hamilton is engaging. While David Korns, in charge of scenic design, created a set true to American during the revolution, the use of lighting, the moving floor, and the choreography, by Andy Blankenbuehler, modernizes it. Paul Tazewell, in charge of Costume Design, creates elaborate period costumes.
In the second act, Hamilton’s death speaks to the intelligence of Miranda’s productions. The draw between Hamilton and Burr ends in Hamilton’s death, which is shown in what feels like slow motion. The actors pause as the floor moves. The lighting is a deep blue. As a whole, the use of lighting, by Howell Binkley, in the production seems to fit the scene and modernize the play. The lighting tended to work in conjunction with the style of music, Alex Lacamoire is the Music Director and Nevin Steinberg is in charge of Sound Design, which created anachronistic juxtaposition between the period costumes and the modern music. Furthermore, the scene changes were flawless and unnoticeable.
The cultural importance of this play seems to only be lightly touched upon in reviews, such as those written by Ben Brantley and Jody Rosen for The New York Times, but they are huge. For example, the play begs the question: By trying to highlight the erasure of people of color in history, does the play in fact erase actual histories of people of color? While seeing Lin-Manuel play Alexander Hamilton or Leslie Odom Jr. play Aaron Burr feels right, at times, you were reminded of the fact that in actual history, these men didn’t have even had access to that type of power. The text and lyrics of the songs remind you of the real history, of slavery, and of systemic oppression of people as America was trying to gain freedom for “all”.
The tune of “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash wouldn’t have felt right if the cast had been white, and it would have been disrespectful given the fact that rap and hip-hop came out of the struggles of Black and Hispanic Americans. Seeing afros (shout-out to Charles G. LaPointe for the hair and wig design) on stage is beautiful. Daveed Diggs, who plays Thomas Jefferson and Marquis de Lafayette, with his hair out and one of the female ensemble members rock an afro is glorious and serves to destroy the accepted history. At that point in history, Black people didn’t wear their hair like that because of the need to assimilate and the lack of the resources the take care of their hair in that way. In addition, there is a cast member who has “chola hair”, a look and identity that is a form of resistance.
“I’m not going to waste my shot” is a line sung throughout the production, and Lin-Manuel doesn’t. The production is exciting, rooted in history, and makes you think. Hamilton is a collision of the past and the present, that almost everyone can get something out of, even if they aren’t necessarily familiar with hip-hop or American history.