If you keep up with Broadway buzz, there’s no doubt you’ve heard about the hottest show in New York City. Politicians and celebrities are flocking to it, tourists and New Yorkers alike are paying top dollar for the hard-to-come-by tickets and the New York Times encouraged the world to mortgage their houses and lease their children for a chance to see the show.
Broadway's "Hamilton"
Does it sound a bit overhyped? It sure does. I’ve seen my share of shows on Broadway and the West End, enough to know what it’s like to be deeply moved, but eventually have those intense emotions wear off a few hours after the curtain falls. But, it’s been almost a week since I saw the show, and I’m still having trouble not writing this review with caps lock on.
Because, if any show lives up to all of the hype and overwhelming praise, it’s Hamilton.
Let’s backtrack a bit. In 2008, the show’s writer, composer and star, Lin Manuel-Miranda, found himself overcome with inspiration after reading Ron Chernow’s biography on Alexander Hamilton. (This 800+ page book was his beach read for a vacation – that should tell you a bit about who Miranda is as an artist.)
Hamilton, an orphan, was an impoverished immigrant from the Caribbean whose ambition and intelligence earned him a spot as General George Washington’s most trusted aide-de-camp during the Revolutionary War. He eventually became America’s first Secretary of the Treasury, finding many enemies along the way, before he was eventually shot and killed during an infamous duel with Vice President Aaron Burr.
Hamilton’s non-traditional background led Miranda to compose a score you wouldn’t expect for a musical about America’s founding fathers. You’ll find elements of traditional showtunes, yes, but Hamilton as a whole incorporates rap and hip-hop, drawing inspiration from the likes of Jay Z and The Notorious B.I.G. Not only that, but the core cast is composed almost entirely of people of color. And when they do use a white actor, it’s for the deluded King George III (hilariously portrayed by Jonathan Groff).
If the idea of a black Thomas Jefferson (Daveed Diggs) or a mixed-race Eliza Hamilton (Phillipa Soo) spitting rhymes while dressed in period garb makes you uncomfortable, it shouldn’t. Miranda has explained several times how Hamilton is a show about “America then” told by “America now.” Watching a cast representing groups of people too often ignored by the entertainment industry is just one (hugely important) part of the beauty behind the show.
Hamilton is a spectacle, keeping a bare bones set while using a turntable that keeps the action moving. You don’t need Phantom’s chandelier or The Lion King’s colorful backdrop. Similar to the original production of Les Miserables, all you really need are the characters in front of you. They deserve all your attention.
Miranda’s performance hits every nerve.
His Hamilton is humorous, obnoxious and heartbreaking. It’s a treat to see an artist in the middle of his own masterpiece. There were plenty of times, during the show, I’d look over at Miranda to catch his reaction to a pivotal moment in the plot. His tears would immediately set off my own. Is he crying as Hamilton, or is he crying because of this crazy thing he’s created? Guys, no one really knows.
Then, you have Leslie Odom Jr. as Aaron Burr, the show’s narrator and Hamilton’s nemesis. A private and composed man, brilliant in his own right, he’s threatened by Hamilton’s work ethic and intensity. Watching Odom Jr.’s performance as he builds on Burr’s rage is absolutely unreal.
Another standout in the cast is Daveed Diggs, who plays two roles. In act one, he’s Marquis de Lafayette, a Frenchman who fought alongside Hamilton in the Revolutionary War. When act two rolls around, he struts onto the stage as Thomas Jefferson.
Christopher Jackson’s George Washington is zealous, but mostly tender and fatherly toward Hamilton. He’s the only presence on stage Hamilton seems truly humbled by.
You can’t talk about the cast’s brilliance without mentioning its female leads, Phillipa Soo and Renée Elise Goldsberry – sisters Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton and Angelica Schuyler, respectively. While they are not as prominent as the men, when they do shine, they never feel overshadowed. There is a jaw-dropping moment at the end of the final number that leaves you wondering which Hamilton the show is really about.
One fantastic part about the way these women are written? Angelica, deeply in love with her sister’s husband, is never pitted against Eliza. During a turbulent moment in the Hamiltons’ marriage, Angelica sets aside her feelings for Alexander and goes directly to her sister’s side.
Someone finally got the memo that no one actually cares about love triangles.
So, keep an eye on availability. Save up a couple hundred dollars for your ticket (it’s worth it, I promise). A flight from Columbus over to New York City is just a little over an hour – make a weekend out of it. Make sure you extend the invitation to everyone you know, because afterwards you’re not going to shut up about it.
You can listen to the show’s Spotify playlist here.
