In all honesty, I’m not a huge fan of history. I’ve always found it boring, not relatable and impossible to remember. That was until I saw the hip-hop musical Hamilton.
I have to admit, I was pretty late to the game. My family and friends have been buzzing about the soundtrack for months, but I didn’t get the hype until I saw the show in March.
All I can say is that Lin Manuel-Miranda, the show’s creator who plays Alexander Hamilton, is a genius. It blows my mind that someone can write a rap about cutting off the British navy at Yorktown or the election of 1800 that’s entertaining, catchy and captivating. Plus, he’s performed live freestyles at the White House with President Obama and on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
Lin isn’t the only genius in the show. The entire cast is amazingly talented. One of my favorite characters is King George III, played by Jonathon Groff. He is incredibly sassy as he sings about how America will regret gaining independence from England. I still laugh every time I think about that scene. Another favorite moment was the rap battle between Thomas Jefferson and Hamilton. But, “Wait For It” is probably my favorite song of all.
Scratch that, I can’t pick a favorite.
Just when you thought everyone would stop talking about Hamilton, Kennedy Center officials announced they will host the show during the 2017-2018 season. The show is also expected to win many of the record-breaking 16 Tony Awards it was recently nominated for. It’s definitely safe to say that Hamilton is making both American History and musical theater, two subjects that most people my age are completely turned off by, cool.
I’ll definitely try to see the show again when it comes here. Until then, if you need someone to educate you about The Federalist Papers in the form of a rap, you know who to call.