“What is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.” During his hit production Hamilton: An American Musical, Lin-Manuel Miranda sang “The World Was Wide Enough.” Founding Father Alexander Hamilton left behind a great legacy and helped lead America to prosperity in his short life, passing away just under 50 years old. The founding fathers all played a significant role in the creation of the United States, but Hamilton has stood out to thousands of people. The reasoning behind that is the astonishing performance of Hamilton: An American Musical.
According to Diep Tran at the New York Theatre Guide with “Everything you need to know about Hamilton on Broadway” dated March 14, 2022, the musical premiered off Broadway on January 20, 2015. Popularity immediately surged, and soon the performance became the talk of the nation. Alexander Hamilton never knew he’d have a musical about his momentous life, but that was only one of the many seeds planted in the garden of history. Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jeffrey Seller, and Thomas Kail produced the successful musical, and in July of 2020, the performance was presented as a movie on the streaming service Disney+. Once again, the widespread love for the show skyrocketed, and for good reason; the movie was phenomenal. It also gave those who couldn’t see the musical in person a chance to watch it from the comfort of their own home. Hamilton is an extremely well produced musical turned movie with an incredible story, cast, and messages, with every single aspect, especially the music, being extremely high quality.
The plot of Hamilton is magnificent. It is one of tragedy and resilience, and is truly an emotional story up to the very last second. The opening scene is about the troubles Alexander Hamilton faced throughout his childhood, when his father left his family and his mother died, leaving him alone against the world. Despite the hardship, he pushed on with his life, persistent in his efforts to escape the Caribbean and make it to America; as the song “Alexander Hamilton” sings, “in New York you can be a new man.” The rest of the musical tells of him climbing the social and political ladders of early America, as well as finding, and losing, many friends and relatives. It truly tears at the heartstrings of the viewer with every watch, enveloping them with a wide range of emotions. It also proves that even those born into misfortune can still make a difference in the world, just as Alexander Hamilton did. Although slightly exaggerated for effect, the storyline is a genuinely impeccable aspect of the production. However, the success of the story would not be possible without the cast.
The casting of Hamilton was very deliberate. The producers wanted to create a cast that wasn’t strictly white, despite the founding fathers being of Caucasian descent. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who played Alexander Hamilton in the show, wanted to exhibit that America was created by people of all races. They cast wonderful actors who played their roles to perfection. The singing, acting, and choreography were all displayed flawlessly by every single cast member. Actor Anthony Ramos played two characters in the show: John Laurens, who was an American soldier and friend of Hamilton during the first act, and Philip Hamilton, Alexander Hamilton’s son. The two characters were similar in some respects: outspoken and strong with their beliefs. Ramos did an incredible job carrying out those two roles as if he was born for it. Several of the other actors, such as Okieriete Onaodowan, who played Hercules Mulligan and James Madison, did a phenomenal job playing two roles. They all were able to portray different personalities, and accents in some cases, and gave a deep sense of connection between each of the characters. Additionally, the ensemble was wonderfully in sync, and it’s apparent that the company was connected very well. Every single member of the cast was a crucial part of the performance’s success, and they did well in delivering hidden messages behind the musical.
There are a few subtle implications to take away from Hamilton. For one, the casting was to display that the United States was built on more than just rich white men. That was something that many viewers probably wouldn’t realize when watching the performance for the first time. However, another message that may be more prominent is the message about gun violence. Nearly every single character whose death is acknowledged in the show dies at the hand of someone wielding a firearm. Because the story takes place in the 1700s, duels weren’t an unusual occurrence, especially in colonial America. Hamilton paints the picture of how extraordinary of a problem gun violence was hundreds of years ago, and continues to be today. The delivery of the hidden, yet powerful messages is very high quality, which is represented throughout the whole musical.
Unsurprisingly, the quality of creation throughout the entire movie is remarkable. Every single aspect of Hamilton was constructed so well, and it all comes together to develop a wonderful musical. It nearly flawlessly tells the story of Alexander Hamilton and his life in America, and was extremely well written, involving many ties to different points in history. Several metaphors are also included in the script to really strengthen the storyline and help make an engaging watch. Despite the many quality aspects of the musical, there is a difference between watching Hamilton in person versus watching it online. Nothing can replace the feeling of seeing a performance in person, and being truly immersed in the experience. There’s also the privilege of being able to say they watched it in person, which watching the movie at home doesn’t replicate that feeling. Nonetheless, the quality of the production is delightful, both at home and in the theater, and there is one detail that stood out above the rest—music.
Being a musical, Hamilton obviously required strong music, and the producers did not disappoint. The soundtrack is a mix of modern-day music, containing mostly hip-hop and jazz. This helps bring history to the present by mixing moments from the past with music from today. Additionally, every scene of the show flows together exceptionally because of how the music was arranged. There are many songs that will almost repeat themselves to connect one moment with another and display the similarities in moments of Hamilton’s life. Lin-Manuel Miranda is indeed an expert at songwriting, and it shines in Hamilton. The soundtrack continues to be widely popular across America and the world, even among those who haven’t seen the movie. None of the songs are a letdown, and it thoroughly ties everything together to create a wonderful production.
Hamilton: An American Musical is a show with many quality characteristics that bring together a delightful movie for viewers. The storyline is extremely powerful and captivating, telling of the hardship of an immigrant in the 1700s, and drawing lots of emotion from the audience. The casting of the show has an important meaning behind it, and every single actor plays their role incredibly. They each deliver important messages that tell of real issues that have persisted for generations. The performance is extremely well produced, the music tying it all together with a neat red bow. Hamilton: An American Musical wonderfully tells the story of a nobody from a small Caribbean island, who rises nearly to the top of American politics, and leaves behind a great legacy. Over 200 years ago, Alexander Hamilton planted the seeds that now bear fruit, inspiring those who take a bite, and his musical shines a spotlight on his legacy.
