Comparing The Phantom Of The Opera, Wicked, And Hamilton

Musicals were originally developed in the 20th century with the purpose to entertain, however, they have surpassed this and have accomplished to entwine with the emotions of an audience group through the manipulation of certain musical elements. One of the musicals that correspond to an unadulterated musical is The Wicked. The wicked is based on a book by Winnie Holzman with the Music and Lyrics written by Stephen Schwartz. The musical focuses on the basis of an unlikely friendship and who struggle with opposing viewpoints, personalities and rivalry. This friendship is shown through the pop melodies with an addition of sophisticated musical theatre song construction.

Within Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda brings history back into the present through his musical. Originally performed at The Public Theater in 2015, the musical was quickly a popular hit and made its way to Broadway. Now performed at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, Hamilton has won 11 Tony awards and multiple honors. Director Thomas Kail and lead producer Jeffrey Seller made many of the final decisions of the production, and through them Miranda’s time and investments, the musical became a success. Now, the musical functions as a public history as it revives the importance of the past, as well as redefines the ways history is made and learned through the integration of rap and hip-hop style in musical theatre.

Since the days of the ancient Greeks, music has been an integral part of drama and theatre. Many composers wrote music to accompany plays, and sometimes the music became more well-known than the play it was written for … It

The musical “Hamilton” is the most sought after musical in years. It is the first seen rap musical and it has received the most ‘Tony’ awards and nominations in Broadway history. Hamilton premiered off Broadway in 2015 and soon moved to Broadway to stun the world with it’s incredible everything, from plot to casting. For best albums, Hamilton was second ranked in Billboard magazine and has got endless supply of recognition for the ingenious play written by the phenomenal Lin Manual Miranda. Hamilton is currently the most popular sensation on Broadway because of the music with its creative lyrics and hidden messages, it’s stellar performance and the perspectives it gives us on the people that founded our county. (on the people that shaped our past and developed our future).

“In the early days of the musical, what mattered most were the songs, and it was essential that they were catchy enough to amuse the audience or provide material for dancers or comedians. But, beginning in the 1930s, the situation, the book or libretto, of the musical started to achieve primary importance. A story or narrative became more frequently the spine of the musical; the songs followed the plot and the characters, rather than the other way around.”

has been recognized as a new kind of musical play that denied its Broadway audiences many of their most treasured traditions, says David Ewen in American Musical Theatre. There was no opening chorus line, no chorus until midway through the first act, in fact. There was rather a serious ballet and other serious overtones, including a killing in act two. The story, which was so simple, seemed to engage the audience in more than mere evening diversion. (248) These changes, far from disappointing to viewers, were upheld by a success that had never been seen in the history of musical theatre.

Anyone who watches Lin Manuel Miranda’s hit Broadway show, Hamilton, can clearly see that he chose hip-hop as the genre throughout the play. But by doing so, it made people question why and what affect it has on the audience. Some people believe that Miranda chose hip-hop because that was simply what came to mind when he examined Hamilton’s characteristics. Rebecca Mead shares this belief by stating, “Miranda saw Hamilton’s relentlessness, brilliance, linguistic dexterity, and self-destructive stubbornness through his own idiosyncratic lens. It was, he thought, a hip-hop story, an immigrant’s story” (Mead). Her response is a simple answer for a simple question.

     In the novel, Phantom of the Opera, by Gaston Leroux, we are introduced to a character

Throughout time, art has changed the way people perceive history. Lin Manuel-Miranda’s Hamilton has had a strong influence how people view one of the Founding Fathers and the era he lived in. Before Lin Manuel-Miranda took on the task of producing a musical for Hamilton, people had an idea of who the Founding Fathers were and what they stood for. However, Manuel’s take on Hamilton wanted to present American history in which people of diverse cultures and women share the same spotlight with the Founding Fathers. In the musical, Manuel thought it was important for Hispanics and African-Americans to play as the Founding Fathers, so it reminds the audience American history is not composed of one race. Although critics, like Nichols, believe "superficial diversity” of the play’s casting results in a failure to

In the article review “Race-Conscious Casting …” Lyra D. Monteiro claims that Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton lacks the other parts of history that are important to African Americans. The examples in history that are important to African Americans are when the slaves were free or when they were finally given rights in America, and their involvement and development in the Harlem Renaissance.

An American transplant from the Caribbean was Hamilton and Miranda’s family came from Puerto Rico. Lin-Manuel spent many days at his father’s offices where he had previously worked as an advisor to New York City mayor Ed Koch, while Hamilton once served as advisor to George Washington. Their linked history with political worlds and a penchant for using words to reach people helped Miranda relate to Hamilton while reading Chernow’s biography of the historic figure. He felt the connection and knew there was potential for “extraordinary drama” (Mead) in his story. With that first connection, Lin-Manuel Miranda began to construct a 21st century version of a piece of the American Revolution. Weaving past and present by connecting the two with modern-day musical genres and a mix of actors to represent current American society without sacrificing historical accuracy, Miranda has created “the first real hip-hop musical” (Hiatt) that brings history to life in a most entertaining way and is “transcending Broadway to become a full-on phenomenon.” (Hiatt)

“Lin-Miranda’s rap-driven portrait of the rise and fall of Alexander Hamilton (this country’s first Secretary of the Treasury) …” is a Broadway musical that has swept New York City as well as the entire nation, as it is one of the most sought out tickets. Lin-Miranda was inspired to write “Hamilton” after reading a biography written by Ron Chernow in 2004. There is the cultural significance of the musical, about one of the founding fathers, because relating history to the younger generations is important. Speaking the same language is important for a society to grow. “Hamilton” had a daunting task of taking American Revolutionary history and turning it into a smash hit entertaining play that most leave having enjoyed themselves as well as

The evolution of musical theater in America can be viewed through many lenses. Through the lens of hindsight, it is easy to reflect on the treatment and portrayal of African-Americans in the contextual fruition of live entertainment in the United States. Dating back to the later half to the nineteenth and into the early twentieth century, ethnic representation in musical theater underwent a gradual change paralleling a shift in societal opinion toward racial equality. Though by today’s standards, its depiction of African-Americans may seem archaic at best, Show Boat changed the way audiences viewed musical theater through its success as the first show to deal with racial issues in the United States.

At the end of World War I, an excited America was poised for a cultural renaissance; patriotism was on the rise, the strong concept of Manifest Destiny had passed its peak of influence, and, most importantly, there had not been a clear shift in culture for decades. The Jazz Age of the 1920s was about to dawn, bringing with it youthful, risqué morals and a carefree look on life. From these ideals, a new, strongly American form of entertainment would emerge: musical theatre. Most commonly found in New York City on Broadway even to this day, musical theatre became an escape from reality and an entry into the imagination. The grand and splashy components that make up what is considered a classic Broadway musical can ultimately be traced back to Cole Porter. Porter’s writing, albeit at times controversial or raunchy, was able to harness the frantically beating heart of the Jazz Age and turn it into treasured shows. Using his unique melodies, romantic or idealistic lyrics, and his pioneering of writing about the human experience, Cole Porter shaped American music and theatre from the 1920s through the 1940s.

I guess you could say my obsession with musicals began in fifth grade, in a dark classroom with twenty or so other students all huddled around a small television. Sitting cross legged on the floor, my music teacher wanted to show the class a video; I don’t quite remember why. It was the first song of the Legally Blonde musical, called “Omigod you guys”. Upon hearing that song I wanted to listen to the rest of the musical. It was the first musical I have ever watched, I was captivated. Now four years later I’m hooked on a different musical, Hamilton, by Lin Manuel Miranda.