Irvin Berlin Critique

For thirty years, an iron curtain lay across Germany. This iron curtain was called the Berlin Wall, and it represented the divide between East and West Germany. It also represented the loss of East Germany’s freedom and democracy. The Berlin Wall separated families and friends. This resulted in children growing up without a father and wives losing all communication with their husbands. The Berlin Wall poorly affected many people and businesses, and caused an ugly dent in Germany’s history.

This musical helped me gain confidence because I could relate to a character more than I ever have before, his success reassuring me. Alexander Hamilton was similar to me because he argued for what he believed was right, stopping at nothing. Mediocrity could not satisfy Hamilton and he rose from his circumstances as an orphan immigrant to make an impression, later heading the treasury of the United States in its formation. Listening to the soundtrack of Hamilton inspires me to take a stand and make the most out of my life, no matter what challenging circumstances I face along the

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.

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).

When thinking of musical theatre, the most common idea is “boy meets girl, boy loses girl, and boy eventually gets the girl in the end.” This situation is most commonly referred to as, “The original story” The main reasons for this stereotype are the musicals produced and shown in the 1950’s- 70’s. When looking at the story line of more than

Porter’s songwriting career began from a young age, when he was growing up in Peru in the turn of the century. At age eleven he published his first composition, Bobolink Waltz, in 1902 (Jablonski 273). He wrote songs throughout his childhood, and while getting his B.A. for law at Yale, wrote the famous and lasting fight songs “Bingo Eli Yale” and “Bull Dog” (Jablonski 273).

In 1923 one of Americas most prolific composers Clifton Williams was born in Traskwood, Arkansas. Later in the 1930’s Williams moved to Little Rock Arkansas and even though his family was having a hard time during the depression. Even through this Williams fared well in high school. during this time Williams learned to play the French horn, the piano and the mellophone . After high school Williams went to Louisiana Tech University where Williams studied composition for a year under

the training ground and inspiration for the birth of the American musical. As the primary

Hamilton, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, is the hit broadway show that has taken over America. It tells the story of one of our founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton, who accomplished many great things through this life. He was “the chief aide to General George Washington, one of the most influential  interpreters and promoters of the U.S. Constitution, the founder of the nation’s financial system, the founder of the Federalist Party, the world’s first voter-based political party, the Father of the United States Coast Guard, and the founder of the New York Post” (Kirov). The musical’s delightful melodies and dramatic storyline not only entertain America, but educate and inspire them.

Another extraordinary person described by Joanne Lipman in “And the Orchestra Played On” is a music teacher, Mr. K. or Jerry Kupchynsky. Lipman never directly says that Mr. K. was a great teacher, but her essay shows it very clearly. At first Mr. K. gives the impression of a tough, rude man, but it changes gradually throughout the story. Strict and demanding, Mr. K. loved discipline and cooperation. He wasn’t mean, but his life was mean to him. He endured fascist camps, the death of his wife from a long suffering disease, immigration, and the murder of his daughter. In my opinion, he was very lonely and had the right to hate life. However, he was the type that believes “what does not kill us makes us stronger”. He did not give up, found his strength and love in music, and taught

Composers: Please include the following for each (I need to be able to tell that you read about them and did not just google them or use wikiepedia, etc. and copied and pasted-read your textbook please)

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

One Time I was at a restaurant and “Caravan” came on and I noticed how the older folks responded to the beat, the same way we respond to our generation of Music. After that day I went and googled up the song and I found out that it was Duke Ellington who composed that song.

Easily one of the most sought after artists of this age, Lin-Manuel Miranda has made a name out of himself as a creative genius. After already writing In the Heights, Miranda’s first musical to win the Tony of Best Musical, and cowriting music for another Broadway musical, Bring it On!, he shook the world by writing the hit musical Hamilton: book, music and lyrics by Mr. Miranda, in addition to him originating the role of Alexander Hamilton. From that point on, Miranda’s career skyrocketed. Coming from humble backgrounds, Miranda uses his platform on social media to discuss topics like racial and gender inequality, as well for fighting for help for his family’s home of Puerto Rico in financial and physical distress after Hurricane Maria.

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.