“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 …show more content…
For one, hip- hop music has been notorious for failing in the past. Lin-Miranda had a way to connect the two very different musical genres of rap and Broadway. He was a creative genius in delivering both spoke word and storytelling, on stage. Typically, rap is appreciated more by the younger generation; therefore, it really made the contemporary U.S. culture interested in 18th-century government. The genre mixes contemporary rap, hip-hop, and R&B Ballots and exploded across a revolving stage that demonstrates the world is constantly spiraling. If it wasn’t for Miranda’s innovative way to tell Alexander Hamilton’s story, it probably would have come across as a lackluster, old-fashioned history piece. (Piepenburg, Erik. 2016.)
The musical, “Hamilton” also broke through several barriers with a predominate African American and Hispanic cast. Broadway had a reputation for being known to lack diversity. Lin-Miranda challenged that sensitivity by using a cast of diverse culture. The mastermind thinking behind using a diverse looking cast instead of making the cast replicate the look of the founding fathers was to represent what America looks like today. Miranda stated, “It’s a way of pulling you into the story and allowing you to leave whatever baggage you have about the founding fathers, at the door.” (Piepenburg, Erik.
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.
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton divulges the human need to have a purpose and the transformative journey in obtaining it. The musical follows one of America’s founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton, from the time he was a young boy to the successful creator of the national banking system. Hamilton encounters many challenges, both environmental and internal, in his lifetime, while also acquiring long-time foe, Aaron Burr, in America. Alexander Hamilton’s character develops as a hard-working, honest man that transforms into a conniving individual in order to pass his legislation and scale up the political totem pole. Aaron Burr’s jealousy of Hamilton’s progress instigates a transformation in his quietest character.
Legacy is the story you leave behind that future generations will know about. Hamilton: An American Musical was written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and performed on Broadway. This musical is a modern interpretation of the life of one of the founding fathers of the United States, Alexander Hamilton. Lin-Manuel Miranda expresses the theme of having to work hard to build your legacy, so your story is told throughout the performance. This Broadway show uses the literary devices of tone, allusion, and repetition to execute the theme of legacy.
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).
There are many characteristics that could impact one’s life in a negative way causing them to lose everything in life such as selfishness, messiness, untrustworthiness, self-righteousness, or ego. In the award-winning musical, Hamilton: The Revolution, by Lin-Manuel-Miranda, the character of protagonist, Alexander Hamilton may be described in many ways. However, one character trait stands out among the rest. The main character trait of Alexander Hamilton, self-righteousness, shaped everything about his life: how he grew up, how he dominated in debates, and even how he fell from grace. Hamilton always stuck by his ideals, not caring whether it affected other people. These traits led him to lose and gain
Before the Revolutionary War had occurred, many people were coming to the new colonies to start a new life; one of the people was Alexander Hamilton. He had come to the colonies after impressing people in the Caribbean and who then sent him to America to get a better education (“Alexander Hamilton”). Hamilton was an important figure in American history, but very few today remember who he was and what he did. Alexander Hamilton took a stand against traditional government by writing against and battling the British, fighting for the new U.S. Treasury, and arguing for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.
Hamilton has created a revolution. Hamilton: An American Musical is a musical created by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The musical is based on a book written by Ron Chernow about Alexander Hamilton’s life. The story narrates the founding of the United States. The show is being called a revolution due to its language. Lin-Manuel Miranda is being called this generation’s Shakespeare. They both use modern language to reach their audience. In this case, the language is Rap and Hip Hop. Most broadways show reach fame, Lin-Manuel Miranda manages to capture the attention of not only broadway fans but also captures the attention of non-broadway fans.
Tickets to see Hamilton: An American Musical on Broadway are sold out until mid-2017 and prices for a ticket reach up to $1,000. The hip-hopera sensation is sweeping the nation, from old people to children alike. “It is the story of America then told by America now,” explains its writer, Lin-Manuel Miranda. The show brings up current topics set in old settings and makes them new again. One would hardly think a hip hop musical about a founding father would be something to be considered worthy of literary merit, but I would go as far to say that Hamilton is just as worthy as The Color Purple and Invisible Man. It combines the old with the new, is written very intelligently, brings the story to life, sharpens the audience’s awareness of life,
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
Oftentimes people have a difficult time connecting with history. They do not see the relevance between something hundreds of years ago and today’s issues. The Broadway musical Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda does a great job of bridging that gap. Many of the issues that were faced in the time period of Alexander Hamilton are also faced in the world today. An example of this is politicians riding the fence on important issues. A main character in the play is criticized greatly for doing this just as people are currently. In Miranda’s Hamilton, characters are faced with issues and are asked to take a stand just as political leaders are today.
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.
Lin-Manuel Miranda uses hip-hop and rap music to engage a younger audience which ultimately teaches more people about the history of Alexander Hamilton. The song “Alexander Hamilton” and the use of rap in the song engages a younger audience with its rhythm and rhyme throughout the song, while also introducing Alexander Hamilton himself. “My Shot” focuses on Hamilton and how he is not going to throw away his shot in trying to get his chance to fight in the war, and put his name in the history book. The lasts that come together and bring the younger audience in, is both the “Cabinet Battles 1 and 2” which talk about Alexander Hamilton wanting to establish a national bank, and the other song talking about France on the verge of war with England.
People worldwide are praising a man who doesn’t deserve it. Despite being considered one of America’s most influential founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton’s character could never compete with his political status. Alexander Hamilton has been made into an inspiration that he doesn’t deserve to be, being portrayed as the exact opposite of what he stood for in a recent resurgence of praise for him sparked in particular by the world-renowned musical Hamilton. Although he may be receiving this praise, his character is undeniably horrid due to many flaws in his character including the encouragement of anti-immigration laws and his desire for powerful landowners to get complete power in government over the
The play “Hamilton” by Lin-Manuel Miranda brings the founding fathers back to life-with a lot of hip-hop. It all started when Miranda, a writer, composer, and performer, was asked to perform at the White House centered on “the American experience.” The White House expected him to perform something based on his own Latin- American experience, but Miranda had something else in mind. Few months’ prior, Miranda was on vacation with his girlfriend when he started to read a biography on Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. Miranda was seized by the story of Hamilton. He was instantly inspired to create a work chronicling Hamilton’s life. He started to see Hamilton’s relentlessness, ambition, intelligence, and stubbornness through his own
The term ‘hip-hop’ refers to a complex culture compromising of four elements: deejaying, rapping, rhyming, graffiti painting, and b-boying. These elements incorporate hip-hop dance, style, and attitude. “Hip-hop originated in the primarily African American economically depressed South Bronx section of New York City in the late 1970s” (Tate, pg.1). Hip-hop is a culture of fashion, language, music, movement, visual art and expression. The genre of hip-hop comes with a very significant history and evolution with its own heroes, legends, triumphs and downfalls. “Real” hip-hop is often stressed in the 21st century due to what is being passed off as hip hop, and it is often made clear that just because one takes a hip hop class, or listens to hip-hop music, does not mean they conform to the true immersion of hip-hop culture. Therefore, “real” hip-hop encapsulates the true essence of hip-hop culture, untarnished by impurities such as rapacious record labels, and vapid, materialistic subject matter. Due to the background of how and where hip-hop first emerged, the African American culture often feel responsible to protect what is for them, and to protect the culture of hip-hop entirely. Boyd states that even though hip-hop as a culture was created as a social movement, the “commercializaiton” of hip-hop demonstrated in film and media construes it to another form of urbanization and popularity”(Boyd, 79). However, in the two movies being examined in this essay (Save the Last Dance