Some musicals change the very nature of the genre. Oklahoma gave birth to the book musical in which story, dance and lyrics blended together perfectly. A Chorus Line brought the concept of the dance-centered musical. Hair encouraged societal topics and customer to be probed. Rent introduced the stage to 21st century ideas and issues. Then along came Hamilton, which opened the door to singing, rap and movement, blending into fine-tuned storytelling.
Hamilton was inspired by the 2004 biography, Alexander Hamilton, by historian Ron Chernow. It has book, music and lyrics by Lin Manuel Miranda, who perfectly honed each element to clearly represent our revolutionary fathers.
How did this “exhilarating,” and “sublime” musical come to be? The story goes that while on vacation from performing in his hit Broadway show In the Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda read a copy of Chernow’s book. Miranda perceived the story as a musical and started to write what was then entitled The Hamilton Mixtape. An Obama White House invitation led to him performing what would later be the show’s opening song.
Hamilton is not the first musical based on founding of this country history or its political figures. 1776, like Hamilton, is set in revolutionary times, specifically showcasing the Continental Congress during the summer of 1776, and reveals the founding fathers’ lively debates. Benjamin Franklin in Paris gives an account of Franklin arriving in Paris in an attempt to raise money for the colonial revolution against England.
From a stylistic standpoint, Hamilton gives us something new. It’s a contemporary rap musical which tells the story in a series of scenes in which the movements are choreographed to not only develop visual ideas, but to help create characterizations, seamlessly tell the tale, and give clear insight into each of the characters who sing them.
The casting includes a racial mixture of actors as the Founding Fathers and other historical figures, paying no attention to their real gender, race or age.
Even the conclusion is different. Most modern-day musicals end with a splashy showstopper that brings the audience to its feet for a resounding curtain call. Not Hamilton. A low-key composition closes the show, emotionally wrapping up the story of a man and his quest.
The story tells the tale of Alexander Hamilton, who was born out of wedlock in the West Indies. He comes to the American colonies at age 19 and seeks out revolutionary patriot Aaron Burr, who advises the young and enthusiastic youth to “talk less, smile more.” This is advice Hamilton did not take and helps set the stage for a life-long set of philosophical battles between the men, which eventually contributes to Hamilton’s death.
The people of Hamilton’s life — the Marquis de Lafayette, the Schuyler sisters, George Washington, Charles Lee, James Madison, and John Jay — flow by in song, rap, movement and spoken words.
The tale of the Revolutionary War, the birth of the nation, Hamilton developing the country’s financial system, the death of his son in a duel, and his own demise in a shootout with Aaron Burr, all transpire in compelling fashion, under the adept direction of Thomas Kail and precision choreography and movement by Andy Blankenbuehler.
A burst of applause and screams greeted the entrance of King George, Clevelander Rory O’Malley, a St. Ignatius grad, who was nominated for a Tony Award for his portrayal of Elder McKinley in Broadway’s The Book of Mormon.
The cast of Hamilton is superb. The quality of the singing, acting and dancing is universally amazing. Don’t wait for a local theater to do the show as no one has the talent to reach the high level of performance quality to do the show justice.
Those who want to see the show but are cash-strapped should be aware that there will be a 40-seat lottery for each performance. To participate in a drawing, prospective ticket buyers must download the official Hamilton app on their IOS or Android device. Winners will be notified between 1 and 4am of the opportunity to purchase up to two tickets for a performance between December 6 and 12. (luckyseat.com). Lotteries for subsequent weeks will operate on the same schedule, opening every Friday and closing Thursday. A person must be 18 or older to enter. Regular tickets are priced at $35-$152 at playhousesquare.org.
Capsule judgment: The question asked to many who see Hamilton is whether it is worth the investment of time and money? This reviewer’s answer, “Absolutely!” I’ve seen it four times and this staging was as compelling as the first.
Hamilton runs through January 15, 2023 at the Key Bank State Theatre.
[Written by Roy Berko, member—Cleveland Critics Circle, American Theatre Association]