![]() ![]() “It’s one of the forms that Lin explores so, though it hasn’t been done in the Broadway canon as much, it certainly didn’t seem out of the ordinary.”Īnd therein lies the magic of Hamilton: not what “sticks out” to the audience but rather what doesn’t. “Hip-hop’s just another form,” Jackson shrugged. ![]() Despite deviating from typical Broadway formula, hip-hop is hardly an unconventional genre, nor is Hamilton the first time rap has appeared before Broadway audiences. Hamilton is not here to redefine history or Broadway. And it doesn’t feel set apart from the argument that we’re having today.” It was like nothing I’ve ever felt.”Īfter seeing Hamilton with the first family, President Obama commented on the musical’s poignant relevance to modern audiences: “ speaks to this vibrancy of American democracy, but also the fact that it was made by these living, breathing, flawed individuals who were brilliant. When asked how it felt to perform for the president, Ramos responds: “I was just filled with electricity.You could feel the presence in the place. While Hamilton marks Ramos’ Broadway debut, Emmy-winning composer Jackson is a Broadway veteran, with such titles under his belt as The Lion King (Simba), Memphis (Delray), and his award-winning originating performance for In the Heights (Benny). ![]() The production stars AMDA alumni Christopher Jackson (George Washington) and Anthony Ramos (John Laurens/Philip Hamilton), both of whom originated their roles in the world premiere at New York City’s Public Theater. Tickets are nearly sold out a year in advance, with past audience members including such luminaries as President Barack Obama, the Supreme Court justices, Sara Bareilles, Madonna and Bill Clinton. With cast interviews and articles appearing in every major news outlet across the nation, critics have lauded Hamilton as the “most exciting and significant musical of the decade” (Wall Street Journal) and the “best Broadway musical in years” (Billboard). Months later, Hamilton has become a musical sensation. With its hip-hop soundtrack and multiethnic cast, Hamilton challenges the canonical imagery of America’s founding fathers: Gone are the old men in powdered wigs, replaced with young revolutionaries mixing cabinet meetings with rap battles, historic speeches with modern slang. Wiping the dust off American history books, Lin-Manuel Miranda (In the Heights) created his new musical Hamilton, which transitioned from its sold-out Off-Broadway run to appear before Broadway audiences for the first time in August. I’m laughin’ in the face of casualties and sorrowįor the first time, I’m thinkin’ past tomorrow! I’m past patiently waitin’, I’m passionately Eyes ablaze, Hamilton steps before his listeners…and starts rapping, verses flying from the revolutionary’s mouth with furious passion:Īre we a nation of states? What’s the state of our nation? Surrounded by prominent figures of history-including Marquis de Lafayette, John Laurens and the notorious Aaron Burr-a young Hamilton aims to convince his peers to join him against British tyranny. Īlexander Hamilton: 18 th century politician, founding father, freestyle rapper. This article originally appeared in the Winter 2016 issue of AMDA Magazine. HAMILTON: Christopher Jackson and Anthony Ramos Bring the Revolution to Broadway
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