Lin-Manuel Miranda's mega-hit musical" Hamilton"was nominated for 16 Tony Awards last Tuesday, the most nominations for any show in Broadway history. Part of Hamilton's incredible success and widespread popularity can be seen in the way it brilliantly combines multiple interests and musical styles. Miranda's work mixes traditional show show tunes with hip-hop, past battles with current social struggles, and the interest of Broadway enthusiasts with the passion of history-buffs.
If you've succumbed to the "Hamilton" obsession (and really who hasn't at this point?) here are a few more musicals to look into to get your fix.
Recommended for you
1. "1776"
If you can't get enough singing Founding Fathers, definitely check out "1776," a Tony-Award winning show from the 1970s that takes a hilarious look into the creation and signing of the Declaration of Independence. Starring the wonderful William Daniels (Mr. Feeny!) as the grumpy, determined John Adams, "1776" is a patriotic and thoroughly cheesy telling of America's founding and the start of the Revolutionary War.
After watching, you may find yourself reevaluating Hamilton's claim that "John Adams doesn't have a real job anyways."
2. "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson"
Andrew Jackson is nothing if not controversial. Recently removed from the front of the $20 bill (leaving Hamilton on the $10) Jackson has a tumultuous place in American history. Hated by many for his Indian Removal policies and yet regarded by others as a great "Voice of the People," opinions on Jackson are always fiery and intense.
"Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson" embraces this controversy and runs with it, presenting Jackson as an emo rock star, trying to take the power away from the Washington elite and return it to the common man. The show parallels the 19th century shift toward populism with the uprising of rock music and alternative culture. Despite, Jackson's tight leather pants, the musical doesn't hold back in showcasing his flaws and egotism, ultimately culminating in his despair at leaving behind such a polarizing legacy.
3. "Assassins"
Stephen Sondheim's "Assassins" takes a dark look at the idea of the American Dream, following carnival-style episodes of all the attempted assassinations of United States' presidents. In typical Sondheim fashion, the songs are clever, innovative and ultimately hauntingly truthful, each reflecting the typical musical style of their historical time-period. Exposing just how far some people will go to earn a place in history, "Assassins" not only focuses on the well-known assassinations of figures like Lincoln and JFK, but also provides a new perspective on presidents like William McKinley and James Garfield. If you were torn up watching the tragic consequences of the Hamilton-Burr duel, then "Assassins" will definitely leave you emotional and further questioning the overall price of glory.
4. "Evita"
Stepping outside the U.S. for a moment, Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Evita" follows the rise to power of Eva Person, the second wife to Argentine president Juan Perón who became an influential political leader and social activist in her own right. Presented as a rock opera, Evita's journey sees her use her charm as a young girl to gain fame and become First Lady and an icon of hope for Argentina's working-class.
Both Eva Perón and Alexander Hamilton work to overcome their working-class backgrounds through ruthless political ambition and rise to great national glory before suffering from embarrassing public scandal and backlash.
5. "The Scottsboro Boys"
"Hamilton" has been praised for its diverse casting that draws attention to the roles of immigrants in bringing about revolution. "The Scottsboro Boys" further showcases a need for social and political upheaval and the plight of minorities throughout American history.
Kander and Ebb's "The Scottsboro Boys" is a musical based on the the Scottsboro Boys Trial of 1931, where nine black boys in Alabama were accused of raping a white woman on a train. The trial, which was disrupted by frequent outrage and lynch mobs, is seen as a landmark of the racist bias and failings of the U.S. legal system.
Kander and Ebb wanted their musical to serve as a "musical social critique," structuring the acts in the style of a traditional African Minstrel Show in order to represent a history of prejudice and stereotyping of African Americans.
So next time someone tries to tell you that learning history is boring, show them that real-life events can be just as dramatic and enjoyable as an ACT 1 show-stopping solo number.
