Why 'Hamilton' Just Earned A New Fan | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Why 'Hamilton' Just Earned A New Fan

I just saw the musical "Hamilton" for the first time and all I can say is WOW.

84
Why 'Hamilton' Just Earned A New Fan
Hamilton: The Musical

Let's be honest.

You have probably heard about this musical dozens of times by now. But let me explain to you how amazing this performance was from a different perspective.

I had no clue what the musical was before going into the theater.

Hamilton's touring cast is going around to 21+ cities in America and the only city that the play is shown at a college is at Arizona State University. Because of this, ASU was allowed to give away a few dozen balcony seats and there was a contest that was going on for students in Herberger Institute for Design & the Arts.

I didn't want to "throw away my shot" so I entered the #WhatHamiltonMeansToMe competition. Between seventy other students and I, we got to attend one of the most talked about theatrical performances of 2018, Hamilton, for free.

Hamilton is a hip-hop musical about the life of one of America's founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton.

You might ask yourself, "Why a play about Hamilton of all people?"

I asked myself the same thing, and it was answered when I heard the final song of the musical. The character Angelica Schuyler sings, "Every other founding father's story gets told. Every other founding father gets to grow old."

Hamilton established our financial system and he is the reason we have credit. The first four lines of the musical explain perfectly how the rest of the play will go, "How does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a Scotsman... grow up to be a hero and a scholar?"

I am not going to sit here and try to tell you that Hamilton was a perfect man because he was far from it, but the things he did for this country are incredible and he deserves to have his story told just as much every other founding father.

When the night of Thursday, February 15th came around I knew I had to dress up for the occasion. I strapped on my heels and headed across the street to scan my ticket. I went straight to the top floor of ASU Gammage, I found my seat and before I knew it the lights dimmed and right before my eyes I saw my history books come to life.

The play is divided into two acts and comprises 46 songs. At the beginning of the play, I was feeling overwhelmed. there was so much happening on stage between the singing, dancing, moving of props, lighting, introducing each character and so much more.

But it was when the third song came on that Hamilton had won my heart.

The song was "My Shot," where we figure out that Hamilton was only a 19 year old with a dream of equality for people of all skin colors and that he is someone who is always going to take the opportunities that comes his way. The performance of this song was what got to me, the dancing was perfectly in sync and was incredibly choreographed. You could hear the passion behind every single singer and the way they moved the props around had to be rehearsed nearly a thousand times to get every single move so perfect.

The reason that this musical is so "need to see" is because it is history meets the 21st century.

The lighting showed you when people were in separate rooms or together, the small usage of props told you if the scene was inside or outside, and the characters did so well at using dialogue that would be from 200 years ago but speaking as if they were talking to you today.

In the end, (yes, spoiler alert if you didn't know it already) Hamilton dies.

(I mean, I hope you did because it is written in all of our texts books, but it is OK if you didn't.)

Hamilton didn't get to live as long as any of our other founding fathers but the impact this man made was incredible. This play opened my eyes to America's history and inspired me to realize that anyone from any background can be a hero to millions to come if they truly want it bad enough.

Well done Hamilton. You have just earned yourself another die-hard fan.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

190238
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

14915
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

457881
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

26639
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments