“Look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now!” We are living in a time when we can experience a masterpiece like Hamilton. For everyone who witnessed this art, one thing is for sure: history has never been more enjoyable. It got everything you ask for from a musical. It has clever musicality, excellent writing, unique storytelling, epic rap songs, American founding fathers, and many more! You do not get a retold story as creative as this. Hamilton is a revolution. It has broken the mold of what theatre musical is and should be.
As one of the characters spoke in the musical, “What is a legacy?” This musical is artistically one of those that will outlive us. You are missing a brilliant creation if you have not seen this yet. Thankfully for theater fans in Indianapolis, Indiana, the award-winning musical will be at the Murat Theatre this spring. Grab your tickets now; this is a perfect time to “Rise up!”
“The greatest American musical in decades.” – Time Out New York
“The thrill of this show, beautifully directed by Thomas Kail, is the way it makes events that happened centuries ago feel as fresh and as relevant as the political debates that are taking place today.” – The Economist
This musical is about the story of Alexander Hamilton, “the ten-dollar founding father.” The plot details Hamilton’s life, from his immigration to New York to his role during the American Revolution to his political stint up to his untimely death. However, he is not entirely the center of the story; it also details the experiences of the people around him.
Hamilton came from the creative mind of Lin-Manuel Miranda. The idea from which the musical was conceived occurred when he read a book about Alexander Hamilton on vacation. He wanted it to be new and, at the same time, accurate to the period it was set. He aimed to tell a story about “America then, as told by America now.” He took inspiration from hip hop, R&B, pop, and soul to do this.
During his seven years of making his idea a reality, he collaborated with Alex Lacamoire to create the music. Both have incredible work chemistry. The music they created is outstanding. It is definitely the best asset of the musical, especially because it captures the characters. As Lacamoire said in an interview with Slate, “One of the things in a musical, as opposed to an album, is the songs are advancing theme, they’re advancing character, they’re connecting to a larger narrative. They’re pieces of a larger whole.” The music of Hamilton does that perfectly. It is a masterclass on how to reflect a character’s personality and elevate how they are presented.
Hamilton opened off-Broadway at the Public Theatre in New York on February 17, 2015. At first glance, the musical’s premise seemed unremarkable: it was going to be a straightforward retelling of Alexander Hamilton’s life narrative. Those fortunate enough to be in the theatre when the production first opened, however, left with a newfound appreciation for what had been initially dismissed as a dull show. It turned out to actually be a ground-breaking new approach to the historical genre. The musical is designed with high respect for historical facts while remaining immensely entertaining and unique. It successfully does it by telling the story from the point of view of Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton’s sworn enemy.
That same year, its Broadway transfer happened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, which to this day continues to run the musical hit. Following its successful run, other productions also opened. The West End production opened in 2017, while Australian and German productions took center stage in the following years.
Hamilton’s diversity ultimately stands out as one of its main elements. The fact that the majority of the actors in Hamilton’s cast are black and Latino shows that Broadway is inclusive. “Our cast looks like what America looks now, and that’s certainly intentional,” said Lin-Manuel Miranda. Hamilton is “America then, as told by America now,” as is often emphasized. This is a brilliant choice for the production, which is a ground-breaking approach to erasing barriers across cultures. Talent, after all, is blind to race. In an interview, Miranda said that it’s a method of drawing audiences into the story and allowing them to leave behind whatever cultural baggage they have about the founding fathers.
Additionally, the musical style of Hamilton is ground-breaking in and of itself. Before this wildly popular bio-musical breakthrough took the world by storm, attempts to combine hip-hop and Broadway had been unsuccessful. Musicals based on rap artists have not been able to successfully cross over to the stage, as evidenced by the flop of “Holler If Ya Hear Me,” which was inspired by Tupac Shakur. However, Hamilton demonstrated that the combination of both styles is viable. The critics have unanimously appreciated the show’s innovative combination of rap music and compelling storytelling.
“This enormously ambitious and entertaining musical history lesson is even more impressive on a second viewing.” – The Hollywood Reporter
Unsurprisingly, Hamilton went on to win more awards than any other musical in history. In 2015, it received eight Drama Desk Awards, including “Outstanding Musical.” At the 70th Annual Tony Awards, it took home a whopping eleven awards, including “Best Musical,” “Best Book of a Musical,” and “Best Original Score,” out of a record-breaking sixteen nominations. Amazingly, this masterpiece of the musical world also took home the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, a Grammy Award for “Best Musical Theater Album,” and seven Laurence Olivier Awards, among many other award-giving bodies.
“The music is exhilarating, but the lyrics are a big surprise. The sense, as well as the sound of the sung dialogue, has been purposely suited to each character.” – Variety
Indianapolis fans of this innovative musical masterpiece will get the opportunity to see it earlier this spring. Hamilton’s touring cast will stop at the Murat Theatre at the Old National Centre from April 25 to May 7, 2023. This is a rare opportunity for the musical to tour the country, so take advantage to see it live. The titular role of Alexander Hamilton will be portrayed by Broadway actors Pierre Jean Gonzalez, Edred Utomi, and Deaundre’ Woods in each of the show’s acts. Purchase your tickets as early as today and look forward to the brilliant lyrics, choreography, costumes, orchestrations, and amazing raps that will transport you to a one-of-a-kind crash course in American history. Get your tickets now and prepare for an emotional rollercoaster ride!
