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Our nation is forever changing. It is undeniable that racial situations are extremely different today than compared to a couple decades ago. However many strides have been taken to create equality amongst whatever race/nationality is, there have been very few thriving Broadway Musicals with people of color starring as leads or having an all people of color cast. I argue the reason that Hamilton has been able to stay a Broadway Musical ‘Monopoly’ because of its unique casting choices, making it a historical event in itself, and therefore making consumers want to be apart of its legacy.
The article published by The Nation, ‘How Hamilton is revolutionizing Broadway’, written by Alisa Solomon, who has an extensive background of reviewing Broadway Shows, states, “Many of the most enduring musicals have responded to contemporary currents that invited audiences to reconsider the very meaning of Americanness”. Hamilton was created very specifically during a time in which there was a lot of social unrest and questioning of more serious issues like immigration, different racial movements, and much more. Lin Manuel Miranda, the writer and producer of Hamilton, chose people of color to play characters that were historically White to show that America is a nation that was built by everyone (even those who might be forgotten). He further chose a diverse cast to show what our nation culturally looks like today. Miranda wants the audience members to reimagine history and take note that everyone can ‘rise up’. Solomon notes that Hamilton is not the first musical to have done this, pointing out that Music Man was created in 1957, while suburbs of cities were starting to expand and become more popular, overall showing the fear and excitement people had with this new lifestyle, and that Fiddler on the Roof was created in 1964, during a time when the United States started accepting more immigrants and becoming a more mixed nation.
Lin Manuel Miranda has told time news that he wants his show to, “Allow you to leave whatever cultural baggage you have about the founding fathers at the door”. People are drawn to Hamilton because it is brand new, something the people haven’t seen before. Hamilton is incredibly famous and it draws audiences all around the world because people want to watch the show and become transported. Having a diverse cast is bringing new audiences because the people want to feel like they are taking a stand with the cast to creating a more equal social society. Hamilton has creatively used Broadway to plug for more rights for the African American community. While it is not a show directly targeted at taking a political stance, it certainly entertained the idea that our nation was created equally by everyone and that today the people should be treated equally. Not only is the music making this show historic but the bold casting choices are what’s drawing in the crowds. People are okay sacrificing their money on expensive Hamilton tickets because they feel like they are apart of something much larger than them, and when they see the show they are supporting what America should strive to be.
Next: I will focus more on the economic side of Hamilton (ticket prices) and figure out why people spend such large sums of money on the tickets for Hamilton.
