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connielane at 08:15pm on 24/08/2015
connielane at 08:15pm on 24/08/2015Okay, let me get one tiny nitpick out of the way. The first roughly 60-90 seconds of the show didn’t 100% work for me, and I’m not sure why. Possibly I’d gotten too used to hearing first lines done by Lin-Manuel Miranda and no one else (from the 2009 White House video). Also there seemed to be an issue with how people were mic’d (or maybe just performance level?) — one person would be fairly quiet and the next person was super loud. For whatever reason, it just felt abrupt and choppy and I was like “Oh! We’re doing this now!” when I feel like I should have been more mesmerized or … more eased into it or … something.
And that is basically the ONLY flaw in this exquisite jewel of a production. And it’s probably not even a flaw, I’m probably just weird. Wait, I’m definitely weird. But this could easily be just my problem.
So Lin-Manuel Miranda, taking his first vacation from In the Heights in 2008, picked up a book to read — Ron Chernow’s Hamilton biography. It caught his eye because he’d written a paper in high school on the Hamilton-Burr duel, which he likened to the fatal shooting of Tupac Shakur. After reading the first two chapters of the book, Miranda was struck with the idea that Hamilton’s story would make a great hip-hop musical. In fact, he thought it was *such* a good idea that he went to Google, thinking surely someone had already done it. And since no one had, he spent the next seven years writing one. In 2009, he performed the opening number (the only song he’d written at that point) at the White House, and you can hear on the recording the occasional laughter in the crowd at the seemingly incongruous mash-up of stuffy history lesson and hip-hop jam.
But it definitely works. Hamilton’s story is a frankly uncanny fit for a hip-hop narrative — he was an illegitimate child, an immigrant who had a rough upbringing, and he used his talent for writing to pull himself out of his circumstances and eventually get passage to New York. It’s like Straight Outta St. Croix (which I’m sure is a joke a hundred people have made before me). We follow him as he makes friends with the Marquis de Lafayette, John Laurens, Hercules Mulligan, and oh yeah, Aaron Burr. We see a bit of his law career and how he became the right hand of General Washington (the latter being the first seed in Burr’s bitterness garden and the Burr-Hamilton rivalry, as Burr is unceremoniously sent out of the room while Hamilton and Washington talk strategy). We see him meet the Schuyler sisters and his eventual marriage to the middle sister, Eliza. And while the Revolution — particularly the Battle of Yorktown — is definitely a setpiece, for Hamilton’s story, it’s only the first step. Because winning the war isn’t enough for him — the new nation needs to stick the landing and build a foundation of principles that will last (and that *has* lasted — a fact for which Hamilton has not received nearly enough credit). His restlessness and his need to keep working crescendo to the end of the first act.
If the first act is Hamilton’s rise, then the second is his fall. While he does have great moments (winning his fight to establish the National Bank, writing Washington’s farewell address), he also makes enemies and mistakes and has a series of personal misfortunes. He succumbs to an extramarital affair and submits to blackmail, eventually confessing publicly to clear himself of charges of illegal actions while he was Treasury Secretary (in one of America’s first sex scandals). Most tragically (apart from his own death), his son is killed in a duel.
Like Jesus Christ Superstar, this story is told to us by the “villain” of the piece, Aaron Burr. His story and Hamilton’s parallel each other’s in fascinating ways, so that the duel in Weehawken (the same site where Hamilton’s son, Philip, also died in a duel) seems an inevitability. It’s a sympathetic portrayal of Burr, but not one that excuses or mitigates his role in Hamilton’s death. We can feel for him because we see him as more than “the guy who shot Hamilton.” We see him as a patient lover, a doting father, and as someone who desperately wants in on the political action.
As to who the hero of the piece is, the obvious answer is Alexander, since most of the musical is preoccupied with the events of his life. But there’s a case to be made that Eliza is the real hero, as it’s thanks to her that we know as much about Alexander as we do. There’s a theme running through the musical of “who lives, who dies, who tells your story. Burr has been our narrator for most of the musical, but Eliza told the story first. And in the final moments of the show, Alexander walks her to the front and center of the stage and steps back, giving her the spotlight she has rightfully earned. Even though this story is largely about men, the women are hugely important.
THE CAST
So much has been said already about the casting of mostly non-white actors to play these characters. I know that there’s a satisfaction that can come from seeing a historical figure come to life through an actor who bears a physical resemblance. But this is theater, and they don’t have to play by those rules, and it is really tremendous to see that these kinds of roles don’t have to be the exclusive province of white actors.
I will give Lin-Manuel Miranda all the credit in the world for writing the book, music, and lyrics to this lovely musical. As an actor, he has improved a great deal since Usnavi in In the Heights. As a singer, he’s … okay. But his part does not require a lot of belting, and he’s a more-than-capable rapper, which is what the part mostly calls for. He’s also super charismatic, which is the most important part. Leslie Odom, Jr. is the official show-stealer as Aaron Burr, particularly in his big number (see below). Philippa Soo (Eliza), Renee Elise Goldsberry (Angelica), and Jasmine Cephas-Jones (Peggy!) soar as the Schuyler sisters. Eliza is the bigger part and Soo has a lovely classic Broadway voice. Goldsberry kicks it Beyonce-style in one of the best numbers in the show (see below), and her character is wonderfully complex. Christopher Jackson has such a lovely voice and gives George Washington both authority and humility. Jonathan Groff — the only white person in the main cast — is our comic relief, coming on stage periodically as King George III (and delivering a humorous pre-show announcement).
Pulling double-duty as Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds, Cephas-Jones sells Peggy’s youthful exuberance as well as Reynolds’s sultriness. David Diggs is outstanding in another dual role (he plays the Marquis de Lafayette, as well as Thomas Jefferson). Okieriete Onaodowan (don’t make me spell that ever again) is very Busta Rhymes as Hercules Mulligan and understated (but subtly hilarious) as James Madison. I didn’t get to see the regular Laurens/Phillip Hamilton (Anthony Ramos was sick), but Andrew Chappelle was a capable understudy.
TECHNICAL STUFF
Every aspect of the production is on point. There’s occasionally a lot going on at once, and the lighting always draws your eye to exactly what you should be looking at. I had brought with me a little ten-dollar pair of binoculars, because I was in the “cheap” seats, but I didn’t really need them and only really used them to see faces during quiet numbers that didn’t have a lot of movement; I didn’t feel like I missed anything at all. The stage floor has revolving pieces, which makes the action almost cinematic. The costuming, particularly for the ensemble, is excellent. Male and female dancers are dressed almost exactly alike, except that the men wear waistcoats with no shirts and the women alternate between corset tops and waistcoats. Everyone has natural hair, no powdered wigs (except for George III), which sells these characters as young revolutionaries.
THE MUSIC
At the risk of boring everyone to tears, I’m going to do a rundown of all the songs listed in the program. This is called a hip-hop musical, but it’s not all rap and R&B. Like hip-hop itself, the musical draws from lots of different genres of music. I'm anxious for the cast recording to come out (September 25!), because there's a lot crammed in here, and it was impossible for me to catch everything. But I caught a lot. :P
"Alexander Hamilton ... we are waiting in the weeds for you."
“Alexander Hamilton” - The opening number, giving us an overview of Hamilton’s life. Performed by most of the cast, either rapping or doing a kind of plainsong. Similar to Sondheim’s “Ballad of Sweeney Todd.”
“My Shot” - Hamilton’s first big number, where he bursts onto the scene and announces himself. Contains at least two of the musical’s classic lines (“Just like my country, I’m young, scrappy and hungry…” and “I am not throwing away my shot.”).
“The Story of Tonight” - Hamilton drinking and hanging out with his new BFFs Lafayette, Mulligan, and Laurens. Reminded me of “Drink With Me” from Les Miserables, only looking forward instead of to the past.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal,
And I when I meet Thomas Jefferson -- uh -- I'ma compel him to include women in the sequel!
“The Schuyler Sisters” - Wherein we meet Angelica, Eliza and Peggy, the Destiny’s Child of this musical. They’re intelligent, educated and wealthy, and they’re “looking for a mind at work” (a line Miranda borrowed from Sam Seaborn of The West Wing).
“Farmer Refuted” -Hamilton making his mark as a lawyer, frequently across the courtroom from Burr. Listening to the cast recording, I got this COMPLETELY wrong. This is a counterpoint song where Hamilton argues with loyalists to the crown and provides a segue into...
“You’ll Be Back” - King George III as that clingy ex-boyfriend who can’t see that the colonies are just not that into him anymore. Lovely 60s pop homage. (He pops back up a few more times to comment on the goings-on, such as the end of the war and Washington’s resignation.)
"How can I keep leading when these people I'm leading keep retreating?"
“Right Hand Man” - Introducing George Washington! Who is frustrated that the revolution is not going very well and he doesn’t have the support he needs.
“Helpless” - Hamilton meets Angelica Schuyler, who introduces him to her sister, Eliza. Daily letter writing ensues and he and Eliza are soon married. Cute, light ladies pop/r&b number.
I'm a girl in a world in which my only job is to marry rich.
“Satisfied” - One of the best numbers in the show. Angelica expresses her regret over Hamilton, who she is attracted to but will not marry for reasons she lays out in the song. Primarily, she is the eldest daughter of a wealthy family with no sons, and she has to marry well. Hamilton is charming and brilliant, but penniless. This is a GREAT song, and superbly staged, showing us the context of the actions Angelica took in “Helpless.” This is seriously some high-level Beyonce-type stuff, and Renee Elise Goldsberry knocks it out of the park. I foresee many Broadway hopefuls auditioning with this song.
“Wait For It” - Burr being smooth as hell. Like Babyface smooth. This is largely about his love for Theodosia, who he would eventually marry (but at the time she was married to a British officer). But it also epitomizes the cautiousness of his character for much of his life.
“Stay Alive” - Eliza wanting her husband to stay home instead of being so eager to join the fighting. At this point, Hamilton is Washington’s “right hand man,” but he’s essentially working a desk job.
“Ten Duel Commandments” - Any similarity to Notorious B.I.G.’s “Ten Crack Commandments” is absolutely intentional. Laurens challenges General Charles Lee to a duel for badmouthing Washington.
“That Would Be Enough” - A *beautiful* duet wherein Hamilton finds out Eliza is pregnant.
“History Has Its Eyes on You” - Hamilton finally gets his own regiment and is sent to fight.
The world turned upside down.
“Yorktown” - High point of Act 1, which compresses the events surrounding the Battle of Yorktown. A big chunk of this is in the ten-minute video I posted on FB the other day.
“Dear Theodosia” - Burr writing a letter to his newborn daughter. Eventually joined by Hamilton, who is writing to his new son, Philip. Ugly crying by Pam.
“Non-Stop” - About Hamilton’s never-ending desire to get things done. Strongly motivated by his desire to make the country better for his son’s sake. This is one of those classic Broadway numbers where everyone is singing something different at once and then suddenly singing the same thing, like “One Day More” in Les Miserables.
—————————— I N T E R M I S S I O N ————————————
France is following us to revolution. There is no more status quo.
But the sun comes up and the world still spins.
“What’d I Miss” - Introducing the pimptastic Thomas Jefferson, returning from France having missed just about all of the actual fighting. Daveed Diggs is great, and I'm developing a theater crush on him, but this show trolls the hell out of Jefferson and it's hilarious.
"Cabinet Battle #1" - Hamilton and Jefferson debate whether to assume states' debts and establish a national bank. One of the few references to slavery in this number ("A civics lesson from a slaver. Hey neighbor -- your debts are paid 'cause you don't pay for labor.").
“Take a Break” - Eliza urging Hamilton to take the summer off and go with her and Angelica upstate to visit their father.
“Say No to This” - While his wife is away, Hamilton becomes involved with Maria Reynolds and is blackmailed by her husband.
We want our leaders to save the day.
We don't get a say in what they trade away.
“The Room Where It Happens” - Hamilton reaches a compromise with Jefferson and Madison. In exchange for their support of the Assumption Bill (in which the federal government would assume states’ debts from the Revolution), Hamilton threw his support (and the support of the New York delegates) behind the Residence Act, which gave President Washington authority to select a permanent site for the nation’s capital. Burr chronicles all this, and this is the moment where he gets tired of being on the outside looking in. I’m not sure if this was actually inspired by The West Wing, but it sure does remind me of Sam’s line in “20 Hours in America” after he’s spent most of the day in the Oval Office staffing the President. (“I’ve got to get back in there. That’s where it’s happening.”) This is Leslie Odom, Jr.’s tour-de-force, where he gets his Cab Calloway on, and he gets the largest applause for a single number in the whole show. CLICK-BOOM.
“Schuyler Defeated” - Burr defeats Hamilton’s father-in-law and overtakes his seat in the US Senate.
"Cabinet Battle #2" - Hamilton and Jefferson argue about whether to help France with *their* revolution.
“Washington On Your Side” - Conspiratorial number where Jefferson, Madison and Burr get bitchy about Hamilton’s influence with Washington and vow to dig up dirt on him. “It must be nice … to have Washington on your side.”
“One Last Time” - Washington telling Hamilton that he’s stepping down and asking him to write his farewell address. I could listen to Christopher Jackson sing all day.
“The Adams Administration” - I really don’t remember much about this, except that it contains a brilliant reference to 1776 and the only bleeped moment in the piece.
“Hurricane” - Having been confronted by Jefferson and Madison about his supposed illegal speculation dealings with Maria Reynolds’s husband, he decides to do what he does best and write his way out of trouble, confessing (with alarming frankness) to his adultery with Maria Reynolds.
“The Reynolds Pamphlet” - Not so much the content as the public reaction, not to mention the reactions of the people who had accused him of criminal activity.
“Burn” - Eliza remembers all the sweet letters Hamilton wrote to her during their courtship and marriage, before burning them all in righteous indignation. This is one of Philippa Soo’s great moments, and it’s a neat contrivance to deal with the fact that historians have so little documentation to work with regarding Eliza’s reaction to these events.
“Blow Us All Away” - Phillip Hamilton completes his education and everyone is excited for what he’ll do next. What he ends up doing next is confronting George Eacker for slandering his father and agreeing to a duel (in Weehawken, NJ, because dueling had been outlawed in New York). Hamilton obviously doesn’t want him to do it, but instructs him to point his pistol in the air and fire up, and if his opponent is a man of honor he will not fire at him. Sadly, George Eacker does not appear to be a man of honor.
“It’s Quiet Uptown” - Most unfair musical number I have heard, lo, these many years of attending the theater. Sad, sad, sad. “Bring Him Home” sad. “No One Is Alone” sad. “Edelweiss Reprise” sad. Bing Bong sad. I can’t even see the title without crying. This is Hamilton and Eliza moving uptown and grieving the loss of their son (and Eliza ultimately forgiving her husband for his past infidelity), and everyone just talking about how sad they both are and, if you see them on the street, be kind.
“The Election of 1800” - Wherein Hamilton, whose support could have put Burr in the White House, backs Jefferson instead. Because even though he disagrees with just about everything Jefferson stands for, at least he *knows* what he stands for.
“Your Obedient Servant” - Burr and Hamilton write each other the most passive aggressive letters you have EVER HEARD, eventually agreeing to meet in Weehawken and settle it like stupid people. With guns. Because nothing bad has ever happened when someone agreed to a duel in Weehawken, right?
“The World Was Wide Enough” - Hamilton’s death and Burr’s remorse. Based on a quote from Burr: "Had I read Sterne more and Voltaire less, I should have known the world was wide enough for Hamilton and me."
“Finale” - A quiet and poignant closing, about the importance of who tells your story after you’re gone. Several of the characters eulogize Hamilton for us, but the last word goes to Eliza, tireless defender of her husband’s reputation, who spent the next fifty years securing his legacy in history and ultimately founding New York’s first private orphanage.
This is *such* an incredible show. I don't know what kind of life it's going to have outside of Broadway, in terms of tours, etc. There has apparently been movie interest. The catch with that is that the diversity in the cast is key. It wouldn't work with an all-white cast or even a largely-white cast, and that's definitely going to be a struggle once a movie studio gets involved. I hope more people get a chance to see it than just the people who can afford to fly to New York. It's a game-changer, and Miranda is our new Sondheim.
And that is basically the ONLY flaw in this exquisite jewel of a production. And it’s probably not even a flaw, I’m probably just weird. Wait, I’m definitely weird. But this could easily be just my problem.
So Lin-Manuel Miranda, taking his first vacation from In the Heights in 2008, picked up a book to read — Ron Chernow’s Hamilton biography. It caught his eye because he’d written a paper in high school on the Hamilton-Burr duel, which he likened to the fatal shooting of Tupac Shakur. After reading the first two chapters of the book, Miranda was struck with the idea that Hamilton’s story would make a great hip-hop musical. In fact, he thought it was *such* a good idea that he went to Google, thinking surely someone had already done it. And since no one had, he spent the next seven years writing one. In 2009, he performed the opening number (the only song he’d written at that point) at the White House, and you can hear on the recording the occasional laughter in the crowd at the seemingly incongruous mash-up of stuffy history lesson and hip-hop jam.
But it definitely works. Hamilton’s story is a frankly uncanny fit for a hip-hop narrative — he was an illegitimate child, an immigrant who had a rough upbringing, and he used his talent for writing to pull himself out of his circumstances and eventually get passage to New York. It’s like Straight Outta St. Croix (which I’m sure is a joke a hundred people have made before me). We follow him as he makes friends with the Marquis de Lafayette, John Laurens, Hercules Mulligan, and oh yeah, Aaron Burr. We see a bit of his law career and how he became the right hand of General Washington (the latter being the first seed in Burr’s bitterness garden and the Burr-Hamilton rivalry, as Burr is unceremoniously sent out of the room while Hamilton and Washington talk strategy). We see him meet the Schuyler sisters and his eventual marriage to the middle sister, Eliza. And while the Revolution — particularly the Battle of Yorktown — is definitely a setpiece, for Hamilton’s story, it’s only the first step. Because winning the war isn’t enough for him — the new nation needs to stick the landing and build a foundation of principles that will last (and that *has* lasted — a fact for which Hamilton has not received nearly enough credit). His restlessness and his need to keep working crescendo to the end of the first act.
If the first act is Hamilton’s rise, then the second is his fall. While he does have great moments (winning his fight to establish the National Bank, writing Washington’s farewell address), he also makes enemies and mistakes and has a series of personal misfortunes. He succumbs to an extramarital affair and submits to blackmail, eventually confessing publicly to clear himself of charges of illegal actions while he was Treasury Secretary (in one of America’s first sex scandals). Most tragically (apart from his own death), his son is killed in a duel.
Like Jesus Christ Superstar, this story is told to us by the “villain” of the piece, Aaron Burr. His story and Hamilton’s parallel each other’s in fascinating ways, so that the duel in Weehawken (the same site where Hamilton’s son, Philip, also died in a duel) seems an inevitability. It’s a sympathetic portrayal of Burr, but not one that excuses or mitigates his role in Hamilton’s death. We can feel for him because we see him as more than “the guy who shot Hamilton.” We see him as a patient lover, a doting father, and as someone who desperately wants in on the political action.
As to who the hero of the piece is, the obvious answer is Alexander, since most of the musical is preoccupied with the events of his life. But there’s a case to be made that Eliza is the real hero, as it’s thanks to her that we know as much about Alexander as we do. There’s a theme running through the musical of “who lives, who dies, who tells your story. Burr has been our narrator for most of the musical, but Eliza told the story first. And in the final moments of the show, Alexander walks her to the front and center of the stage and steps back, giving her the spotlight she has rightfully earned. Even though this story is largely about men, the women are hugely important.
THE CAST
So much has been said already about the casting of mostly non-white actors to play these characters. I know that there’s a satisfaction that can come from seeing a historical figure come to life through an actor who bears a physical resemblance. But this is theater, and they don’t have to play by those rules, and it is really tremendous to see that these kinds of roles don’t have to be the exclusive province of white actors.
I will give Lin-Manuel Miranda all the credit in the world for writing the book, music, and lyrics to this lovely musical. As an actor, he has improved a great deal since Usnavi in In the Heights. As a singer, he’s … okay. But his part does not require a lot of belting, and he’s a more-than-capable rapper, which is what the part mostly calls for. He’s also super charismatic, which is the most important part. Leslie Odom, Jr. is the official show-stealer as Aaron Burr, particularly in his big number (see below). Philippa Soo (Eliza), Renee Elise Goldsberry (Angelica), and Jasmine Cephas-Jones (Peggy!) soar as the Schuyler sisters. Eliza is the bigger part and Soo has a lovely classic Broadway voice. Goldsberry kicks it Beyonce-style in one of the best numbers in the show (see below), and her character is wonderfully complex. Christopher Jackson has such a lovely voice and gives George Washington both authority and humility. Jonathan Groff — the only white person in the main cast — is our comic relief, coming on stage periodically as King George III (and delivering a humorous pre-show announcement).
Pulling double-duty as Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds, Cephas-Jones sells Peggy’s youthful exuberance as well as Reynolds’s sultriness. David Diggs is outstanding in another dual role (he plays the Marquis de Lafayette, as well as Thomas Jefferson). Okieriete Onaodowan (don’t make me spell that ever again) is very Busta Rhymes as Hercules Mulligan and understated (but subtly hilarious) as James Madison. I didn’t get to see the regular Laurens/Phillip Hamilton (Anthony Ramos was sick), but Andrew Chappelle was a capable understudy.
TECHNICAL STUFF
Every aspect of the production is on point. There’s occasionally a lot going on at once, and the lighting always draws your eye to exactly what you should be looking at. I had brought with me a little ten-dollar pair of binoculars, because I was in the “cheap” seats, but I didn’t really need them and only really used them to see faces during quiet numbers that didn’t have a lot of movement; I didn’t feel like I missed anything at all. The stage floor has revolving pieces, which makes the action almost cinematic. The costuming, particularly for the ensemble, is excellent. Male and female dancers are dressed almost exactly alike, except that the men wear waistcoats with no shirts and the women alternate between corset tops and waistcoats. Everyone has natural hair, no powdered wigs (except for George III), which sells these characters as young revolutionaries.
THE MUSIC
At the risk of boring everyone to tears, I’m going to do a rundown of all the songs listed in the program. This is called a hip-hop musical, but it’s not all rap and R&B. Like hip-hop itself, the musical draws from lots of different genres of music. I'm anxious for the cast recording to come out (September 25!), because there's a lot crammed in here, and it was impossible for me to catch everything. But I caught a lot. :P
"Alexander Hamilton ... we are waiting in the weeds for you."
“Alexander Hamilton” - The opening number, giving us an overview of Hamilton’s life. Performed by most of the cast, either rapping or doing a kind of plainsong. Similar to Sondheim’s “Ballad of Sweeney Todd.”
“My Shot” - Hamilton’s first big number, where he bursts onto the scene and announces himself. Contains at least two of the musical’s classic lines (“Just like my country, I’m young, scrappy and hungry…” and “I am not throwing away my shot.”).
“The Story of Tonight” - Hamilton drinking and hanging out with his new BFFs Lafayette, Mulligan, and Laurens. Reminded me of “Drink With Me” from Les Miserables, only looking forward instead of to the past.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal,
And I when I meet Thomas Jefferson -- uh -- I'ma compel him to include women in the sequel!
“The Schuyler Sisters” - Wherein we meet Angelica, Eliza and Peggy, the Destiny’s Child of this musical. They’re intelligent, educated and wealthy, and they’re “looking for a mind at work” (a line Miranda borrowed from Sam Seaborn of The West Wing).
“Farmer Refuted” -
“You’ll Be Back” - King George III as that clingy ex-boyfriend who can’t see that the colonies are just not that into him anymore. Lovely 60s pop homage. (He pops back up a few more times to comment on the goings-on, such as the end of the war and Washington’s resignation.)
"How can I keep leading when these people I'm leading keep retreating?"
“Right Hand Man” - Introducing George Washington! Who is frustrated that the revolution is not going very well and he doesn’t have the support he needs.
“Helpless” - Hamilton meets Angelica Schuyler, who introduces him to her sister, Eliza. Daily letter writing ensues and he and Eliza are soon married. Cute, light ladies pop/r&b number.
I'm a girl in a world in which my only job is to marry rich.
“Satisfied” - One of the best numbers in the show. Angelica expresses her regret over Hamilton, who she is attracted to but will not marry for reasons she lays out in the song. Primarily, she is the eldest daughter of a wealthy family with no sons, and she has to marry well. Hamilton is charming and brilliant, but penniless. This is a GREAT song, and superbly staged, showing us the context of the actions Angelica took in “Helpless.” This is seriously some high-level Beyonce-type stuff, and Renee Elise Goldsberry knocks it out of the park. I foresee many Broadway hopefuls auditioning with this song.
“Wait For It” - Burr being smooth as hell. Like Babyface smooth. This is largely about his love for Theodosia, who he would eventually marry (but at the time she was married to a British officer). But it also epitomizes the cautiousness of his character for much of his life.
“Stay Alive” - Eliza wanting her husband to stay home instead of being so eager to join the fighting. At this point, Hamilton is Washington’s “right hand man,” but he’s essentially working a desk job.
“Ten Duel Commandments” - Any similarity to Notorious B.I.G.’s “Ten Crack Commandments” is absolutely intentional. Laurens challenges General Charles Lee to a duel for badmouthing Washington.
“That Would Be Enough” - A *beautiful* duet wherein Hamilton finds out Eliza is pregnant.
“History Has Its Eyes on You” - Hamilton finally gets his own regiment and is sent to fight.
The world turned upside down.
“Yorktown” - High point of Act 1, which compresses the events surrounding the Battle of Yorktown. A big chunk of this is in the ten-minute video I posted on FB the other day.
“Dear Theodosia” - Burr writing a letter to his newborn daughter. Eventually joined by Hamilton, who is writing to his new son, Philip. Ugly crying by Pam.
“Non-Stop” - About Hamilton’s never-ending desire to get things done. Strongly motivated by his desire to make the country better for his son’s sake. This is one of those classic Broadway numbers where everyone is singing something different at once and then suddenly singing the same thing, like “One Day More” in Les Miserables.
—————————— I N T E R M I S S I O N ————————————
France is following us to revolution. There is no more status quo.
But the sun comes up and the world still spins.
“What’d I Miss” - Introducing the pimptastic Thomas Jefferson, returning from France having missed just about all of the actual fighting. Daveed Diggs is great, and I'm developing a theater crush on him, but this show trolls the hell out of Jefferson and it's hilarious.
"Cabinet Battle #1" - Hamilton and Jefferson debate whether to assume states' debts and establish a national bank. One of the few references to slavery in this number ("A civics lesson from a slaver. Hey neighbor -- your debts are paid 'cause you don't pay for labor.").
“Take a Break” - Eliza urging Hamilton to take the summer off and go with her and Angelica upstate to visit their father.
“Say No to This” - While his wife is away, Hamilton becomes involved with Maria Reynolds and is blackmailed by her husband.
We want our leaders to save the day.
We don't get a say in what they trade away.
“The Room Where It Happens” - Hamilton reaches a compromise with Jefferson and Madison. In exchange for their support of the Assumption Bill (in which the federal government would assume states’ debts from the Revolution), Hamilton threw his support (and the support of the New York delegates) behind the Residence Act, which gave President Washington authority to select a permanent site for the nation’s capital. Burr chronicles all this, and this is the moment where he gets tired of being on the outside looking in. I’m not sure if this was actually inspired by The West Wing, but it sure does remind me of Sam’s line in “20 Hours in America” after he’s spent most of the day in the Oval Office staffing the President. (“I’ve got to get back in there. That’s where it’s happening.”) This is Leslie Odom, Jr.’s tour-de-force, where he gets his Cab Calloway on, and he gets the largest applause for a single number in the whole show. CLICK-BOOM.
“Schuyler Defeated” - Burr defeats Hamilton’s father-in-law and overtakes his seat in the US Senate.
"Cabinet Battle #2" - Hamilton and Jefferson argue about whether to help France with *their* revolution.
“Washington On Your Side” - Conspiratorial number where Jefferson, Madison and Burr get bitchy about Hamilton’s influence with Washington and vow to dig up dirt on him. “It must be nice … to have Washington on your side.”
“One Last Time” - Washington telling Hamilton that he’s stepping down and asking him to write his farewell address. I could listen to Christopher Jackson sing all day.
“The Adams Administration” - I really don’t remember much about this, except that it contains a brilliant reference to 1776 and the only bleeped moment in the piece.
“Hurricane” - Having been confronted by Jefferson and Madison about his supposed illegal speculation dealings with Maria Reynolds’s husband, he decides to do what he does best and write his way out of trouble, confessing (with alarming frankness) to his adultery with Maria Reynolds.
“The Reynolds Pamphlet” - Not so much the content as the public reaction, not to mention the reactions of the people who had accused him of criminal activity.
“Burn” - Eliza remembers all the sweet letters Hamilton wrote to her during their courtship and marriage, before burning them all in righteous indignation. This is one of Philippa Soo’s great moments, and it’s a neat contrivance to deal with the fact that historians have so little documentation to work with regarding Eliza’s reaction to these events.
“Blow Us All Away” - Phillip Hamilton completes his education and everyone is excited for what he’ll do next. What he ends up doing next is confronting George Eacker for slandering his father and agreeing to a duel (in Weehawken, NJ, because dueling had been outlawed in New York). Hamilton obviously doesn’t want him to do it, but instructs him to point his pistol in the air and fire up, and if his opponent is a man of honor he will not fire at him. Sadly, George Eacker does not appear to be a man of honor.
“It’s Quiet Uptown” - Most unfair musical number I have heard, lo, these many years of attending the theater. Sad, sad, sad. “Bring Him Home” sad. “No One Is Alone” sad. “Edelweiss Reprise” sad. Bing Bong sad. I can’t even see the title without crying. This is Hamilton and Eliza moving uptown and grieving the loss of their son (and Eliza ultimately forgiving her husband for his past infidelity), and everyone just talking about how sad they both are and, if you see them on the street, be kind.
“The Election of 1800” - Wherein Hamilton, whose support could have put Burr in the White House, backs Jefferson instead. Because even though he disagrees with just about everything Jefferson stands for, at least he *knows* what he stands for.
“Your Obedient Servant” - Burr and Hamilton write each other the most passive aggressive letters you have EVER HEARD, eventually agreeing to meet in Weehawken and settle it like stupid people. With guns. Because nothing bad has ever happened when someone agreed to a duel in Weehawken, right?
“The World Was Wide Enough” - Hamilton’s death and Burr’s remorse. Based on a quote from Burr: "Had I read Sterne more and Voltaire less, I should have known the world was wide enough for Hamilton and me."
“Finale” - A quiet and poignant closing, about the importance of who tells your story after you’re gone. Several of the characters eulogize Hamilton for us, but the last word goes to Eliza, tireless defender of her husband’s reputation, who spent the next fifty years securing his legacy in history and ultimately founding New York’s first private orphanage.
This is *such* an incredible show. I don't know what kind of life it's going to have outside of Broadway, in terms of tours, etc. There has apparently been movie interest. The catch with that is that the diversity in the cast is key. It wouldn't work with an all-white cast or even a largely-white cast, and that's definitely going to be a struggle once a movie studio gets involved. I hope more people get a chance to see it than just the people who can afford to fly to New York. It's a game-changer, and Miranda is our new Sondheim.