The Thread for HAMILTON Fans/Obsessives [SPOILERS AHEAD]

[Lilly7]

It's way to early to talk about Hamilton revolutionary or game-changing. It can end up inspiring a hundred shows, it can inspire none. Neither results take away from the quality of the show or their level of success.

However, there are a couple things that I hope people do end up taking from the show. One is how we view historical figures, more specifically our founding fathers. From our history classes to the political sphere, we tend to put people on pedestals. I thought Hamilton did a great job of inspiring people to look at historical figures as real people. And sure, it's not 100% accurate, but I see learning history from the theater akin to getting news from The Daily Show. Hopefully it's not your only source but as a launching pad to learn more. 

Secondly, while not the first musical to use rap/hip-hop in it, it's definitely one of the biggest. Hopefully it can introduce musical theater fan to rap/hip-hop and vice versa. Just how there are a lot of misconceptions about rap/hip-hop, there are a lot of misconceptions about musicals. It always surprise me that despite the success of musicals like Wicked or Book of Mormon, a lot of people still see musical theater as a bunch of show tunes from a different era. 

Lastly, I hope audience and producers alike both get inspired by the diversity in the show. And again, Hamilton is not the first but diversity is always something that we should recognize. I always found it insane that we are required to suspend our disbelief so much when it comes to theater or film, but we can't when it came to a character's race.

 

Also this is the second time in a month, I've heard someone compare In The Heights to West Side Story and I find it kinda gross and offensive since they are two completely different shows and the only real similarity between them is they star a Latino community.  

[mariel9]

What inspires someone to come into a thread called "The Thread for HAMILTON Fans/Obsessives" to talk about how Hamilton really isn't all that? Some deep desire to be a contrarian? An inability to let fans just enjoy something they love? There are other Hamilton threads for people to post their critical opinions.

I was thinking about the game changer argument last night, and Lilly7's wonderful post reflects a lot of the thoughts I had. I especially hope Hamilton is a game-changer for Broadway's diversity problem. Maybe some of the hip-hop artists who have been so supportive of Hamilton will try their hand at writing a musical. And hopefully the wonderful cast of Hamilton will not find their future casting options limited because "this is a white character."

[HogansHero]

@Lilly, I agree. I'd just add what I said somewhere above-that I also hope Hamilton raises the bar for creatives. Will it? Let's hope.

[firebolts]

"Fun Home content wise, can be considered groundbreaking. But musically, it's nothing new."

 

Wow, this is so inaccurate... 

 

I like Hamilton and I am very excited for the cast recording. But, I don't necessarily think it's a "game changer" - it, is though, in its diversity; I love how diverse the cast is - it's so refreshing, and I hope that other shows see how well the diversity is being embraced. 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Well, this thread has certainly veered quite off course from what I intended it to be, but I'm glad it's being used as a space for discourse and discussion!  

 

Personally, I view Fun Home as ground-breaking in terms of representation on stage, and Hamilton as ground-breaking in terms of diversity on stage. All things considered, though, both of them are objectively triumphs of our generation.

[BOM]

Hamilton is way better than Schoolhouse Rock. Just saying.

[After Eight]

"All things considered, though, both of them are objectively triumphs of our generation."

 

OBJECTIVELY, you say?

 

Objectively, I would say you don't know the meaning of the word objectively.

[haterobics]

I think there is only one person arguing the other side of that debate.

 

 

[Hamilton22]

I don't get how people can say Hamilton is groundbreaking in it's diversity, when Les Mis has had one of the most diverse casts for years. 

[firebolts]

Hamilton22 said: "I don't get how people can say Hamilton is groundbreaking in it's diversity, when Les Mis has had one of the most diverse casts for years."

 

When Les Mis was first introduced, the cast was (almost?) entirely white - just NOW, in 2015, the Broadway production has its FIRST black Jean Valjean. Hamilton, right off the bat, has an incredibly diverse cast. When it opened, Les Mis could not be compared to Hamilton in terms of diversity. Now at least it can, but it still does not compare to Hamilton's diversity. 

[haterobics]

firebolts beat me to it, while i was off searching for a photo, heh...

 

 

[firebolts]

^ Thank you!

 

See? Frustratingly white. 

[Hamilton22]

You win this round, Haterobics....

[firebolts]

^ And me. 

[haterobics]

firebolts said: "^ And me."

 

Yeah, I'm sharing this victory with firebolts.

[Hamilton22]

And your crafty sidekick....

[firebolts]

^ Thank you. :) x

 

(Love Hamilton, by the way.)

[After Eight]

Anyone here aware of the 1971 musical, Two Gentlemen of Verona?

[haterobics]

After Eight said: "Anyone here aware of the 1971 musical, Two Gentlemen of Verona?"

 

Can you skip the foreplay and just make your anti-Hamilton point?

[firebolts]

It would match his Fun Home angst. 

[haterobics]

He's changing his major to moan. Changing his major to whine and moan...

[Howard Shore]

firebolts said: ""Fun Home content wise, can be considered groundbreaking. But musically, it's nothing new."

I saw a few clips and love the fact that there is a diverse cast.  But the music some of it sounds good . Some of it just sounds boring

 

 

Wow, this is so inaccurate... 

 

 

 

I like Hamilton and I am very excited for the cast recording. But, I don't necessarily think it's a "game changer" - it, is though, in its diversity; I love how diverse the cast is - it's so refreshing, and I hope that other shows see how well the diversity is being embraced. 

 

"

 

[gypsy101]

haterobics said: "He's changing his major to moan. Changing his major to whine and moan..."

 

Thanks for the laugh, haterobics, that brightened my evening.

[HogansHero]

Hamilton22 said: "I don't get how people can say Hamilton is groundbreaking in it's diversity, when Les Mis has had one of the most diverse casts for years. 

Comparing Les Miz and Hamilton is apples and oranges. As you know I don't use the word groundbreaking to refer to  art, but what Hamilton is doing with ethnicity has nothing to do with what Les Miz or the 1000s of other shows that have done color blind casting. Hamilton is not color blind-it is the essence of the play that these roles reflect the contemporary American mosaic of the 21st Century as a way of considering what it means to be an American and to claim that heritage by drawing parallels between the Founding Fathers (and mothers) and the nature of America today, and with particular reference to the hip hop narrative. It is unlikely that message will ever be viewed as "groundbreaking" in the copycat sense I gather you mean because it is very particular to the dramaturgy of one specific play, in the same way that, say, Fiddler relates to Jews in Imperial Russia over a century ago and did not lead to a spate of shows telling stories through that lens.

"

 

[After Eight]

Posted late last evening as a BWW headline:

 

"HAMILTON Ads Take Over Columbus Circle Subway Station"

 

Sounds like a promo from one of those cheap horror flicks of the '60's.

 

Columbus Circle: The official subway station of Hamilton Fans/Obsessives everywhere!

 

 

[FindingNamo]

I was glad to see the pictures.  I thought they looked lovely.