The Thread for HAMILTON Fans/Obsessives [SPOILERS AHEAD]

[Kad]

"Father doesnt like boyfriend, Check
Someone dies, check
Friends help get the couple together, check.
it's a slightly different story but there is some WSS in there."

Those are all extremely common plot tropes. You also just described Sweeney friggin' Todd.

Slightly different story? They're extremely different stories. In the case of In the Heights, it has multiple story arcs.

[HogansHero]

@ Kad, yes to all.

@Hamilton22 "HogansHero, you've been pitting Hamilton against WSS, Gypsy and many other musicals since the day I got here. Let's call a spade a spade, shall we? 

I have? Where? I have never done anything of the sort, nor do I even understand how (or why) the would be pitted against one another. All are important shows, and I don't feel the need to have them compete against one another. 

"To my knowledge I haven't pitted Hamilton against Fun Home."

But you said "if there's one recent show that I do think presented new ideas of what Musical theater can be and can do, it's Fun Home." People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw spades. 

"Some people don't think Hamilton is game changing. Some don't even think it's good. Who cares."

Obviously some people do care. If you don't, why are you reading this thread?

 

"

 

[brdway411]

I have seen Hamilton, Early in previews at the Public, and again latter in the run. I have an opinion about the show. It's my opinion. I also didn't find Fun Home to be all that. 

I thought In the Heights was and is a much better show than Hamilton. I got bored after the first 20 minutes and the novelty of the whole rap thing wore off. I get it LMM writes some killer stuff. I found the show exhausting to listen too. The rap is almost to dense (a lot of words in a small amount of rhythm). It's just not my cup of tea. So back off.  and unlike most people here. I bought my tickets at the Public when it was only $50 each for members. So I have seen it twice and didn't have to sell a child or a kidney to see it. 

and saying that people that don't agree with the rest of the Hamilton fans because they have not seen the show and are jealous is just silly. Grow up Clyde. 

[Kad]

Well, when you continuously assert that the show is an extended kid's education program, it's hard to back off.

[brdway411]

it is thats all it is. 3 hours of school house rock. its a 3 hours rap history lesson. 

[brdway411]

I am chatting with one of my History teacher friends on FB right now and she is planning on using parts of the Hamilton cast recording to teach her class. So I guess it is like Schoolhouse Rock. 

[brdway411]

besides I have grown bored with this. Mamma needs her coffee. 

[Kad]

Fine. It's... like, not, though, considering the amount of time spent on the characters' inner lives and personal struggles and the time spent on broader themes of nationalism and democracy, something Schoolhouse Rock curiously didn't touch upon, but fine. I say tomato, you say brick.

[ClydeBarrow]

Calling the show 3 hours of rap is very reductive as well. There are many songs that you could hardly classify as rap. 

[MyLife]

You can't determine whether something is groundbreaking until enough time passes to see if anything is built on top of the broken ground. Would Hair be considered groundbreaking as the first rock musical if no other rock musicals were created after it? Probably not. Hamilton sets a precedent for sure and has what it takes to become an iconic, influential, and groundbreaking piece but you can't say it is 2 weeks after it opens on Broadway.

Hamilton seamlessly works hip hop, R&B, and traditional show tunes together. Hopefully it shows that one can take risks and take something that isn't musical theater and make it musical theater in a different way. That, to me, is what groundbreaking is. 

[brdway411]

maybe I will sell my first born (he's 20 something cute and single, girls) or a kidney and see it a third time. Maybe I am missing something. 

[Kad]

If you've managed to see it twice and still walk away thinking it's an extended cut of "I'm Just a Bill," I'm not sure a third viewing would change that.

[macnyc]

Different strokes for different folks. I'm fine with that. This thread is for Hamilton obsessives. No one is forcing anyone to read it against their will and participate! I love the show and would like to discuss it with others. I appreciate the insight that others have. If you don't like the show, fine. Start your own thread!

[haterobics]

Why are we rehashing the lottery thing again?! I barely read Hamilton threads and swear this is the third time I've heard this story...

[ClydeBarrow]

brdway411, you seemed to find my not commenting on your frivolity to mean that I was embarrassed. I stand behind what I said and I could care less if people are aware of it. Are you done bringing it up now? For someone of your age you certainly act like a toddler. I hope your son acts a little more mature than his mother(?).

[brdway411]

Considering this is only the second time I have posted it....just saying

 

[ClydeBarrow]

brdway411 said: "Considering this is only the second time I have posted it....just saying "

[Hamilton22]

 I have never done anything of the sort, nor do I even understand how (or why) the would be pitted against one another. All are important shows, and I don't feel the need to have them compete against one another.

 

You have gotten on everyone's case if they have said something just slightly negative about Hamilton. 

 

But you said "if there's one recent show that I do think presented new ideas of what Musical theater can be and can do, it's Fun Home."

 

And? Does it somehow lessen Hamilton's value if Fun Home presented new ideas that Hamilton did not? I don't think so. 

 

Obviously some people do care. If you don't, why are you reading this thread??

 

Yes it is obvious that people feel so personally offended if someone preferred Fun Home over Hamilton, or if they  thought Hamilton was "just okay." 

 

I don't care that people don't think Hamilton is the next greatest thing because I'm not attached to this show as much as you are, obviously. 

Like I said, Hamilton is a great show but you really need to calm down. 

[ChiTheaterFan]

macnyc said: "I can't wait for the cast album to be released, and I'm so happy the recording seems to have gone without a hitch. I think I could listen to Yorktown all day. I love when Hercules Mulligan (played by the Mighty Oak, yeah!) bursts from the back of the stage to do his bit (paraphrasing), "That's what happens when you go up against the working man/We're in the s**thouse,  somebody's got to shovel it." Then, the actual battle is so exciting. The music, the lighting the sound, the choreography all comes together brilliantly.

 

By the way, what happened to the nine or ten minute b-roll that had been posted? It had parts of Helpless, Yorktown, and What'd I Miss? I couldn't find it on YouTube, and I know the production had a change of heart and asked BWW to post the shorter version instead. I'm thinking it has been removed. I need my fix!

 

"

Ok I am  just going to skip over all the arguing and go back to this. I had saved the link to the actual YouTube video (even after the BWW link was erased) and the video is gone. So sad!!  Maybe they're cracking down in advance of the recording being released but I was surprised because the way those excerpts were filmed they didn't appear to be boots or anything. 

I think most of the footage has been released elsewhere but not all of it and it was so great having it all together. 

[A Director]

Hamilton22 - you state,"

As I've said before, if there's one recent show that I do think presented new ideas of what Musical theater can be and can do, it's Fun Home.

 

Hamilton, not so much."

Please give a few example from Fun Home that support your claim.

[macnyc]

Chi, thanks for replying to my question. I agree with you that the link has been removed. Oh, well!

[A Director]

brdway411,

If you didn't like Hamilton the first time, why did you go back a second time?  You have every right to your opinion, but from the why you express it here, I'm reminded of a song from The Wizard of Oz, "If She Only Had A Brain."

[HogansHero]

Hamilton22 said: You have gotten on everyone's case if they have said something just slightly negative about Hamilton. 

That's simply not true. I have ALWAYS said that people are free not to like it. No show is universally loved. This is the second time in as many posts that you have attributed something to me that is not anything I have ever said. If you don't have a responsive point to what I say, what is the object of making stuff up?

And? Does it somehow lessen Hamilton's value if Fun Home presented new ideas that Hamilton did not? I don't think so. 

No, nor could I imagine that it would. You were the one who said what I quoted above, not me. Now you not only attribute ideas to me that I never said but you don't own up to (or admit you were wrong about) what you said in black and white.

Yes it is obvious that people feel so personally offended if someone preferred Fun Home over Hamilton, or if they  thought Hamilton was "just okay." 

Give an example of someone who was offended in that way. It wasn't me. I am immensely proud of both shows. You are the one who elevated one over the other and you are also the one who dissed one and then pretended you hadn't. Some people don't like Hamilton at all. That's fine. Some like Fun Home more. That's fine. It doesn't matter to me what you think of either. Why would it?

I don't care that people don't think Hamilton is the next greatest thing because I'm not attached to this show as much as you are, obviously. 

That is an amazing non-sequitur, as well as being factually wrong.

Like I said, Hamilton is a great show but you really need to calm down. 

Why do I need to calm down? (PS I am perfectly calm.) You just don't like being called out on your own inconsistencies. (Few people do.)

 

"

 

[brdway411]

I never said I didn't like it. I just don't get all the hype, it's got some good stuff in it. I just don't think its the best thing LMM wrote. I am a huge fan of In the Heights. And I went a second time because I am a member of The Public and was able to score 2 sets of tickets cheap. I got one set for early previews and one for later in the run so I could see the changes they made to the show. 

[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.