Sunday, November 20, 2016

Hamilton!

A couple of weeks ago I wrote that I wanted to post about two things, and one had nothing to do with Quilting. That was HAMILTON.

I don't know how you could NOT have heard of the mega hit, award winning Broadway show written by Lin-Manuel Miranda about the life of the guy on our ten dollar bill, Alexander Hamilton. Tickets are on sale now for August 2017!!!

Anyway, I had been aware of the show long before it opened on Broadway, and finally bought the CD of the original cast recording. I also bought the book on which the play was based, Ron Chernow's Alexander Hamilton.  Or at least I thought I did. It turns out I bought Hamilton: The Revolution, which was the story of how the play came to be and the entire libretto (the "book" of the play).

Well! Even better!!

To say I was blown away is an understatement of epic proportions. The music was awesome, and it was wonderful to follow along so I could really understand what was happening.

And the story, and the way it was told, with actors of color playing Alexander Hamilton, George  Washington, Thomas Jefferson and others "because that's the way America looks now," impressed me.

I love Hamilton, and hope to see it on Broadway someday. I've been listening to it a lot, and enjoying it immensely.



That's the post I wanted to write.

The contrast of Hamilton with the election was especially striking (I had bought the album a few weeks before Election Day), and somewhat frightening. Everything out of Trump's mouth was opposite to what our Founding Fathers sought independence from England for. I'm not the only one who felt that way. Apparently the cast of Hamilton "could barely go on stage the day after the election."

A couple of nights ago Vice-President Elect Pence attended Hamilton, and the cast had some words for him. Brandon Victor Dixon, the actor who played Aaron Burr, said this:
“We, sir — we — are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights,” he said. “We truly hope that this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us.”
I feel the same way.

 You can read the article, and see the video here.




No comments: