“Is this your legacy?”: Hamilton as a Challenge to the Institution of Theatre

Hamilton, the Broadway smash-hit musical by songwriter and playwright Lin Manuel-Miranda, was something I spent years obsessing over, dissecting its lyrics and listening to the cast album on a daily basis. The musical covers the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, from his departure from the Caribbean to the United States to his death at the hands of Aaron Burr. Hamilton challenges the conventions of musical theatre, piercing these rituals through its diverse casting and hip-hop-influenced music.

In the chapter “The Art Museum as Ritual” in Civilizing Rituals Inside Public Art Museums, Carol Duncan argues that the structure of museums creates a ritual for perceiving art. Thus, museums uphold institutional standards and knowledge based in the elite of societal structures. Theatre, specifically Broadway as the institution, holds these standards as well. Broadway has a long history in upholding inequality in casting and what stories are told. Moreover, shows on Broadway are inaccessible to the majority of the American public due to the costs to see shows and proximity to a production. While Broadway displays amazing performances, specific people are supposed to be on stage and specific people are supposed to be watching.

This is where Hamilton steps in. While the musical is not the first to discuss the American Revolution or a Founding Father, Hamilton is the first to tell of this era with a cast that is majority people of color. In an interview, Miranda says that the show is “America then as told by America now” (“Review of Hamilton in Film”). The diversity in casting essentially humanizes these historical figures: there’s obvious contrast between the actors and their counterparts, allowing for an acknowledgement of the Founding Fathers’ lack of inclusion and their wrongdoings. Miranda, in a sense, is able to tell the story of Alexander Hamilton without glorifying the people or institutions that they stand on; rather, the show uplifts voices of people of color and pushes for progress.

Furthermore, Hamilton chooses hip-hop and rap to tell the story of Alexander Hamilton rather than the traditional showtune. Again, it is not unique for Broadway to feature different genres of music, even hip-hop, but it is rare. Hamilton is the first to use rap juxtaposed to the narratives of the Founding Fathers. It has a purpose, as well. Miranda, as described by director Thomas Kail, believed that Hamilton’s life was a classic hip-hop story, in which he was “someone born into very difficult circumstances who used words to elevate himself out of those circumstances” (“‘Our Own Form of Protest’”). Therefore, framing the story with a more recognizable sound makes Hamilton accessible, the audience finding a once unreachable figure as a relatable character. And as Hamilton defies the conventions of music, it does make room for different voices on-stage.

While the musical has its faults, as it is not an active critique on the Founders’ racism and violence, Hamilton, through representation in casting and music, does disrupt an institution that perpetuates a ritual of harm. The show paves way for more narratives to be shown in the Broadway canon.

Works Cited/Accessed

Barnum, Matt. “The ‘shadow education system’: How wealthier students benefit from art, music, and theater over the summer while poor kids miss out.” Chalkbeat, 30 May 2018, https://www.chalkbeat.org/2018/5/30/21105061/the-shadow-education-system-how-wealthier-students-benefit-from-art-music-and-theater-over-the-summe. Accessed 26 May 2021.

Churchwell, Sarah. “Why Hamilton is making musical history.” The Guardian, 5 November 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/nov/05/why-hamilton-is-making-musical-history. Accessed 26 May 2021.

Goldwasser, Maya. “Review of Hamilton the film.” The Globe, 3 November 2020, https://www.chsglobe.com/41075/reviews/review-of-hamilton-the-film/#:~:text=In%20an%20interview%2C%20Miranda%20described,stories%20without%20overly%20glorifying%20them. Accessed 26 May 2021.

Hooton, Amanda. “‘Our own form of protest’: How linking hip-hop and history turned Hamilton into a surprise hit musical.” The Sydney Morning Herald, 22 February 2020, https://www.smh.com.au/culture/theatre/our-own-form-of-protest-how-linking-hip-hop-and-history-turned-hamilton-into-a-surprise-hit-musical-20191223-p53mj8.html. Accessed 26 May 2021.