Hamilton (musical)
| Musical dates | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Hamilton |
| Original title: | Hamilton |
| Original language: | English |
| Music: | Lin-Manuel Miranda |
| Book: | Lin-Manuel Miranda |
| Lyrics: | Lin-Manuel Miranda |
| Literary source: | Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow |
| Premiere: | 20th January 2015 |
| Place of premiere: | The Public Theater |
| Roles / people | |
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Hamilton is a musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda about the life of the American founding father Alexander Hamilton . Miranda was inspired to write the musical by the book Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow . It traces Hamilton's rise from immigrant orphan to first US Treasury Secretary and subsequent crises until his death in a duel with Aaron Burr . The music is influenced by hip-hop and R&B .
The off-Broadway premiere took place on January 20, 2015. Since August 6, 2015, Hamilton can be seen regularly on Broadway . There the musical is financially successful, further productions in the USA and internationally followed.
Hamilton has received numerous awards including eleven Tony Awards and a Pulitzer Prize . The audio recording of the musical won a Grammy Award for "Best Musical Theater Recording". Other derivative works were also commercially successful.
history
Emergence
At the airport, during his vacation from the Broadway musical In the Heights , Lin-Manuel Miranda chose the book Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow , a biography to read about Alexander Hamilton. After a few chapters, Miranda could imagine a musical version of Hamilton's life. He then researched whether there was already a theatrical implementation and came across a Broadway performance from 1917 with George Arliss as Hamilton.
After Miranda's discovery, he started The Hamilton Mixtape project . On May 12, 2009 Miranda was invited by the White House to the "Evening of Poetry, Music and the Spoken Word" to perform songs from his musical In the Heights . Instead, he sang the first song of The Hamilton Mixtape , a raw version of Alexander Hamilton , the opening number of the later musical Hamilton . He worked on My Shot , another song in the musical, for a year.
Miranda performed the workshop production The Hamilton Mixtape at the Vassar Reading Festival on July 27, 2013 . It was staged by Thomas Kail and musically staged by Alex Lacamoire. The workshop production consisted of the complete first act and three songs from the second act. Lacamoire accompanied the performance on a piano.
Performance history
Of the original workshop ensemble, only three remained in the off-Broadway production: Miranda, Daveed Diggs and Christopher Jackson . Almost the entire off-Broadway ensemble resumed its roles on Broadway, except for Brian d'Arcy James, who was played by Jonathan Groff as King George III. was replaced.
Hamilton was shown in Chicago from October 2016 to 2020 , and the production has been running in London since December 2017 . Tours through the USA have also been taking place since 2017, during which Hamilton was also performed in Puerto Rico . Miranda's parents came from this outskirts of the United States . International performances in Hamburg and Sydney were announced.
Recordings and derivative works
In June 2016, Miranda confirmed that a video recording of the musical would be made with the original Broadway cast. This was originally scheduled to open in theaters in October 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the release of Hamilton was brought forward to July 3, 2020, but not in the cinema, but on the Disney + streaming service .
On December 9, 2016, The Hamilton Mixtape was released. The mixtape , on which various artists cover pieces from the musical as well as songs inspired by it, reached number 1 in the American album charts . In 2018, The Hamilton Polka , a polka medley by Weird Al Yankovic based on pieces from the musical , made it to number 1 on the Billboard Comedy Digital Track Sales Charts.
action
Act 1
The musical begins with the ensemble that the early years of Alexander Hamilton as an orphan in the Caribbean summarizes ( Alexander Hamilton ). He loses his mother and father, begins to write and finally emigrates to New York.
In the summer of 1776, Hamilton met Aaron Burr in New York City , who advised him to talk less and smile more ( Aaron Burr, sir ). Hamilton contradicts Burr's philosophy and instead joins three revolutionaries he meets in a bar: the abolitionist John Laurens , the extravagant French Marquis de Lafayette and the tailor's apprentice Hercules Mulligan . Hamilton amazes her with his rhetorical skills ( My Shot ), and they dream together of sacrificing their lives for their cause ( The Story of Tonight ). Meanwhile, the wealthy Schuyler sisters Angelica , Eliza and Peggy stroll through the streets of New York City, inspired by the spirit of the revolution in the air ( The Schuyler Sisters ).
Samuel Seabury , a public speaker and loyalist, preaches against the American Revolution. Hamilton scoffs at him and refutes his statements ( Farmer Refuted ). Then a message comes from King George III. in which he reminds the colonists that he is ready to fight for their allegiance to the crown ( You'll Be Back ).
The revolution is underway. Hamilton, Burr and their friends join the Continental Army . As the army withdraws from New York City, General George Washington realizes that he needs help to win the war. Although Hamilton wants a command and wants to fight on the front lines, he seizes the opportunity Washington offers him and accepts the position as its adjutant ( Right Hand Man ).
In the winter of 1780, the men attend a Philip Schuyler ball . Hamilton keeps an eye on the landlord 's daughters ( A Winter's Ball ). Eliza is delighted immediately after being introduced to Hamilton by Angelica, and soon after, Hamilton and Eliza ( Helpless ) marry . Meanwhile Angelica feels intellectually and physically drawn to Hamilton, but hides her feelings for the benefit of her sister ( Satisfied ). Burr appears after the wedding reception to congratulate Hamilton. In a brief private conversation with Hamilton, he admits that he is having an affair with the wife of a British officer. Hamilton advises him to take action ( The Story of Tonight (Reprise) ), but Burr prefers to wait and see what life has to offer for him ( Wait for It ).
As the revolution progresses, Hamilton repeatedly urges Washington to give him a command, but Washington refuses and instead promotes Charles Lee . This decision turns out to be catastrophic at the Battle of Monmouth , when Lee gives an order to retreat against Washington's orders. He is then relieved of his command by Washington and Lafayette is given the post. Angry at this, Lee spreads defamatory and vengeful rumors about Washington. Hamilton wants to hold him accountable for this, but Washington orders him to ignore the comments. Laurens, who also wants to support Washington, agrees with Hamilton to duel with Lee in order to avoid Hamilton's disregard of Washington's orders ( Stay Alive ). Laurens wins the duel by injuring Lee ( Ten Duel Commandments ). Angry at the duel, Washington orders Hamilton to return home to his wife ( Meet Me Inside ). When he gets there, he learns from Eliza that she is pregnant. She reassures the doubting Hamilton that he is enough for her ( That Would Be Enough ).
Lafayette takes a greater leadership role in the revolution and convinces France to join the American cause. The balance shifts in favor of the continental army. Washington and Lafayette are aware that they can win the war by cutting off the British Navy at Yorktown , but they need Hamilton to do so, and the general reluctantly gives him his long-awaited command ( Guns And Ships ). On the eve of the battle, Washington remembers his devastating first command and explains to Hamilton that it is no one who knows how to remember him ( History Has It's Eyes on You ). After a few days of fighting, the Continental Army is victorious. The British surrender in the last great battle of the war, the Battle of Yorktown ( Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down) ). In the face of his defeat, King George asks the rebels how they imagine standing on their own two feet and ruling without their people hating them ( What Comes Next? ).
Shortly after the revolution, Hamilton's son Philip is born, while Burr has a daughter Theodosia ( Dear Theodosia ). Hamilton receives news that Laurens was killed in a seemingly pointless fight ( Tomorrow There'll Be More of Us ). Hamilton and Burr are both returning to New York to graduate and pursue careers as attorneys. Burr reverently observes Hamilton's relentless industry and becomes increasingly irritated by his successes. In the summer of 1787, Hamilton was elected as a delegate to the Philadelphia Convention . He motivates James Madison and John Jay to write the Federalist Papers after Burr declines to work. Newly elected President Washington offers Hamilton the post of Treasury Secretary and Hamilton non-stop despite Eliza's request not to do so .
Act 2
In 1789 Thomas Jefferson returned to the United States from France, where he contributed most of the confederation articles as ambassador. Washington then asks Jefferson to take over the post of Secretary of State . However, Madison Jefferson also asks for help. He wants to stop Hamilton's financial plan because he fears it will give the government too much control ( What'd I Miss? ). During a cabinet meeting, Jefferson and Hamilton debated the pros and cons of Hamilton's financial plan. Washington pulls Hamilton aside and wants him to come up with a compromise to win a majority in Congress for his plan ( Cabinet Battle # 1 ).
While Hamilton works at home, Eliza reminds him of Philip's ninth birthday. Philip presents a short rap to Hamilton that he composed and amazes his father with it. Angelica advises Hamilton to convince Jefferson of his plan so that Congress will accept his idea. Eliza and Angelica later try to persuade Hamilton to accompany them on summer vacation, but Hamilton refuses. He says that he has to keep working on his plan for Congress and therefore must stay in New York ( Take a Break ).
While he is alone, Hamilton is visited by Maria Reynolds , who is abused by her husband. Hamilton offers to help and they start an affair . Mary's husband James Reynolds then blackmailed Hamilton. Hamilton is angry with Maria, but still pays Reynolds claims and continues the affair ( Say No to This ).
Hamilton discusses his plan with Jefferson and Madison over a private dinner that leads to the compromise of 1790 : Hamilton receives support for his financial plans, in exchange the capital of the United States is moved from New York to Washington, DC . Burr is jealous of Hamilton's influence in government and wishes he had as much power ( The Room Where It Happens ). Burr then changes political party and defeats Eliza's father, Phillip Schuyler, in a fight for a seat in the Senate. That finally drives a wedge between Burr and Hamilton ( Schuyler Defeated ).
In another cabinet meeting, Jefferson and Hamilton argue over whether the United States should support France in its revolution . Washington is finally convinced by Hamilton to remain neutral ( Cabinet Battle # 2 ). After the session, Burr, Jefferson and Madison complain how nice it must be for Hamilton to always have Washington's support, and they look for a way to damage Hamilton's reputation ( Washington on Your Side ).
Washington tells Hamilton that Jefferson stepped down from his position in government to run for president and that Washington is stepping down. Hamilton is shocked, but Washington convinces him it is the right thing to do and they write a suicide note ( One Last Time ). In England, King George III. the news of Washington's resignation and the election of John Adams as President. The King looks forward to the fact that the United States will now disintegrate under the leadership of Adam, whom he personally knows and who is considered weak ( I Know Him ).
Adams and Hamilton have an argument and destroy the Federalist Party ( The Adams Administration ). Jefferson, Madison, and Burr believe they have discovered a scandal that will enable them to destroy Hamilton by accusing him of embezzling government funds and high treason. In reality, however, they found the letters confirming his affair with Maria Reynolds. Hamilton, knowing that the truth is the only way out, tells them about his affair and asks them not to tell anyone ( We Know ). Still worried that they might make his affair public, Hamilton ponders how his frank and honest writing saved him in the past ( Hurricane ). He then publishes a statement about the affair in the hope of dispelling the rumors of embezzlement and saving his political legacy ( The Reynolds Pamphlet ). However, his personal reputation is ruined. Desperate, Eliza burns her correspondence and thus destroys Hamilton's chance to be redeemed by "future historians" and to withhold from the world how she reacted by erasing herself from the narrative ( Burn ).
Years go by and Hamilton's son Philip challenges a man named George Eacker, who publicly denounced Hamilton, to a duel. Philip aims at the sky at the beginning of the duel, but Eacker shoots prematurely ( Blow Us All Away ). Philip is taken to a doctor who, however, cannot save him, and Hamilton and Eliza reach their son just before he dies ( Stay Alive (reprise) ). After Philip's death, the Hamiltons move to the suburbs. Hamilton asks Eliza for forgiveness, which he finally gets ( It's Quiet Uptown ).
In the 1800 presidential election, President John Adams is defeated. Jefferson and Burr, who run for the Democratic Republican Party , however, find themselves in a stalemate. Annoyed that Burr is repeatedly changing his ideals for personal gain, Hamilton publicly supports Jefferson, who eventually becomes president ( The Election of 1800 ). Burr is furious, exchanges letters with Hamilton and finally challenges him to a duel ( Your Obedient Servant ). Before dawn on the morning of the duel, Eliza asks Hamilton to go back to bed, but he tells her he has to go and gives her a few loving words along the way ( Best of Wives and Best of Women ).
Burr and Hamilton travel to Weehawken , New Jersey, near the spot where Philip was shot, for the duel . When a shot rings out, Hamilton holds an internal monologue on death, its relationships, and its legacy. Raising his pistol towards the sky, Burr shoots him and dies soon after. Burr complains that even though he survived, he is cursed. He is the villain in history and will only be remembered as the man who killed Alexander Hamilton ( The World Was Wide Enough ).
The ensemble gathers to end the story. Washington steps in, reminding the audience that they have no control over how they will be remembered in the future. Jefferson and Madison jointly admit the genius of their political rival's work. Eliza explains how she's struggling to save her husband's legacy over the next 50 years, but fears she hasn't done enough. She then asks the audience who is telling her story when she's gone. When she dies, Hamilton shows her all of the people who will care for her legacy and protect it, just as she did for him ( Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story ).
music
The music in Hamilton is shaped by hip-hop and R&B , but also contains borrowings from other genres such as jazz , pop of the 90s, American popular music around 1900 and contemporary musical music. In some cases, individual genres are used deliberately: The pieces sung by King George are based on Beatles pop and Thomas Jefferson, who was older than most of the other founding fathers, sings the jazz-influenced What'd I Miss?
The instrumentation works with classical instruments as well as with the use of electronic-synthetic musical means. In the Broadway production, the instruments are distributed among ten musicians as follows:
- Violin 1
- Violin 2
- Violin / viola
- violoncello
- Double bass / electric bass / synth.
- Acoustic guitar (both nylon and steel strings), electric guitar , banjo (tenor)
- Keyboard 1 / conductor
- Keyboard 2 / Deputy conductor
- Drums / timbales / synth.
- Percussion / mallet / glockenspiel / Tubular Bells / Synth.
Track list
| Act I. | Act II |
† Tomorrow There'll Be More of Us , a second reprise of The Story of Tonight , is not included on the 2015 studio recording . Miranda said the piece was "more of a scene than a song". ‡ Titled One Last Ride in the Off-Broadway production . |
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reception
Commercial win
The off-Broadway premiere of Hamilton was sold out. On Broadway, Hamilton was sold out in each of the years 2016 to 2020 and was the musical with the highest revenue (as of July 14, 2020).
Reviews
Hamilton received positive reviews. Rolling Stone wrote:
“Profound, audacious and deeply moving, it's a universally acclaimed masterpiece, arguably the first real hip-hop musical. Though no movie is in the works quite yet, it's already transcending Broadway to become a full-on phenomenon - it may well be the first piece of pop culture ever to win equal praise from Barack Obama , Dick Cheney , Lena Dunham , Joss Whedon and Steven Van Zandt . It reconnects Broadway with contemporary music, and with a mostly black and Latino cast playing Washington, Jefferson, et al., It reclaims American history for people cast to the margins of the narrative. "
“Profound, daring and deeply moving, it is a universally celebrated masterpiece, arguably the first real hip-hop musical. Even if a film is not yet in the works, it is already making an impact on Broadway and is becoming a real phenomenon - it is probably the first pop culture work that was equally by Barack Obama, Dick Cheney, Lena Dunham, Joss Whedon and Steven Van Zandt is praised. It reconnects Broadway with contemporary music, and with a predominantly black and Latin American cast Washington, Jefferson, etc. playing, it brings American history back to the people who were marginalized in the narrative. "
The historian Lyra Monteiro, on the other hand, criticized the fact that although almost all of the actors were not white, they were based on a "white" conception of history:
“[…] It gives Hamilton , the show, the ability to say, Oh, we're not just telling old, white history. This isn't your stuffy old-school history that's just praising white people. Look, we've got people of color in the cast. This is everybody's story. Which, it isn't. It's still white history. And no amount of casting people of color disguises the fact that they're erasing people of color from the actual narrative. "
“[…] Hamilton , the musical, has the opportunity to say: Oh, we don't just tell old, white stories. It's not a stuffy, old-fashioned story that only whites praise. Look, we have non-white actors. That is the story of all of us. But what it is not. It's still a white story. And no matter how many performers belong to ethnic minorities, it does not hide the fact that they are removing ethnic minorities from the actual narrative. "
Awards
Hamilton won eight Drama Desk Awards and one Pulitzer Prize . At the 70th Tony Awards , Hamilton was nominated in 16 categories and won eleven of them, the highest and second highest number in the history of the awards. In 2018, four Hamilton creators were honored with a one-time special Kennedy Prize .
Off-Broadway
| Tabular overview of awards and nominations | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year | Award | For | category | result |
| 2015 | Drama Desk Award | Hamilton | Outstanding musical | Won |
| Renée Elise Goldsberry | Outstanding leading actress in a musical | Won | ||
| Thomas Kail | Outstanding director in a musical | Won | ||
| Lin-Manuel Miranda | Outstanding music | Won | ||
| Lin-Manuel Miranda | Outstanding texts | Won | ||
| Lin-Manuel Miranda | Outstanding book in a musical | Won | ||
| Nevin Steinberg | Outstanding sound design in a musical | Won | ||
| Andy Blankenbuehler | Special prize choreography | Won | ||
| Lin-Manuel Miranda | Outstanding actor in a musical | Nominated | ||
| Leslie Odom Jr. | Outstanding supporting actor in a musical | Nominated | ||
| Alex Lacamoire | Outstanding orchestration | Nominated | ||
| David Korins | Outstanding stage design | Nominated | ||
| Paul Tazewell | Outstanding costume design | Nominated | ||
| Howell Binkley | Outstanding lighting design | Nominated | ||
Broadway
| Tabular overview of awards and nominations | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year | Award | For | category | result |
| 2015 | grammy | Hamilton | Best recording musical theater | Won |
| 2016 | Pulitzer Prize | Hamilton | drama | Won |
| 2016 | Tony Award | Hamilton | Best musical | Won |
| Lin-Manuel Miranda | Best book in a musical | Won | ||
| Lin-Manuel Miranda | Best original score (music and text) | Won | ||
| Leslie Odom Jr. | Best actor in a musical | Won | ||
| Daveed Diggs | Best supporting actor in a musical | Won | ||
| Renée Elise Goldsberry | Best supporting actress in a musical | Won | ||
| Paul Tazewell | Best costumes in a musical | Won | ||
| Howell Binkley | Best lighting in a musical | Won | ||
| Thomas Kail | Best director of a musical | Won | ||
| Andy Blankenbuehler | Best choreography | Won | ||
| Alex Lacamoire | Best orchestration | Won | ||
| Lin-Manuel Miranda | Best actor in a musical | Nominated | ||
| Philippa Soo | Best leading actress in a musical | Nominated | ||
| Jonathan Groff | Best supporting actor in a musical | Nominated | ||
| David Korins | Best stage design of a musical | Nominated | ||
Individual evidence
- ^ A b Michael Gioia: History in the Making - Revolutionary Musical Hamilton Opens on Broadway Tonight. In: Playbill . Playball Inc., August 6, 2015, accessed May 6, 2016 .
- ↑ Hamilton - Lortel Archives. In: lortel.org. Retrieved April 16, 2016 .
- ↑ Hamilton in the Internet Broadway Database (English)
- ↑ a b Michael Paulson: Hamilton Makes History With 16 Tony Nominations . In: The New York Times , May 4, 2016, accessed July 3, 2016 at nytimes.com.
- ↑ a b 2016 Pulitzer Prize Winners & Finalists . In: [pulitzer.org] , accessed on July 3, 2016. (English)
- ^ Past Winners Search. In: The GRAMMYs. Retrieved April 16, 2016 .
- ↑ Lin-Manuel Miranda Performs at the White House Poetry Jam: 8 of 8. (Video) In: Archived website of the White House under Barack Obama. White House , May 12, 2009, accessed November 8, 2016 .
- ↑ Hamilton. IBDB , accessed November 8, 2016 .
- ↑ a b Robert Viagas: Beach Read to Broadway! How Lin-Manuel Miranda Turned a History Book into Hamilton. In: Playbill. Playbill Inc, August 5, 2015, accessed November 8, 2016 .
- ^ Nicole Scholet: Hamilton Mixtape Unveiled at Vassar Reading Festival. The Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society, August 27, 2013, accessed November 8, 2016 .
- ↑ Maureen Ryan: Review: Broadway Smash 'Hamilton' Opens in Chicago . In: Variety . October 20, 2016 ( variety.com [accessed December 21, 2016]).
- ^ Website of the production at the Victoria Palace Theater. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ Joanna Robinson: Relax: Lin-Manuel Miranda Confirms Everyone Will Be Able to See Hamilton with the Original. In: Vanity Fair . Condé Nast, June 16, 2016, accessed June 4, 2020 .
- ^ Angela Watercutter: Hamilton Is Coming to Disney + Very Soon. In: Wired . Condé Nast, May 14, 2020, accessed June 4, 2020 .
- ↑ Keith Caulfield: 'The Hamilton Mixtape' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart . ( billboard.com [accessed January 5, 2017]).
- ↑ 'Weird Al' Yankovic's 'The Hamilton Polka' Debuts on Billboard's Sales Charts . billboard.com; accessed on March 15, 2018.
- ^ Rebecca Mead: All About the Hamiltons . In: The New Yorker . February 9, 2015, ISSN 0028-792X ( newyorker.com [accessed July 12, 2016]).
- ↑ Dave Brooks: Alex Lacamoire and the Music of Hamilton. In: Amplify. May 13, 2016, accessed on August 23, 2017 .
- ↑ Hamilton Orchestra. In: Broadwaymusicians.com. Retrieved on August 23, 2017 .
- ↑ 2016 Analyze - Broadway Grosses. In: Broadway World. Retrieved July 14, 2020 .
- ↑ 2017 Analyze - Broadway Grosses. In: Broadway World. Retrieved July 14, 2020 .
- ↑ 2018 Analyze - Broadway Grosses. In: Broadway World. Retrieved July 14, 2020 .
- ↑ 2019 Analyze - Broadway Grosses. In: Broadway World. Retrieved July 14, 2020 .
- ↑ 2020 Analyze - Broadway Grosses. Broadway World, accessed July 14, 2020 .
- ↑ 'Hamilton': Meet the Man Behind Broadway's Hip-Hop Masterpiece. In: Rolling Stone. September 29, 2015, accessed May 13, 2016 .
- ↑ Rebecca Onion: A Hamilton Skeptic on Why the Show Isn't As Revolutionary As It Seems . In: Slate . 2016, ISSN 1091-2339 ( slate.com [accessed May 13, 2016]).
- ↑ Gordon Cox, 'Hamilton,' 'Curious Incident' Top the 2015 Drama Desk Awards (FULL LIST). In: Variety. Retrieved April 16, 2016 (American English).
- ↑ Hamilton Creators Lin-Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail, Andy Blankenbuehler, Alex Lacamoire Will Receive Special Kennedy Center Honors , playbill.com, July 25, 2018, accessed July 27, 2018
Web links
- Official website of the Broadway production
- Hamilton in the Internet Broadway Database (English)
- Hamilton in the Internet Off-Broadway Database (English)
- Lyrics of the Off-Broadway production , the recording with the Broadway Cast and other works on Genius.com (English)