Why ‘Hamilton’ is a Tremendous Hit

If you have not yet heard about the musical “Hamilton,” you have likely not turned on a television, opened a newspaper, or flipped through a magazine in months. “Hamilton” has been a reoccurring topic on major media outlets for a year including Vanity Fair, CNN, and the New Yorker. People can’t get enough of the soundtrack or the story line. In fact, I’m streaming the soundtrack now.

The Broadway show was written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. To summarize the show, it focuses on one of America’s founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton, and American history. Taking place in 1776, it focuses largely on Alexander Hamilton’s story as he pursued the American dream. The plot was inspired by an award-winning biography that Ron Chernow wrote on Alexander Hamilton, which inspired Lin-Manuel Miranda to write the show “Hamilton.” Check out a brief clip below.

Although the show has a hip-hop focus, it also includes traces of R&B, classic Broadway, and even some opera. With so many genres laced into the soundtrack, “Hamilton” appeals to a much wider audience than many Broadway shows do. It is rare to hear traces of hip-hop and R&B in Broadway shows which makes “Hamilton” especially intriguing. The cast is also multiethnic, consisting mainly of black and Latino actors, putting an interesting twist on how history is typically portrayed in books. The cast accurately represents America and the diversity within it today while still being historically accurate. The plot of “Hamilton” is centered on history but the story is still relevant and relatable. It discusses political driven topics that are still discussed today including government, immigrants, internationalism, and more.

The success of “Hamilton” is undeniable. Every show since August of 2015 has sold out. In the first week it was released, it sold over 50,000 copies and the songs were streamed 16 million times. It has already won many major awards including several Tony awards, a Grammy Award, and a Pulitzer Prize, even though the majority of the public has not even seen the musical yet.

The show has been running a lottery where you can enter to win tickets because they are nearly impossible to come across. The show is planning a national tour for 2017 but it is rumored that tickets will be extremely hard to come across for years. In the meantime, you can stream the soundtrack on YouTube, Spotify, and iTunes. Are you a fan of “Hamilton” yet? Sing Like a Star is curious on your thoughts regarding the worldwide “Hamilton” phenomenon, comment below!

2 Responses to “Why ‘Hamilton’ is a Tremendous Hit”

    • Tricia Grey

      To register for an intro, please click the REGISTER FOR INTRO button on the home page. Prices are on the RATES page. Thanks!

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