Hamilton

Let's face it, I couldn't possibly have a Broadway blog without talking about Hamilton. With the borderline insane craze of Lin-Manuel Miranda's hit musical about Alexander Hamilton, I couldn't "throw away my shot" to give my own Free Thoughts on the Proceedings of the Continental Congress original Broadway album.

I'm a history nerd. A big history nerd. In eighth grade, we watched the HBO miniseries John Adams, and I loved it. I watch period dramas, and then I look up the history behind the period dramas. Like I said, a history nerd. So when Broadway opened a musical about history, it was like my two favorite things, music and history, had gotten married. I fell in love with the songs instantly, and by the end of three hours, I found myself asking, "Why am I choked up over the Founding Fathers?"

Notable Songs:

1. Alexander Hamilton - In a stunning intro to a stunning musical, Miranda sets the stage for the rest of the musical. It gives a brief overview of Alexander Hamilton's early life and was the first rap that Miranda delivered to President Obama in 2009. Notice how the audience laughed back then. All I have to say is, look at where we are, look at where we started. 
2. Aaron Burr, Sir - I love this song because the first thirty seconds or so. The sheer number of words that rhyme with "Burr" are astounding. Also, the introduction to the trio of John Laurens, the Marquis de Lafayette, and Hercules Mulligan are great. 
3. The Schuyler Sisters - First of all, I'm partial to this song because two of my friends and I did it for Lip Sync last year. But Angelica's rap is brilliant, Eliza is lovable the moment she comes out, AND PEGGY. Work! 
4. Helpless - This is the first of many showcases of Phillipa Soo. Starting as a lovestruck girl, Eliza's character grows just as Alexander's, and this is the first step. It is a sweet, upbeat, romantic song, and Soo's riff 3 minutes and 27 seconds is beautiful.
5. Satisfied - You've met Eliza; now meet her older sister, Angelica. Renee Elise Goldsberry plays Angelica with the perfect balance of strength and sensitivity. In love with Hamilton herself but knowing the social consequence, Angelica allows her sister have him instead. (Fun fact: In history, Angelica was already married before Alex and Eliza met.) 
6. Guns and Ships - Daveed Diggs is unreal. How he manages to spew out that many words in the span of 13 seconds (0:32-0:45) is beyond me. Lafayette totally steals the show in this one, something that Diggs does throughout the course of the album. 
7. Dear Theodosia - This is one of the most heartwarming songs in the entire show. As Burr and Hamilton talk about their children, you forget for a moment that these were politicians and statesmen, and remember that they were fathers. (Fun fact: Though Hamilton sings about his son, Miranda did not write this about his own son, but his dog.) 
8. Non-Stop - In a thrilling conclusion to Act 1, this song sets the stage for the second half of Hamilton's career in politics. So without further ado, "let's go." 
9. What Did I Miss? - I will say it again, Daveed Diggs is unreal. This time as Thomas Jefferson, Diggs completely takes over, shedding his ponytail and French accent for an afro and magenta suit. He's so flamboyant, flouncing about with surprisingly lovable arrogance. 
10. Cabinet Battles #1 and #2 - I love Miranda's idea to make the cabinet discussions rap battles. They could have been boring additions to the story, but they are instead political discussions that are just as entertaining as they are informative.
11. Say No to This - Remember Peggy? Well now, actress Jasmine Cepha-Jones transforms from sweet little sister to seductive mistress as Maria Reynolds, Hamilton's lover. Anyone else think she sounds a little like Rihanna? 
12. The Room Where It Happens - How do I begin to describe Leslie Odom Jr.? As Hamilton's rival, Aaron Burr, Odom Jr. is absolutely brilliant, as evidenced by his Tony win for the role. This song (along with "Wait For It") are his two best songs in the album, but I enjoy this one more with a slight "Disney-villain-esque" touch (think "Friends On the Other Side.") 
13. The Reynolds Pamphlet - I love how this song starts out, the deep chords on the piano foreshadowing Hamilton's struggle to recover from the scandal of his affair. "Well he never gon' be President now (never gon' be President now)."
14. Burn - Phillipa Soo manages to convey hurt, desperation, despair, and defiance in four words, "you, you, you, you," and this song is the peak of Soo's performance. After finding out about the affair, Eliza shuns Alexander by burning his greatest prides: his letters. And yes, in the show, they use real fire. 
15. It's Quiet Uptown - The fact that Lin puts this song right after "Stay Alive (Reprise)" is just cruel. As the Hamiltons recover from the death of their eldest son and the reparation of their marriage, it is obvious that Hamilton is desperate to make amends. The lyrics are very potent, especially when he says to Eliza, "If I could spare his life / If I could trade his life for mine / he'd be standing here right now / And that would be enough." *sobs*
16. The World Was Wide Enough - Fast forward to the end of the show. This song is about the iconic (and in Hamiton's case, fatal) duel between Burr and Hamilton. Highlight: when Burr's voice chokes up at "this man will not make an orphan of my daughter." 
17. Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story? - Throughout the story, Hamilton stresses about his legacy. Who will remember him when he is gone? The answer? Eliza. In addition to talking about her husband, she starts the first private orphanage in New York City. It is the perfect indication of how the musical is just as much about Hamilton as it about Eliza. You go, girl. 

Note: Aaron Burr, Sit, the Cabinet Battles, and The Election of 1800 have a little explicit language. 

This musical is filled with incredible performances. Shoutout to Leslie Odom Jr. for creating a Burr that was not just "the guy who killed Hamilton." Shoutout to Daveed Diggs for stealing his scenes in every shape and form. Shoutout to Phillipa Soo for making Eliza the perfect blend of sweet and tough. Shoutout to Renee Elise Goldsberry for bringing out Angelica's sass as the perfect older sister. Shoutout to Jonathan Groff, who I didn't get to mention in the song list but whose performance as King George III was hilarious comedic relief. And, of course, above all else, shoutout to Lin-Manuel Miranda for creating this masterpiece in the first place. 

The show has inspired many performances. For example, these three boys kill it in their performance of "The Schuyler Sisters": 

Miranda himself even rewrote "My Shot" for his SNL debut: 

*I hate to break it to you, Lin, but remember when you said, "Well he never gon' be President now"? Well... You see...

The cast was even invited to perform at the White House! 

Needless to say, Hamilton has become a theater phenomenon. With a record 16 Tony nominations, it will go down in history as one of the greatest musicals of all time. In "The World Was Wide Enough," Hamilton says, " Legacy. What is legacy? It's planting seeds in a garden that you never get to see." Well, if you can see them now, Hamilton, the seeds have bloomed.