Lin-Manuel Miranda, center, performs a medley from “Hamilton” during the 78th Tony Awards, on June 8 at Radio City Music Hall in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
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Ten years ago, “Hamilton,” the Broadway musical written by and starring Lin Manuel Miranda debuted, on the Great White Way to much success.
The story of Alexander Hamilton told in a hop-hop format became a massive hit, winning 11 Tonys at the 2016 Tony Awards, including one for Best Musical.
The vision for the work popped into Miranda’s head years prior when he read Ron Chernow’s biography of the Founding Father.
As he told news magazines, shows and print journalists throughout 2016, he was drawn by Hamilton’s immigrant experience in the United States and also the challenge of merging hip-hop and Broadway into Hamilton’s story, offering a different perspective of the American story.
Original cast members recently performed at the Tony Awards in a 10th anniversary performance.
High school teachers across the country were encouraged to attend special performances especially for students, opening their eyes not only to Alexander Hamilton, but using America’s most popular present-day music at the time, according to the Billboard charts, to entertain and educate.
It is estimated that 10 million people saw the musical live, if not on Broadway then in a community’s theatre hall.
Disney owns the film version of “Hamilton,” which it has streamed many, many times.
YouTube accounts such as Cool 2ube have also done their part to at least show the entertaining value of Miranda’s work. This site spreads the word about popular Broadway shows, with Miranda’s “In the Heights” — an earlier musical — getting plenty of love.
“Hamilton” does not appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. And neither does Miranda.
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