History was made on Aug. 6, 2015, at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City. That’s when Hamilton: An American Musical made its debut on Broadway. The show was an instant hit and is still playing at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. It is also showing in Chicago, London and other U.S. cities.
The hype around Hamilton is huge, and with 11 Tony Awards, that’s not surprising. The show is not your typical Broadway musical like Wicked or Les Miserables. Instead of show tunes, Hamilton is full of R&B-inspired songs and rap. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the music, lyrics and book for the show—and who was also was the first to play titular character Alexander Hamilton—was inspired by Ron Chernow’s 2004 biography on the founding father; it was a book he picked up for some light reading while on vacation.
The book that started it all.
In January of this year, the Hamilton tour was in San Diego, Calif. That’s where I was able to take in one of the final shows, on Friday, Jan. 26, as a gift for my 21st birthday. Sitting just eight rows away from the stage gave me a perfect viewing experience. Now, before I go on, let me state that seeing this show has been a goal of mine since I first learned of it in late 2015. So being there was a dream come true in every way.
The moment the show began I was in awe, taking it all in like a child given free range in a candy store. It was everything I was hoping it would be, from the set to the casting to the feeling I had simply sitting there and watching. Halfway through the opening song, I was crying because I never thought I would be able to see it. It is an experience I will never forget, and in my own personal opinion, I fully believe that Hamilton is worth the hype.
