Marlies'Artbeat: "Hamilton" - Not a Musical; Not an Opera - A New Artform?

Last week I was fortunate (due to the ingenuity, and deep pockets of my favorite nephew) to catch a performance of Hamilton, with the original cast. The star performer, Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the book, the music, and the lyrics, is leaving the show, as are the singers who perform two other most important roles: that of Aaron Burr, and Eliza, Hamilton’s wife. I felt exceedingly lucky, since the show now is sold out until next May.

Is it all the hype that it was performed at the White House; that the Obamas saw it? That’s hardly news -- shows are often honored by presidents. Is it that Hip Hop and Rap are hot in New York? That’s been so for a long time and certainly does not explain why evidently this is the only super-successful show that presently has this ticket mania. (It’s hotter than even the famous sell-out history of The Producers!)

No, there has to be more to it. Maybe it represents “Theater for our generation.”

Hip Hop is a genre that started in the 1970s – in the Bronx, among talented African American youths. It consists of rhythmic music that is most often accompanied by a rapid rhythmically chanted speech, which is repetitive, and often is rhymed. It probably is called rapping because of the speed of delivery.

The first “Rapper” is said to be a DJ named Kool Herc. Soon the genre caught on way past the NY community. It is said by now to be one of the most popular forms of musical entertainment around the entire world.

Could the Hamilton fervor be because of Miranda’s very clever lyrics? (They bridge the years to include modern phrases such as “watch your mouth’ and “a pain in the ass.”) As Miranda explained in an interview with Charlie Rose, the polysyllabic lines with internal accents etc., meant that “every couplet has to be unimpeachable.” I think he succeeded because they are informative and engaging. (Let’s admit Hamilton plays around with history every once in a while. But at this stage, who’s counting!)

Miranda’s music for it, has won many awards, and the CD is an outstanding seller. (But why did this not happen the same way to his popular In the Heights, which also exposed his unique hip hop talent?) Is it the fantastically rapid-fire choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler? This is most remarkable, but then frankly, many other Broadway “Musicals” have been flaunting super-speed dancing right along. The show displays charming costuming, interesting lighting – again, many Musicals offer those, too.

No, it’s the entirety, the totality and quality of Hamilton. It’s the indescribable verve, the challenging complexity of every performer being in the right place at the exact time; the “moves” that instantly telegraph strictly American meanings, such as the implied, “Pledge of Allegiance.” And, above all, it’s the feeling that every one of the multi-racial performers is determined to give his or her over-the-top best.

Yet I suspect there is something more. Maybe it has something to do with the unprecedented, lengthy buildup of the current political campaign, and its ugliness. We are looking for the “somethings” in our history of which we can be proud. And we have always been proud of the prowess of our Founding Fathers. Hamilton gives us that chance, even though it ends with a totally unnecessary duel.

The full capacity audience hooted and whistled at the end of every number, and of course, shot to its feet for a prolonged standing ovation at the end. Proof that Hamilton is a show everyone of any race, gender or age group can enjoy. It may indeed represent an Artform that will be around for a long time.