It all started with their 2016 Grammy performance. The cast of Hamilton: The American Musical sang, danced, and told the most intriguing story I had heard in a while, all in the span of four minutes.  Those four minutes captivated me from start to finish, and I knew I had to learn more about this show.

For those of you living in the depths of solitude, Hamilton is a Broadway show written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, based on real historical events pertaining to the life of Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of America. Some of his contemporaries include Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and King George III, all characters in the show.

So, what makes this production different from any other Broadway production?

Well, for starters, it’s a true story about events that shaped our world, exploring the period of the US fighting for its freedom with France against England and the creation of the US constitution. Secondly, and most importantly, Miranda integrates hip hop and rap as tools to tell the story, which is so profoundly brilliant. Our generation has never connected with anything more! When I initially looked up the soundtrack, it was among the most popular albums on Spotify, which, for a musical, is so uncharacteristic and rare. It proves how relatable and contemporary this musical is to teens and young adults especially. You wouldn’t even think you were listening to a musical half the time. For the traditional Broadway lovers, if you’re not completely sold on the rap alone, don’t worry, there are ballads and repetitive tracks with several layers that converge throughout the show to make you feel all the musical feels. Having a background in musical theater and performing arts, I appreciated the direction this show took to appeal to all audiences and change the way we think about both history and entertainment.

I introduced this show to a few of my university friends: Erica, who had heard the buzz about the show and was intrigued to begin with, and Alex, who heard us raving about it and wanted to learn more. “I haven’t studied in a week,” said Erica, when I asked her if she’d like to describe the impact Hamilton has had on her. I can confidently say that they’re listening to the soundtrack as you read this article. They are so into the development of the characters, the beauty of the songs and lyrics, and they celebrate the feeling of memorizing Lafayette’s rap in ‘Guns and Ships’ while actually learning history in the process.

After listening to the whole soundtrack, I too felt so connected to every character, and I learned not only their history, but also how conscious they were of the mark they would leave on the world. That can be attributed to the impeccable writing of Miranda, whose lyrics and melodies truly capture each personality, as well as their motivations and desires. There is no way I could begin to choose what my favourite song is. Not only were the songs and lyrics extremely catchy, but they taught me and other young adults and teens about American Historyhamilton

Think back to your high school history courses. Were they interesting or boring for the most part? Did you ever feel like you could relate to them?

Chances are, the way the information was presented to you was through PowerPoints. Or maybe your teacher made you read long chapters of textbooks. Now, depending on your teacher, that could’ve been really engaging, but shows like Hamilton ensure that you are engaged the whole way through. A prime example is what my friend Erica told me: “Can you imagine how much more students would study subjects if they were presented in a similar fashion as Hamilton?”

This educational take on a musical is such a good idea to implement in society, for it not only enriches our culture, but it makes history exciting. The music and message of this show pump you up like no other and you find yourself falling in love with each song for completely different reasons. Tying the arts to education is such a vital component to school systems because it provides an easy way to remember information as well as a willingness to learn about the factors that shape our world.

Maintaining performing arts in schools teaches students how to be expressive and creative in a way you wouldn’t learn from a textbook. It also provides inspiration to the future Lin-Manuel Mirandas to create influential pieces of art that will impact society like Hamilton has. I hope that school systems can acknowledge Hamilton’s success and try to integrate what excites students into their curriculum to help them learn in more modern and exciting ways.boys

By Georgia Hadjis

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