After a hurricane destroyed his island, his mother died, and his father abandoned him, hamilton. He and washington outline a plan in order to win the battle. The book alternates nonfiction, critical and analytical essays by mccarter with transcriptions of the shows dialogue lyrics as written and commented upon by miranda. Washington refuses hamilton his coveted command and instead gives it to charles lee, who retreats at a vulnerable time and consequentially forces washington to set lafayette to take the lead in his place.
The entire libretto is interspersed among these essays, often with some. Hamilton superfan mariska hargitay will narrate the. Meanwhile, in the show excerpts, hamiltons primary relationships i. Hamilton by linmanuel mirandajeremy mccarter scholastic. Ironically, this great man approach ignores the very ideas hamilton stands for. A backstage pass to the groundbreaking, hit musical hamilton, winner of the 2016 pulitzer prize for drama and eleven tony awards, including. Since it opened in new york in 2015, the show a hiphop musical about the life of american founding father alexander hamilton and the american revolution has. Additionally, he is the cocomposer and colyricist of broadways tony. In addition, miranda has written more than 200 funny, revealing footnotes for his awardwinning libretto, the full text of which is published here. Jk, so hamilton comes from the caribbean where he had this really crappy childhood, but he was a really good writer, so the people on his island raised money to. Alexander hamilton confronts a loyalist publicly advocating against the american revolution. Portraits of all the major characters illustrate the chapters, and there are extensive quotes from letters written by and to hamilton. Hamilton, as were told from the outset, is a bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a scotsman who leaves the caribbean to become george washingtons right.
The new york times deemed the song chiming 60s britpop. Alexander hamilton, revolutionary is filled to overflowing with facts, stories, and details about the revolutionary war, the constitutional convention, and the first years of our new nation. Here, as hamiltons nemesis, aaron burr, rages about being shut out of the dealmaking between hamilton and thomas jefferson, the song takes. Alexander hamilton was born into obscurity in the british west indies, but made his reputation during the revolutionary war and became one of. Original broadway cast of hamilton farmer refuted lyrics. Hamilton, a new musical written by and starring linmanuel miranda, has its first performances offbroadway at the public theater in new york. Since it opened in new york in 2015, the show a hiphop musical about the life of american founding father alexander hamilton and the american revolution has sold out its whole run, won the. In hamilton, this domestic musicmaking is transposed to. The revolution is an enlightening and elegant book which masterfully encapsulates the creation of the epic broadway show.
Linmanuel miranda book, music, and lyricsalexander hamilton is the tony and grammy awardwinning composerlyriciststar of broadways in the heights winner of four 2008 tony awards including best musical, best orchestrations, and best choreography with miranda receiving the award for best score. However, when you are in the midst of completing a revolution, nothing seems. For teachers, students, and history fanatics everywhere, hamilton provides new meaning for the word revolution. Daveed diggss lafayette leaves for france in act i, and he returns to the stage in act ii as thomas jefferson, who was absent for large swaths of the revolution and the early moments of the. This isnt the first time dance has been integral to a landmark show.
Born into obscurity in the british west indies, alexander hamilton made his reputation during the revolutionary war and became one of americas most influential founding fathers. Hamilton has been universally praised for the way it breaks down divisions of race, class, time period and genre. Since it first exploded onto the offbroadway scene with a soldout run at new yorks public theater, the show has taken the nation by storm. Ron chernow, pulitzerprize winning author of biographies on alexander hamilton and george washington, and dr. Hamilton is a musical with music, lyrics, and book by linmanuel miranda that tells the story of.
The title is somewhat misleading, as the main focus of the book is on the lives of the three schuyler sisters and their. Although a few characters have monologues in which they tell a part of the story in their point of view, the majority of the play is told through. Mirandas oftensilly but alwaysinsightful thoughts on the content of the musical. Hamilton is innovative, but not quite revolutionary common reader. From bastard orphan to washingtons righthand man, rebel to. Published april 12, 2016 by grand central publishing. The revolution is basically the history of the musical from the very beginning to opening on broadway. Eventually hamilton became a hero of the american revolution, george washingtons righthand man, the nations first secretary of the treasury, the coauthor with james madison of the.
This applies to both the american revolution and the revolution that hamilton, the musical, has made in both musical theatre and rap. This book isnt just miranda and mccarter cashing in on the hamilton phenomenon with a hastily compiled history, this is a wellwritten, thoughtful, beautifully made book with fans in mind. The revolution linmanual miranda and jeremy mccarter my rating. Hamilton is the story of the unlikely founding father determined to make his mark on the new nation as hungry and ambitious as he is. The scene is inspired by a series of anonymous letters to newspapers in new england, with bishop samuel. A revolutionary friendship draws on extensive research, personal journals, and letters to create a fictional tale of the friendship between alexander hamilton and peggy schuyler, sister of hamiltons future wife. Alexander hamilton 17551804 was an american lawyer, politician and philosopher who played an important role in the development of the new republic born in the west indies, hamilton was denied the childhood opportunities available to other colonial children because his parents were not married. Original broadway cast of hamilton whatd i miss genius. Linmanuel mirandas groundbreaking musical hamilton is as revolutionary as its subject, the poor. Hamilton, the revolution by linmanuel miranda 9781408709238. Hamilton is known for its music, but what did alexander. Linmanuel mirandas groundbreaking musical hamilton is as revolutionary as its subject, the poor kid from the caribbean who fought the british, defended the constitution, and helped to found the united states. Why hamilton is making musical history stage the guardian.
Hamilton is one of several leaders of the american revolution against british rule. Hamiltons a jerk that cant keep it in his pants, thats it, the entire thing. This is the world of hamilton, linmanuel mirandas hit broadway musical, where cabinet meetings are rap battles, bullets are personified through movement and an ensemble of triple threats weaves seamlessly through it all, tracing and shaping our understanding of the action. Various cast members describe how a series of misfortunes set hamilton on his path to fame. From the beginning of americas government to the election of 1800 to the first political love scandal to the most dramatic duel in history, hamilton encompasses all of the facets of a good and entertaining story. Hamilton recalls the spirit of shows staged before edginess and angst were brought into the genre by the likes of stephen sondheim or kander and ebbback, that is. A backstage pass to the groundbreaking, hit musical hamilton, winner of the 2016 pulitzer prize for drama and eleven tony awards, including best musical. The revolution gives readers an unprecedented view of both revolutions, from the only two writers able to provide it. A young actor, anthony ramos, charged with exultant fury across the stage, playing john laurens, a slave owners son who was a close friend of hamiltons. Stay alive is the 14th song of act one of hamilton hamilton distresses that their stakes in the coming war are getting higher. A backstage pass to the groundbreaking, hit musical hamilton, winner of the 2016 pulitzer prize for drama and eleven tony awards. In hindsight, it seems that most revolutions are inevitable.
In striving to enrich the lives of all readers, teachingbooks supports the first amendment and celebrates the right to read. Hamilton fans looking for another way to feed their obsession, or simply hungry to read more about the musicals origins, will be able to get their hands on hamilton. Publisher grand central publishing published april 12, 2016 hamilton. Hamilton is the kind of transformative theatrical experience that has only happened a few times in the history of american musicals. Linmanuel miranda on bringing hamilton to the white house this is a guy who, on the strength of his writing, pulled himself from poverty into the revolution that helped create our nation, and. Genre manuscripts call numberphysical location mss24612, box 1. Genre fiction linmanuel mirandas musical hamilton is as revolutionary as its subject, the poor kid from the caribbean who fought the british, defended the constitution, and helped to. Winner of the 2016 pulitzer prize for drama soon to be a major motion picture.
How hamilton is revolutionizing the broadway musical. Alexander hamilton was fond of singing and performed duets at the piano with his daughter. Its at the forefront of something gamechanging, and truly ofthemoment. This video segment is part of an interview with mr. Miranda, along with jeremy mccarter, a cultural critic and theater artist who was involved in the project from its earliest stagessince before this was even a show, according to mirandatraces its development from. Hamilton choreographer andy blankenbuehler delivers a. Winner of the 2016 pulitzer prize for drama soon to be a major motion picture goodreads best nonfiction book of 2016 from tony awardwinning composerlyriciststar linmanuel miranda comes a backstage pass to his groundbreaking, hit musical hamilton.
627 116 172 880 1525 688 1069 1570 1302 826 1030 787 643 551 517 914 945 188 1213 991 1503 1037 529 1130 1172 771 1273 767 958 671 804 1366 35 1492 498 891 1451 879 921