No, it doesn’t. Many of the main roles are typically cast as PoC. Not all.
That’s not the point. It’s not lying to people. It’s using historic figures out of context to give us a new look at these people we’ve always seen in the same paintings and engravings. It’s giving us a fresh look at historical figures. And evidence points to Alexander Hamilton being a mixed-race immigrant in any case.
Thanks, we’re good.
He’s probably in that crowd, too. You mean, the historical Jesus…
Okay. I think that’s your halloween costume now. Or maybe you can wear it for Easter. We’ll need pictures…
Wow, the new Doctor Who special looks really wild.
actually, he escaped to France, and founded the merovingian dynasty.
I’m surprised that they didn’t complain about “the rap music”, citing Bill Cosby (one of the “good ones”).
The actor I saw playing him conveyed a real presence of command. The casting of the play, like every other aspect, is truly excellent.
They address this, with Adams insulting him by calling him a “Creole bastard.”
This major character, for example (who also gets the “whitest” Britpop songs in the show):
If I heard complaints like this from a racist relative, or someone else whose racism it was my job to respond to, I would say:
This is a play. The actor playing George Washington isn’t actually George Washington; he doesn’t have the same nose or hair or year of birth, so why is his skin color so critical to get right? If you say race doesn’t matter to you, then it doesn’t matter; and if race does matter to you, well, that’s why non-white people might find it easier to relate to a black Washington. (and so on)
None of us has unlimited patience, and there’s a point where you have to give up with people, but for as long as you can hold out, you gots to keep hammering at the basic, kindergarten-level point, because avoiding that is the foundation of mainstream racism.
The play is largely about hip-hop. In hip-hop the personal struggle to make something out of yourself as an artist, and then making it big and celebrating that is 100% the American dream and which is why the play was done on Hamilton because while he was a deeply flawed man, his personal journey is pretty amazing. Casting as many POC in the play makes sense in this context because it pays homage, borrows and plays very heavily with black culture.
The white people that focus on the casting choices is 100% missing the point, and realistically the play is not for those people. The biggest irony of Hamilton is that its rampant success has made it impossible for its target audience to easily see the show. Mostly well-off people are able to see it and the hip-hop interplay goes way over their heads.
Mr. Bonora clearly hasn’t ever heard of this thing called “context”.
All those Mexicans and native Americans were played by Jews and Italians. Who were largely incapable of getting work portraying anything but wth if stereotypes. Largely couldn’t even play people like themselves. Big part of why most performers changed their name.
I just don’t really like or care about musicals. Takes a lot to get me on board with one. So I have an abiding disinterest in Hamilton.
I haven’t seen the play itself but i’ve listened to the soundtrack quite a lot, and listened to multiple podcasts talking about the play, the songs, etc. The play is phenomenal and is on a different level than most other musicals i’ve seen and listened to. I quite recommend it, but its a long and very dense musical and it’s not something i have an interest in pushing on people unless they’re naturally curious about it.
In your case, i think it’s alright if you have no interest in it. I’d say check out a song or two at the very least but a person not liking the show isn’t really going to upset me. I have an ongoing disinterest with quite a few popular things. Including Harry Potter.
Oh I’ve been exposed to a truly disturbing level of Hamilton (by proxy at least). Have a lot of close friends that are involved in musical theater. From “squeals when anyone mentions phantom” to “was in multiple major touring productions of fiddler”.
Like you said its a dense show. Some of that density is about history, word play, And social commentary. All of which I can seriously get behind. But a fair bit of it seems to be about musical theater. Which just doesn’t do anything for me.
The music I’ve heard doesn’t really do anything for me anyway. Because whatever else they are. They’re still show tunes. And reliant on the tropes and structures of show tunes. Which variably does nothing for me. Or actively pisses me off.
The list of musicals I like is short. And most of them I like as works of cinema. The number of musicals I legitimately, viscerally like. Even as theater. Is even shorter. With tickets pretty consistently expensive, and hard to come by. Particularly since the only place to see it here is the original theater in NYC. They don’t send touring companies 3 exits down the highway from the main show. I don’t really need to be spending through the nose, or struggling to get lottery/free tickets. And depriving some one who really, really, really, really cares about seeing it. For the sake of something I’ll likely respond to with a “yeah that was pretty clever”. And I particularly lose interest in this sort of thing when the original cast moves on.
If (and likely when) they make a movie out of it I’ll go see it nice and quick. Or once some one makes me go.
My husband said that too, until he listened to it all the way through.
We’ve got tickets for Tuesday. 
Ahhhgh! I neeeed American Gods to come back!
Like i said i have no problem with you disliking it or having an aversion to it or musicals in general, its your personal taste so i have no need to convince you otherwise. I’m sure some friends try already. I am genuinely interested to see if Hamilton will ever end up being made as a movie, my assumption is it will happen but considering what a cash cow it is it probably won’t be any time soon. My hope is that it will be reworked some because i sort of find the idea of an exact copy of the play, but on film, to be uninspired.
“When I noted The Denver Post’s photo of “Hamilton” touring cast . . . as Paul Revere and Raiders”
Did they break out into a chorus of “Indian Reservation”?
Its usually the worst way to go about it.
That’s a horrifying story. Thank you.
Eh, just screw those guys. So tired of paying attention to people like them.
