Key Facts about Hamilton: An American Musical
Creation and Development
- Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda
- Inspired by Ron Chernow's 2004 biography of Alexander Hamilton
- Premiered Off-Broadway at The Public Theater in February 2015
- Moved to Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in August 2015
Miranda began working on the musical in 2009, initially conceiving it as a hip-hop mixtape called "The Hamilton Mixtape"
Musical Style and Innovation
- Blends multiple musical genres:
- Hip-hop
- R&B
- Pop
- Soul
- Traditional show tunes
- Features extensive rap and rhythmic spoken word
- Contains 46 songs across two acts
The musical's innovative use of hip-hop allows for more words per minute than traditional musicals, enabling complex storytelling and character development
Historical Context
- Set between 1776 and 1804
- Covers major historical events including:
- American Revolution
- Constitutional Convention
- Early years of American government
- Hamilton-Burr duel
Casting and Representation
- Deliberately cast with actors of color playing historically white figures
