Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you will have heard about the groundbreaking and multi-award winning musical HAMILTON. Created by Lin-Manuel Miranda, HAMILTON is a sung-and-rapped biographical musical that tells a revolutionary story of passion, unstoppable ambition, and the birth of the nation the United States of America.
HAMILTON follows the rise of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton as he fights for honour, love, and his legacy, directing the shape of the new nation in the process. Based on RonChernow’s acclaimed biography and set to a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and Broadway, HAMILTON features book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire.
In addition to being highly entertaining, HAMILTON has won 11 Tony Awards, a Grammy®, Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and aspecial citation from the Kennedy Center Honors.
Why you should take your tweens and teens to see HAMILTON
The characters are relatable!
While the thought of the Founding Fathers of the United States brings up images of stodgy old white men, HAMILTON is so innovative in its casting, with non-white actors taking these roles. Not only is this one of the most racially diverse casts you’ll ever see on a stage, they’re also young and passionate, making mistakes, making amends, emotional, angry, in love – all of the whirlwind of emotions that tweens and teens are exploring themselves.
Inspirational messages are abundant
Hamilton himself is such an incredible figure – a man who came from nothing and achieved great things through passion and perseverance. This strong, positive message is just what teens and tweens need to hear at this stage of their lives where they are realizing that not everyone has been born equally and with the same privileges. This story tells them that anyone can do great things, regardless of their circumstances of birth, that with drive and passion they, too, can achieve great things.
The modern, catchy music
This is not an old school musical, even if the subject matter is a few hundred years old. The music is a mix of rap and spoken word with pop and soul – its modern and fresh and super catchy. You’ll have difficulty STOPPING your kids from singing these songs after they hear them once.
The dancing alone will blow them away
The dance choreography in HAMILTON is an incredible blend of hip-hop and street dance with traditional musical theatre style, making the show visually spectacular to watch, as well as encouraging the younger audience members to try some dance moves themselves when they get home.
HAMILTON makes history fun
HAMILTON can be applauded for many groundbreaking achievements, but I think one that parents celebrate the most is that it makes history fun and accessible for kids. Nothing truly sounds duller than the story of America’s Founding Fathers, however this exceptional musical brings historical figures to life in a way that makes them engaging, fun and interesting to the younger audience members. Getting a history lesson and not even realizing it – what a bonus!
Conversation starter between generations
After the show, the magic of Hamilton continues to work itself on the audience. There will be many questions about the characters and the moments in history that are mentioned in the musical, making it a great way to have a conversation with your kids and it be both meaningful and enjoyable.
HAMILTON contains some strong language and is appropriate for ages 8+.
Running time is approx. 2 hours and 50 minutes, including intermission.
Hamilton is now playing at the Lyric Theatre in Sydney for a limited season. Book your tickets here: hamiltonmusical.com.au