Episode 20: Hamil-maniacs

Give yourself the hypothetical indulgence of time travel, for a

moment. Send yourself back roughly eight years, and imagine that

you have an idea to develop a musical, with a hip-hop score, cast

with a predominantly non-Caucasian company, that centers around a

pivotal point in American history during the post-Revolutionary

War. Your main character? Not a president, nor a decorated war

hero...not even a romanticized spymaster or infamous traitor. Your

titular hero is the first Secretary of the Treasury. Sounds

thrilling, right? Well, actually...

Back in 2008, librettist, lyricist, and composer Lin-Manuel

Miranda was riding high in the theatrical scope on the successes of

'In the Heights', when he started reading a Hamilton biography

while vacationing. The life, energy and passions of the American

forefather spoke so clearly to him that he immediately set to work

on the libretto and lyrics for what we now know as 'Hamilton', the

Broadway musical that is seeing such an immense success that the

run is effectively sold out for the foreseeable future.

The show has

passionate fans who immerse themselves in the music, the history,

the accuracies and inaccuracies of the text, and the characters;

the vast majority of whom have never seen the production. Schools

have developed entire curricula around the show. Devoted followers

put on tribute performances in public parks. People just wanting to

be on the lottery for held tickets grew in such massive crowds that

the "Ham4Ham" process had to relocated online for public

safety.

Where does this massive fanaticism develop from, and what

'perfect storm' of successful craft, timely message, and breadth of

audience came together to make Hamilton such an unstoppable

force?

With thanks to our guests Joy Piedmont (of Inquiring

Joy), Deb Stanish (of Verity!

and Uncanny

Magazine), and Alyssa Franke (of Whovian

Feminism), we discuss the musical itself, and its devoutly

committed fan base...whom we're now dubbing HAMSTERS.

(Sorry we're not sorry. We're included in it, anyway.)