What do the US ten dollar bill and rap music have in common?
The answer is Lin-Manuel Miranda, a 35-year old Puerto Rican-American actor, composer, writer, playwright, lyricist, and rapper. His game-changing Broadway musical, Hamilton, has a talent-packed, multi-racial cast bringing to life the enthralling story of Alexander Hamilton (on our $10 bill)—an orphan who became a prolific powerhouse among the Founding Fathers and created our financial system.
Miranda wrote the music, lyrics and book for Hamilton inspired by the 2004 biography, Alexander Hamilton by historian Ron Chernow.
Headed to New York City anytime soon? This is a must-see….IF you can get tickets:
Miranda says rap is the perfect musical vehicle for Alexander Hamilton’s story because the man used so many words! I had never heard of Lin-Manuel Miranda before watching 60 Minutes tonight. Bless him for busting the theatrical world’s monoculture wide open with this beautiful cast and atypical approach to American history. This is how it should be taught!
Miranda plays Hamilton himself and I love that George Washington is played by black actor, Christopher Jackson. Would that I could drop everything and go to New York to see this show. I’ll have to rely on my New York and East Coast followers to go and report back to us on the Left Coast.
Click on photo to watch Charlie Rose interview
Lin-Manuel Miranda on 60 Minutes.
And more fun on Jimmy Fallon!…
Anita! Last night when I saw this interview I was moved to want to get to NYC for the first time in a long time . . . . I agree that THIS is the most exciting thing that has happened in theatre (or anything?) in a LONG time . . . love that you wrote about it with the same urgency I felt. Makes me happy on this rainy Monday in the good ole North state . . . thanks, Rebecca P.S. If I thought tickets wouldn’t be a problem for a long time, especially now, I might just hop a plane! Love that you felt the same, you know Betty could have made it happen. Peace!