BY KAYLA DEWEY
“I love Alexander Hamilton!” Is a sentence you probably wouldn’t expect from your average 16-year-old girl, yet Erin Ramey and a good majority of the MHS population would agree with this statement. After the Broadway musical Hamilton hit the stage last year, a new fan base emerged at Mariemont and has been rapidly spreading.
This new production revolves around the life and legacy of founding father Alexander Hamilton. A poor immigrant from the Caribbean, Hamilton worked tirelessly to make himself and his country into something unforgettable. The musical tries to accent all the brilliance, conflict, and drama Hamilton stands for and created, all in the span of three hours.
Unfortunately, tickets for the musical are pricey and hard to come by. Very few students have actually had the opportunity to see it.
Molly Mysogland and Danielle Bryan are a part of these lucky few. In late October, the two traveled to Chicago specifically to see the show. Afterward, both agreed the experience was amazing and something they would never forget.
“Hamilton takes 2 genres, rap and Broadway music, and puts them together to make something fantastic,” Ramey shares. “Hamilton is an untold story full of incredible music, drama, love, and hate, that altogether creates an amazing show.”
Abby Ewart agrees with this, adding that Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of the musical, is a genius and is one of the main reasons this musical is so special. “The way he ties the music back to history and connects it to characters is amazing,” says Ewart.
Miranda picked up an autobiography of Hamilton in 2008 and decided it needed to become a musical. Since then, he has recognized the impact of his work and given inner-city kids in New York the opportunity to see the play for free. He hopes that it supplies them with an appreciation for American history and the country.
“Hamilton has definitely made some students more engaged in class,” says Mrs. Leatherwood. “The fact that Hamilton is something tangible and interesting for students helps them connect the dots and gain a better understanding of history.”
Such a huge surge in popularity asks one question: why?
“Hamilton is empowering. He came from nothing, but became one of our founding fathers and made a difference in our country. Hamilton represents the essence of what it means to be human,” Ewart explains. “That resonates with us a lot as students. We’re all learning how we can make this world a better place, and I think Hamilton shows us we can overcome obstacles and accomplish this.”
“In some ways, Hamilton is a lot like a dramatic high school experience set in the 1700s,” Ramey says. “I think that it resonates with us because it’s relatable.”
Daniel Keyes believes that the culture and demographics at Mariemont also play a key role in determining why Hamilton has found such a foothold. He believes that the “Mariemont Bubble” is starting to seem boring and unrealistic to students and that Hamilton is challenging cultural norms.
“In recent years, Pride Plus has sprung up in defense of a minority group, underlying racist ideologies are being targeted by the History and English departments, and underprivileged communities are getting our attention,” Keyes says. “It’s only natural that the most diverse ethnic musical on Broadway would appeal to such a group. Add in great sounding, modern music, and the school goes crazy.”
“Hamilton is a reminder that no one has control over ‘who lives, who dies, who tells’ the story of History,” Keyes adds. “America needs to understand that for this nation to be successful, its citizens have to take action: correct moral injustices, correct the status quo, correct past mistakes. If we come together, perhaps we can change the world, perhaps our stories will be told.”