“Hamilton” has finally arrived in Hawaii! The award-winning production takes up residence at the Blaisdell Concert Hall through Jan. 29, 2023.
The musical first opened in early 2015. An old friend showed me “Hamilton,” and ever since then I took a strong liking to the show.
Together, we learned every single line, character, and studied the relationships and plot. We would sing, act, and rap out the revolutionary war in total disregard of how our peers thought of us.
“I don’t like musicals. Why can’t they just say the words normally,” people would say, to which I would argue that the beauty of the show lies behind its utter uniqueness.
“That seems so cringe,” they would reply. “You’re one of those,” we would hear constantly.
To this day, unneeded negative comments are made toward me when I showcase my absolute and undying love for the show. I’ve simply grown to understand not everyone shares the same connection and appreciation.
On the outside, “Hamilton” is seen by some as dorky, nerdy, and uncool, but to us, we could only see stars. We fell in love with the story and the people who helped create it, like Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Being 13 and totally convinced that I could perform the show myself, I would sing, rap, and dance to the “Hamilton” soundtrack throughout the day and night.
I begged my parents — especially my dad — to go to New York. I argued and pleaded until my dad said, “Hamilton will come to Hawaii one day.”
I patiently accepted his reasoning, for I knew traveling to New York was too big of an ask for a small local family.
So I waited. Days. Months.
A few years passed, and our conversation still lingered in the back of my mind. I had my first day of high school, then I graduated. I began college and there was no word, talk, or mention of “Hamilton” ever coming to Hawaii.
After years of patiently waiting, I started to question my dad. I spoke about it with my roommate a year ago, and remember explicitly ending the conversation by sarcastically saying, “and I thought my dad was always right.”
Not even a week went by when I was bombarded with advertisements, posts and other media about “Hamilton” coming to Hawaii.
Needless to say, my dad is, in fact, always right.
The complex, beautifully composed, and informative production shares the story of a once-forgotten founding father: Alexander Hamilton. The musical, which includes both rap and singing, was written by Lin Manuel-Miranda.
As viewers, we are exposed to a new enlightening way of learning the history of the United States and the revolutionary war.
Before “Hamilton” musical, Alexander Hamilton was relatively unknown and his legacy was obscured by the leading general in the revolutionary war, George Washington. The musical brings light to one of the previously unacknowledged, overlooked and forgotten forefathers of our nation.
Born into poverty in the West Indies, Hamilton struggled through the death of his family, disease and other hardships. He took a keen interest in books and writing, which prepared him to become an influential role in the development of the United States of America.
The musical displays Hamilton’s story of successes, losses, and failures while he fights to preserve his legacy and protect his nation.
