Hamilton Notes

Tyler Defeated

In the previous song, Burr decides to change his approach.
This song reveals how: Burr joins the political party opposing Hamilton.
Burr takes a Senate seat from Hamilton's father-in-law.
The melody is the same as "The Schuyler Sisters," connecting it to the Schuyler family.
"I changed parties to seize the opportunity I saw / I swear your pride will be the death of us all / Beware, it goeth before the fall"

Cabinet Battle #2

Mirrors the setup and format of the first cabinet battle.
Jefferson and Hamilton debate whether America should support the French Revolution.
Jefferson views America as a defender of liberty and wants to aid revolutions.
Jefferson rhymes "tyranny" with "here and he,"
Jefferson's line, "And if ya don't know, now ya know," references "Juicy" by the Notorious B.I.G.
"The issue on the table, France is on the verge of war with England/ My decision on this matter is not subject to congressional approval / The only person you have to convince is me / Secretary Jefferson, you have the floor, sir"

Washington On Your Side

Burr, Jefferson, and Madison conspire against Hamilton.
Jefferson's opening line, "Every action has its equal, opposite reactions," refers to Isaac Newton's third law of motion.
Jefferson, influenced by the "age of enlightenment," references science and math in his verse.
"Every action has an equal opposite reaction / Thanks to Hamilton, our cabinet's fractured into factions / Try not to crack under the stress, we're breaking down like fractions / We smack each other in the press, and we don't print retractions"

One Last Time

Washington's farewell speech as he steps down as president.
The speech closely resembles Washington's original speech, emphasizing its lasting importance.
Hamilton reads the words while Washington sings, showing Hamilton's writing and Washington's authority.
The song subtly reprises "The Story of Tonight."
"One last time/ The people will hear from me / One last time / And if we get this right / We're gonna teach 'em how to say goodbye / You and I"

Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story?

The musical concludes with the death of the main character, which is atypical.
Characters return in costumes from the beginning, creating a cyclical effect.
The song mirrors the opening number but focuses on Hamilton's legacy after his death, as told by Eliza.
Eliza protects Hamilton's legacy in various ways.
Eliza's gasp at the end has multiple interpretations: seeing the audience, seeing heaven, or seeing America's future.

Best of Wives and Best of Women

Hamilton says farewell to Eliza before his duel with Burr.
Uses the theme from "It's Quiet Uptown."
Hamilton is writing a note, likely for his "next of kin" if he dies.
The line "Best of wives and best of women" is from Hamilton's final letter to Eliza.

The World Was Wide Enough

The third and final duel, featuring the "counting theme."
Burr lists 10 things about his duel with Hamilton instead of the ten duel commandments.
As Hamilton is shot, time slows down, and he delivers a soliloquy.
The soliloquy summarizes Hamilton's thoughts and feelings before death, incorporating various motives from the show.
The soliloquy is primarily spoken and semi-sung without musical accompaniment, emphasizing Hamilton's isolation.
The bullet's movement is represented by "the bullet character."
"I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory / Is this where it gets me, on my feet, several feet ahead of me? / I see it coming, do I run or fire my gun or let it be? / There is no beat, no melody / Burr, my first friend, my enemy / Maybe the last face I ever see / If I throw away my shot, is this how you'll remember me? / What if this bullet is my legacy? / Legacy, what is a legacy? / It's planting seeds in a garden you never get to see / I wrote some notes at the beginning of a song someone will sing for me / America, you great unfinished symphony, you sent for me / You let me make a difference, a place where even orphan immigrants / Can leave their fingerprints and rise up / I'm running out of time, I'm running, and my time's up / Wise up, eyes up / I catch a glimpse of the other side / Laurens leads a soldiers' chorus on the other side / My son is on the other side / He's with my mother on the other side / Washington is watching from the other side / Teach me how to say goodbye / Rise up, rise up, rise up, Eliza! / My love, take your time / I'll see you on the other side / Raise a glass to freedom"

It's Quiet Uptown

Sung by Angelica as Hamilton and Eliza mourn Philip.
Angelica sings because she understands both Hamiltons better than Burr, and can convey empathy.
The opening line, "There are moments that the words don't reach," sets the tone.
Hamilton's inability to use words effectively is emphasized.
The slow pace, few lines sung by Hamilton and Eliza, and reduced instrumentation create emotional impact.
Hamilton uses Eliza's theme from "That Would Be Enough" to ask for forgiveness.
"There are moments that the words don't reach / There is suffering too terrible to name / You hold your child as tight as you can / And push away the unimaginable / The moments when you're in so deep / It feels easier to just swim down / The Hamilton's move uptown / And learn to live with the unimaginable"
"Look at where we are / Look at where we started / I know I don't deserve you, Eliza / But hear me out / That would be enough"

The Election of 1800

Jefferson reprises his tune from "Washington on Your Side."
Burr's slogan "Talk less, smile more" has evolved into a political strategy.
Hamilton confronts Burr using their Act I theme.
Hamilton endorses Jefferson for president over Burr.
"The people are asking to hear my voice / For the country is facing a difficult choice / And if you were to ask me who I'd promote / Jefferson has my vote / I have never agreed with Jefferson once / We have fought on like seventy-five different fronts / But when all is said and all is done / Jefferson has beliefs, Burr has none"

Your Obedient Servant

Opens with a darker narrator theme, as if Burr is questioning himself.
Includes Burr's "The Room Where It Happens" motive in a darker way.
Burr blames Hamilton for his life's problems, leading to the duel challenge.
The song is in triple time, emphasizing the elegance of the letter exchange.
The triple time and light accompaniment highlight the absurdity of polite but threatening letters.
"How does Hamilton, an arrogant immigrant, orphan / Bastard, whore's son / Somehow endorse Thomas Jefferson, his enemy / A man he's despised since the beginning / Just to keep me from winning? / I wanna be in the room where it happens / The room where it happens / The room where it happens / You've kept me from the room where it happens / For the last time"

The Reynolds Pamphlet

Hamilton publishes a "tell-all" pamphlet about his affair to prove he didn't steal money.
Hamilton's writing strategy fails for the first time.
The words in the pamphlet paraphrase Hamilton's real writing.
Characters dance around Hamilton, forming the "hurricane" mentioned earlier.
The song has a harsh, atonal quality, symbolizing Hamilton's life falling apart.
Eliza burns Hamilton's letters, wanting to erase herself from his story.
In reality Eliza burned most of the letters that Hamilton wrote her because she wanted him to be remembered as an academic.
"The Reynolds Pamphlet / Have you read this? / Alexander Hamilton had a torrid affair / And he wrote it down right there / Highlights! / "The charge against me is in connection / With one James Reynolds / For purposes of improper speculation / My real crime is an amorous connection with his wife / For a considerable time with his knowing consent"
"I'm erasing myself from the narrative / Let future historians wonder how Eliza reacted / When you broke her heart / You have torn it all apart / I'm watching it burn / Watching it burn"

Blow Us All Away

Introduces Philip Schuyler at age 19.
The song opens with a whistled theme, representing youth and ignorance.
Whistling in a theater is considered bad luck foreshadowing Philip's fate.
Philip flirts with two women, one of whom is "the bullet," symbolizing flirting with death.
The song uses the counting theme, disguised by speeding it up.
The counting theme is used as Philip challenges George Eacker to a duel.
A reprise of Philip's rap from "Take a Break" is heard before the duel.
"Meet the latest graduate of King's College / I prob'ly shouldn't brag, but, dag, I amaze and astonish / The scholars say I got the same virtuosity and brains as my pops / The ladies say my brain's not where the resemblance stops / I'm only nineteen but my mind is older / Gotta be my own man, like my father, but bolder / I shoulder his legacy with pride, I used to hear him say / That someday I would (blow us all away!)"

Alive (Reprise)

Uses the same music as "Stay Alive" in Act 1, but about Philip.
A heartbeat is heard in the beat, disappearing when Philip dies.

How He Stays Alive

King George's final song in the show (brief appearance in "The Reynolds Pamphlet").
Sung to the tune of "You'll Be Back."
King George remains on stage, watching the new presidency, representing the world's view of America.

The Adams Administration

Opens with the narrator theme, turning darker, showing Hamilton's struggles.
Hamilton's line "Sit down John!" references the musical 1776 which John Adams specifically focuses on.
"How does Hamilton, the short-tempered / Protean creator of the Coast Guard / Founder of the New York Post / Ardently abuse his cabinet post / Destroy his reputation? / Welcome, folks to / The Adams administration!"

We Know

Jefferson, Madison, and Burr confront Hamilton about his affair.
The music at the beginning is the same melody used in "Say No to This" when James Reynolds blackmails Hamilton.

Hurricane

Hamilton reflects on his situation after discovering that rivals know about his affair.
He compares his life to the hurricane he survived growing up.
He decides to "write his way out" of the problem.
Burr's "Wait For It" theme is heard in the background, suggesting that it might be wiser to let the storm blow over.
"I wrote my way out of hell / I wrote my way to revolution / I was louder than the crack in the bell / I wrote Eliza love letters until she fell / I wrote about The Constitution and defended it well / And in the face of ignorance and resistance / I wrote financial systems into existence / And when my prayers to God were met with indifference / I picked up a pen, I wrote my own deliverance"
"I'll write my way out / Overwhelm them with honesty / This is the eye of the hurricane, this is the only Way I can protect my legacy"

Take a Break

Introduces Philip Schuyler at age 9.
Philip and Eliza play the counting theme on the piano (foreshadowing).
Philip's rap appears again.
Angelica arrives, and the sisters greet each other with motives from "The Schuyler Sisters."

Say No to This

Introduces Maria Reynolds, represented by a "snaky and sinister" cello motive.
Burr begins the narration but hands it to Hamilton, providing the audience with a fuller story without sounding like rumors spread by Hamilton's enemy.
The song is written in a "90s, slow jam" style.
The final line quotes "Nobody Needs to Know" from The Last Five Years, which Miranda calls "the ultimate infidelity jam."
"I hadn't slept in a week / I was weak, I was awake / You've never seen a bastard orphan more in need of a break / Longing for Angelica / Missing my wife / That's when Miss Maria Reynolds walked into my life"

The Room Where It Happens

Burr's second big solo number.
The opening exchange between Hamilton and Burr foreshadows their duel.
Burr's character shifts as he realizes he needs to be more like Hamilton to be "in the room where it happens."
Hamilton's character shifts as he adopts Burr's "talk less, smile more" attitude, but adapts it.
Hamilton uses Burr's "Wait For It" theme to mock him.
The song narrates a key moment in US history through Burr's perspective.
"The art of the compromise / Hold your nose and close your eyes / We want our leaders to save the day / But we don't get a say in what they trade away / We dream of a brand new start / But we dream in the dark for the most part / Dark as a tomb where it happens / I've got to be in The room (where it happens)"

Non-Stop

Act 1 closer.
We learn about Hamilton's actions after the war.
Burr declines an offer to defend the Constitution, his "Wait For It" motive is heard.
We also learn about Angelina, Eliza, and Washington, laying foundation for Act 2.
Act 1 presents Hamilton with choices, each with consequences.
Like Les Misérables, characters sing their themes as they prepare for Act 2: Eliza sings her "Helpless" motive, Angelica her "Satisfied" motive, and Washington his "History Has Its Eyes On You" motive. Hamilton drowns them out with the "My Shot" motive.
"How does the bastard, orphan / Immigrant, decorated war vet / Unite the colonies through more debt? / Fight the other founding fathers 'til he has to forfeit? / Have it all, lose it all / You ready for more yet?"

What'd I Miss?

Act II opening.
Burr updates the audience about the events between Act 1 and 2.
Introduces Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.
Jefferson sings in a jazz/blues style, highlighting his absence and need to catch up.

Cabinet Battle #1

A rap battle debate between Hamilton and Jefferson.
Performers use handheld microphones.
Washington addresses the audience directly.
Jefferson's final line: "Such a blunder / Sometimes it makes me wonder why I even bring the thunder" - a reference to "The Message by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five."
"Ladies and gentlemen, you could have been anywhere in the world tonight / But you're here with us in New York City / Are you ready for a cabinet meeting, huh?"

Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)

Hamilton's "tent pole" song - a high-energy number.
Describes the colonies' victory in the American Revolutionary War.
The "My Shot" motive is faster and more energized.
Hamilton has a change of heart and thinks about his family.
The "bullet" character shakes hands with Laurens.
"I imagine death so much, it feels more like a memory / This is where it gets me, on my feet, the enemy ahead of me / If this is the end of me, at least I have a friend with me / Weapon in my hand, a command, and my men with me / Then I remember my Eliza's expecting me / Not only that, my Eliza's expecting / We gotta go, gotta get the job done / Gotta start a new nation, gotta meet my son!"

What Comes Next?

King George's second appearance.
King George represents the rest of the world watching America.
"What comes next? / You've been freed / Do you know how hard it is to lead? / You're on your own / Awesome, wow! / Do you have a clue what happens now?'

Dear Theodosia

Burr and Hamilton sing to their newborn children.
Serves as an answer to "What Comes Next?"
Provides a more intimate moment after "Yorktown."

Tomorrow There'll Be More Of Us

Hamilton learns about John Laurens' death in a letter.
One of the few moments of spoken dialog.
Reprises "The Story of Tonight."
"You will come of age with our young nation / We'll bleed and fight for you, we'll make it right for you / If we lay a strong enough foundation / We'll pass it on to you, we'll give the world to you / And you'll blow us all away"

Meet Me Inside

The song opens in 7/8 to create a chaotic, messy feel after the duel, and also is an homage to Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The song is based on "Party Up (Up in Here)" by DMX.
The song goes into common time as Washington and Hamilton fight.

That Would Be Enough

Eliza comforts Hamilton who has been sent home from the war.
Eliza asks Hamilton to involve her more in his life and tries to convince him that what he already has is enough.
Contains the "look around" theme from "The Schuyler Sisters."
"If you could let me inside your heart / Oh, let me be a part of the narrative / In the story they will write someday / Let this moment be the first chapter / Where you decide to stay / And I could be enough / And we could be enough / That would be enough"

Guns and Ships

Opens with the narration motive.
We see how Lafayette has developed from barely being able to speak English at the beginning of the show to performing one of the fastest raps.
"How does a ragtag volunteer army in need of a shower / Somehow defeat a global superpower? / How do we emerge victorious from the quagmire? / Leave the battlefield waving Betsy Ross' flag higher? / Yo. Turns out we have a secret weapon! / An immigrant you know and love who's unafraid to step in! / He's constantly confusin', confoundin' the British henchmen / Ev'ryone give it up for America's favorite fighting Frenchman! / Lafayette!"

History Has Its Eyes On You

We learn about Washington's past and how he has become who he is today.
He warns Hamilton that he has no control "who lives, who dies, who tells your story" which is the major theme of the entire show.
In the background of the song we can hear the echoes of the "Rise Up" theme from "My Shot" representing how Hamilton is moving up in the world like he wants. This is countered with Washington warning Hamilton to be careful and exercise restraint.
"Let me tell you what I wish I'd known / When I was young and dreamed of glory / You have no control / Who lives, who dies, who tells your story / I know that we can win / I know that greatness lies in you / But remember from here on in / History has its eyes on you"

Right Hand Man

Introduces George Washington.
We learn about the American Revolutionary War and how Hamilton became Washington's aide-de-camp.
We see Burr "apply" for the position before it is given to Hamilton.
"We are outgunned, outmanned / Outnumbered, outplanned / We gotta make an all-out stand / Ayo, I'm gonna need a right-hand man (buck, buck buck, buck, buck) / Check it / Can I be real a second? / For just a millisecond? / Let down my guard and tell the people how I feel a second? / Now I'm the model of a modern major general / The venerated Virginian veteran whose men are all Lining up, to put me up on a pedestal / Writin' letters to relatives / Embellishin' my elegance and eloquence / But the elephant is in the room / The truth is in ya face when ya hear the British cannons go boom!"
"How does the bastard, orphan, son of a whore / Go on and on / Grow into more of a phenomenon? / Watch this obnoxious, arrogant, loudmouth bother / Be seated at the right hand of the father / Washington hires Hamilton right on sight / But Hamilton still wants to fight, not write / Now Hamilton's skill with a quill is undeniable / But what do we have in common / We're reliable with the ladies"

Winter's Ball

Opens with the narrator theme.
The "Ladies!" shoutout at the end of the first verse is a reference to The Beastie Boys' song "Hey Ladies."
Sets the scene for the next number.

Helpless

Introduces us to Eliza on a personal level as she recounts the night she met Hamilton.
Introduces Eliza's main motive: "Helpless."
The song's main musical influence is "Countdown" by Beyoncé.
"I have never been the type to try and grab the spotlight / We were at a revel with some rebels on a hot night / Laughin' at my sister as she's dazzling the room / Then you walked in and my heart went Boom!"

Satisfied

The "Helpless" scene, told from Angelica's perspective.
The turntable is used to represent going back in time.
We learn why Angelica chose not to be with Hamilton.
"I remember that night, I just might / Regret that night for the rest of my days / I remember those soldier boys / Tripping over themselves to win our praise / I remember that dreamlike candlelight / Like a dream that you can't quite place / But Alexander, I'll never forget the first time I saw your face"

The Schuyler Sisters

Introduces Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy Schuyler.
Important because the sisters are treated as characters in their own right, not just love interests.
Introduces the setting (New York).
The trio of sisters sound like Destiny's Child.
"I've been reading Common Sense by Thomas Paine / So men say that I'm intense or I'm insane / You want a revolution? I want a revelation / So listen to my declaration: / "We hold these truths to be self-evident / That all men are created equal" / And when I meet Thomas Jefferson I'm a compel him to include women in the sequel! (Work!)"

Farmer Refuted

Accompanied by a harpsichord.
Seabury's part is countered by Hamilton
The third verse changes key.
Burr urges Hamilton to hold his tongue.
"Yo, he'd have you all unravel at the (heed not the rabble) / Sound of screams but the (who scream) / Revolution is comin' (revolution, they) / The have-nots are gonna (have not your) / Win this (interests) / It's hard to listen to you with a straight face (at heart) / Chaos and bloodshed already haunt us (chaos and bloodshed are not a) / Honestly, you shouldn't even talk (solution) / And what about Boston? (Don't let them) / Look at the cost, n' all that we've lost n' you talk (lead you astray) / About Congress? (this Congress does not speak for me) / My dog speaks more eloquently than thee / (they're playing a dangerous game) / But strangely, your mange is the same / (I pray the king shows you his mercy) / Is he in Jersey? (For shame) / For the revolution (For shame)"

You'll Be Back

King George's first appearance.
Villain song.
Written as a Brit-pop breakup song between England and the US.
Contains references to Beatles songs.
King George sings the same song with different words when he reappears.
"You'll be back, soon you'll see / You'll remember you belong to me / You'll be back, time will tell / You'll remember that I served you well / Oceans rise, empires fall / We have seen each other through it all / And when push comes to shove / I will send a fully armed battalion to remind you of my love!"

Alexander Hamilton

Tells the story of Alexander Hamilton's life before he came to America.
The song is sung by the entire company.
The opening 2 bars of the song become the motive for whenever Burr serves the story as narrator.
Halfway through the song the tempo doubles.
"How does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore / And a Scotsman, dropped in the middle of a forgotten spot / In the Caribbean by providence impoverished / In squalor grow up to be a hero and a scholar / Hamilton Pardon me. Are you Aaron Burr, sir? / Burr That depends. Who's asking? / Hamilton: Oh, well sure, sir. I'm Alexander Hamilton / I'm at your service sir. I have been looking for you"

Aaron Burr, Sir

Introduces Aaron Burr and his "Talk less, smile more" philosophy.
Shows the difference in personality between Burr and Hamilton.
Introduces John Laurens, Marquis de Lafayette, and Hercules Mulligan.
The 3 revolutionaries' raps are an homage to old-school hip-hop.

My Shot

Hamilton's "I want" song.
Written in the style of 80s and 90s Hip-hop.
Introduces the "My shot" motive.
Hamilton's line "Only 19 but my mind is older" is a line from "Shook Ones Pt.2" by Mobb Deep.
The way that Hamilton announces/spells his name is a reference to "Going back to Cali" by the Notorious B.I.G.
"I am not throwing away my shot / I am not throwing away my shot / Hey yo, I'm just like my country / I'm young, scrappy and hungry / And I'm not throwing away my shot"

The Story of Tonight

Drinking song sung by the 4 friends.
Foreshadows Hamilton and Laurens' destinies.
Big, anthemic number - minimal accompaniment. The accompaniment at the beginning is very similar to "Do you hear the people sing?" from Les Misérables.
"I may not live to see our glory / But I will gladly join the fight / And when our children tell our story / They'll tell the story of tonight"
"Raise a glass to freedom / Something they can never take away / No matter what they tell you / Raise a glass to the four of us / Tomorrow there'll be more of us / Telling the story of tonight / They'll tell the story of tonight"

The Music of Hamilton

The musical arranger of the show, Alex Lacamoire, wanted the show to sound the same way that it looks on stage and so he combined modern instruments and sounds (synthesizers, drums etc) with a string quartet. The string quartet was a popular chamber music ensemble during the 18th century which is when the show is set.
The music of the show draws from a wide variety of influences including Hip-Hop, R&B, Pop and traditional musical theatre.

Sound in Hamilton

In order to make the singing heard by the entire audience the actors in Hamilton wear microphones. These microphones are very small and are often hidden on the actor usually in their hair or on their ear. They are also designed to match the skin tone or hair colour of the actor to make them harder to see.
In the show Hamilton and Burr each use 2 microphones so that they have a backup if one fails. As they are the main characters they are on stage the most and so would not have time to fit a new microphone if one failed. Every microphone in the show is custom made to fit perfectly onto the actor who has to wear it every night. King George's microphone is built into his crown.
The sound is mixed live during the show by a sound engineer who also has to turn the microphones on and off. The sound engineer also creates special audio effects such as delays and sound effects. The sound design for Hamilton was done by Nevin Steinberg.

Choreography in Hamilton

The choreography for Hamilton was done by Andy Blankenbuehler. Choreography is how the actors move onstage which includes dance. Because of the lack of elaborate scenery in the show choreography is often used to help set the scene and tell the story of the show.
Choreography also deals with how each of the characters move. If you looks closely you'll see that Hamilton moves in curves and arcs as he is always exploring multiple possibilities whereas Burr always moves in straight lines showing how he stays on one path. This is obvious from his very first entrance right at the beginning of the show.

Stagecraft in Hamilton

The stage of Hamilton was designed to look something like a shipyard to represent these characters coming to America and building their lives. New York is also a seaside city so the nautical theme works to represent that as well. The musical moves so quickly that there isn't time for elaborate set changes and so the set had to generically show the architecture of the time. The brick walls give a sense of colonial architecture that was common in the 18th century. The middle of the stage features a rotating turntable which helps to give the impression of movement and time but also represents the characters 'orbiting' each other's lives. Between Act 1 and Act 2 the brick wall at the back of the stages increases in size to show how the country is growing and expanding. The stage design for Hamilton was done by David Korins.
Because Hamilton doesn't use elaborate scenery, the props in the show are often used to help of set the scene. The props in the show include a wide variety of different objects in a range of sizes including authentic muskets, pistols, champagne glasses, candles, pamphlets, letters, chairs and tables.
In Hamilton, like in most theatre shows lighting is used in a variety of different ways. It can be used to set the mood, location or time of day for a scene. Unlike most theatre shows however, the lighting rig in Hamilton is visible throughout the show. This helps to convey the hip-hop aspect of the show as it looks more like a concert than a Broadway show. The lighting for the show was designed by Howell Binkley who won a Tony Award for Hamilton.

Costume in Hamilton

The costumes in Hamilton are important as they reflect the time in which the show is set and they help us distinguish characters that are played by the same actor/actress. The costumes for the show were designed by Paul Tazewell who decided that the costumes would be "period from the neck down, modern from the neck up". In other words the clothing worn by the actors would be true to the clothing worn by the characters of the time but they would look like themselves from the neck up. A good example of this is the beanie worn by Hercules Mulligan when we first meet him in Act 1. The main exception with the costumes is King George's costume as his full costume is historically accurate.
Costume is a vital element in theatre as it can tell you a lot about a character. At the beginning of the show and throughout the show for some characters the cast wear off-white clothing which looks like paper or parchment. This represents how Hamilton uses writing to advance himself and how these characters are coming to life out of the history books. The off-white outfits also allow the cast to easily change into different costumes to fit the fast paced story. During the revolutionary war scenes the cast are dressed in uniforms from the revolutionary war.
Eliza wears light blue to show her cool temperament and sympathetic nature. To contrast this, Angelica wears bright, solar colours to highlight her bold personality.
In Act 2 of the show Hamilton wears green which represents money as he is become the secretary of the treasury. Jefferson wears purple as a reference to Prince and Jimi Hendrix and to compliment his arrogant "Rockstar" persona. Maria Reynolds wears red as it is a seductive colour.

Historical Background

The story of Hamilton is set during the founding of the USA. Although a lot is explained in the show it helps to have a bit of background information.
The American Revolutionary War or the American War of Independence was fought between 1775 and 1783. The war was between Great Britain and the 13 colonies in America who wanted independence.

Historical inaccuracies

It is important to note that even though the show is based on the life of the real Alexander Hamilton Lin-Manuel Miranda did take some creative liberties in telling the story. Therefore not everything that happens or is said in the show is historical fact.

The Creators of Hamilton

Lin-Manuel Miranda (Music & Lyrics) Lin-Manuel Miranda (1980- ) is an American composer, lyricist, singer, rapper, actor, producer, and playwright, widely known for creating and starring in the Broadway musicals In the Heights and Hamilton. His awards include a Pulitzer Prize, three Tony Awards, three Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, a MacArthur Fellowship, and a Kennedy Center Honor in 2018. He has also appeared in various films and TV series including His Dark Materials, Modern Family, How I met your mother, Brooklyn 99, Mary Poppins Returns and Moana
Thomas Kail (Director) Thomas Kail (1978-) is an American film and theatre director, known for directing the Off- Broadway and Broadway productions of Lin-Manuel Miranda's musicals In the Heights and Hamilton, garnering the 2016 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for the latter. He was awarded the Kennedy Center Honor in 2018.
Andy Blankenbuehler (Choreographer) Andy Blankenbuehler (1970- ) is an American dancer, choreographer and director primarily for stage and concerts. He has been nominated for the Tony Award for Best Choreography five times, and has won three times: for In the Heights (2008), Hamilton (2016), and Bandstand (2017). His other Broadway choreography work includes 9 to 5, Bring it On: The Musical, and the 2016 Cats revival. He was awarded the Kennedy Center Honor in 2018. He also choreographed the movie adaptation of Cats.
Alex Lacamoire (Musical director) Alex Lacamoire (1975-) is an American musician, arranger, conductor, musical director, music copyist, and orchestrator who has worked on many shows both on and off Broadway. He is the recipient of multiple Tony and Grammy Awards for his work on shows such as In the Heights (2008), Hamilton (2016), and Dear Evan Hansen (2017). He was awarded the Kennedy Center Honor in 2018. In May 2019, he received an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Berklee College of Music.

Musical Theatre

Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. A musical