Hamilton became available on Disney+ on July 3rd and, viewing the musical within the context of today’s current events, it hit differently than back in 2015. The musical tells the story of Alexander Hamilton and the building of America, hence glorifying the stories of the white men who founded the country. Mentions of the treatment of African Americans are only subtle, allowing the audience to root for the characters who all owned slaves (or at least financially benefited from their families or friends owning them).
On the other hand, the musical itself has brought upon a new era of casting for musicals, with almost it’s entire cast made up of people of colour despite playing white characters. It has created roles for coloured actors and actresses; a space for coloured children to see themselves on a broadway stage; a new interest in history within the general public as well as being beautifully artistic. So, while we can appreciate the musical for all the good it has done, it is also important to separate the characters from the fictionalised versions of their real historical counterparts when watching and reviewing.
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