#Hamiltunesing at home
December 21, 2015
We’ve been enjoying Hamilton so much that it’s permeated our every day. The creativity of translating the American civil ha-ha just kidding Revolutionary war, focused on Alexander Hamilton’s life, into a musical is amazing – the breadth of musical references, historical references, literary references (was that a MacBeth reference? It was!), the combination of the early colonial language with hip-hop cadences and slang are perfection.
When’s the last time you were so thoroughly earwormed? It’s not possible to include all my favorites, I’d just end up posting the whole musical.
I’ve a sneaking suspicion that part of the overwhelming charm of the whole thing is how gracefully Lin-Manuel Miranda handles the explosion of love and admiration: taking the time to share more of their music even though they’re already on Broadway. Check out #Ham4Ham, it’s astonishing how much energy he and the cast bring to giving his potential audience a show.
I haven’t yet read the biography that the musical was based on but this makes me want to. The musical doesn’t try to make us love Hamilton by glossing over his mistakes and flaws, they’re showcased alongside his genius and accomplishments. And the flaws of the Founding Fathers (save for George Washington) are right there with Hamilton’s.
All this to say: I am loving the musical and am trying to figure out how we squeeze a trip to New York to see the original cast into our schedule and budget.
Parenting: Hamiltunesing with my baby
Who knew having a baby who’d go along with your musical shenanigans would be so fun?
Encouraging LB to stand on hir own, take a step, or do squats: RISE UP!
With a fantastic aside from George Washington on not taking the easy way out
Giving hir a bottle in hir room
Sing and lure with the bottle: Do you wanna be in the room where it happens, the room where it happens, the room where it happens? Answer: *rapid crawling after me*
Thinking about hir future and the world we live in
Dear Theodosia (naturally)
Bonus: Ze will stand up and clap along to this Ham for Ham:
Careering
Living with ambiguity while others excel and advance
Don’t be Charles Lee
Meaning, don’t: Take a role with responsibilities you won’t shoulder, run away from the disaster, then run around badmouthing your boss. Poor form all around, dude.
Note: Check out George Washington being classy. “History will prove him wrong”, indeed.
What’s more important? Career or Family?
Before LB was born, a father figure and a fellow workaholic tried to find a gentle way to tell me: enjoy this time. Ze will only ever be a baby, and a child, and my cuddly little one once. And it’s so important not to miss it like he did. I’m glad I’d already learned that watching him or I’m sure old workaholic me wouldn’t have understood his good intentions.
Relationships
Oh King George, you’re pretty much like every creepy ex boyfriend who couldn’t deal
This is going to serve as a cautionary song for LB and everyone in hir generation. Kids, if your partner talks like this? GET OUT.
*** I lied, I had to add one more favorite: YORKTOWN ***
So much to love here:
Immigrants, we get the job done!
Hercules Mulligan!
“it’s either than or meet the business end of the bayonet!”
“With my friends all scattered to the winds
Laurens is in South Carolina, redefining brav’ry”
[…] I’ve said it before, I think Hamilton is sensational. It’s not just clever, it’s smart. It’s funny without sacrificing gravitas; it’s culturally present; it’s engaging and, though there is obviously some creative license taken, it’s American history on the stage. […]