The Power of Musical Theatre

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theatre simply through its hip-hop/R&B inspired music and racially diverse cast, which are geared towards making American history as relatable as possible. “This is a story about America then, told by America now-” Lin explains. Hamilton has strongly influenced the way Americans think about the early republic. It presents Thomas Jefferson as a deeply flawed individual and presents viewers with a new perspective on the founding fathers. The primarily black and Hispanic cast reminds audiences that American history is not just the history of white people but the history of all people. Lin, a Puerto-Rican man, plays the role of Alexander Hamilton. Lin wanted to cast the show as a cast of people of color allowing these people to re-write themselves back into a story they have so often been left out of. One of the lessons that the show attempts to teach audiences, arguably the most significant lesson, is the important role that immigrants have played in the nation’s history. Many people might not know this, but Alexander Hamilton himself was an immigrant, an aspect of Hamilton that Miranda greatly emphasizes throughout the show. Throughout the show, Lin-Manuel Miranda was able to re-tell America’s history in a new and revolutionary way that has greatly impacted the theatre world as well as American society.

The musicals explained above are only a few of the thousands of musicals that impacted American society. Others include: Les Misérables, Hair, Chicago, The Color Purple, Spring Awakening and many others. Les Misérables discusses the French Revolution and the life and struggles of ex-convict Jean Valjean. Hair tells the story of a “tribe” of politically active hippies and their fighting against conscription into the Vietnam War. Chicago is a satirical musical on the corruption of the administration of the criminal justice system as well as the concept of “celebrity criminals”. The Color Purple is the story of the struggle of an African-American woman in the American south from the early to mid 20th-century. Finally, Spring Awakening is the story of German teenagers discovering the inner and outer confusion of teenage sexuality. Theatre historian John Kenrick wrote: "Is the Musical dead? ... Absolutely not! Changing? Always! The musical has been changing ever since Offenbach did his first rewrite in the 1850s. And change is the clearest sign that the musical is still a living, growing genre.” Musical theatre is arguably one of the most powerful forms of art as it is able to educate audiences on important issues through entertainment. Not only is musical theatre a cultural space where society examines itself, but it allows us to express ourselves more effectively, teach us about ourselves, learn about history, and understand people from other cultures other than our own. Due to its important messages and lessons, and its many other tools; it is important that we preserve this growing, changing and important art form for as long as possible.

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