Alexander Hamilton is known for his passion for “stirring the pot.” Lin Manuel Miranda, in his most recent reinvention of the hit play Hamilton, at the 78th Tony Awards on June 8, is still invested in portraying the titular founding father’s restless personality during much uneasier political times than when the show first premiered back in 2015.
Miranda’s new Hamilton—ten years into the Trump era—looks, and feels, a little bit different. At the Tonys, there was a striking change in dress—each character is now dressed completely in black, including even the background dancers which previously were seen only in tan body suits. The mourning attire—mourning for what, it is up to the viewer to decide, but Miranda’s stance seems clear— is different for each character. For Hamilton, there’s his center brooch. Brooches were often worn to represent love, so it is quite fitting that the central character in this tale of political rebellion would be wearing the symbol of love and respect to match the moral image he is meant to portray.
The abridged Tony performance moves through several key songs, including “The Schuyler Sisters.” The song displays the sisters singing for their love of New York in an overly animated tone, and dancing in a fashion that is so robotic it cannot help but be satirical. Another pivotal moment in performance is “Lafayette,” a figure who, throughout Hamilton, represents the relationship America has with other countries and the ideals of liberty. Unlike in the original show, Lafayette is now portrayed standing on tables and singing with a small crowd gathered as if to represent rebellion. This is fortified through Lafayette’s dress in the performance, which is identical to that of a member of the Black Panther Party noting a black barrette and a singular black glove. This is clearly meant to show the Trump Administration’s shaky foreign relationships, even highlighting the recent meeting of the United Nations without the inclusion of the United States. It is no secret that many are afraid other countries will rise up against the United States if further actions by the Trump Administration continue, and what better way to show that than through Miranda’s beloved French character.
Sadly, Lafayette’s rap is cut short , and replaced with King George III and that character’s now-famous song, “I’ll Be Back.” On the attire theme, King George is dressed in none other but a bright MAGA red jacket. As he works his way through the catchy DA DA DA DA’s, Miranda seems to want to remind us that much of what the often-monarchical Trump says sounds like similar nonsense. As King George calls for “everybody” to join in, we might think about how Trump uses the bully pulpit to incite large crowds of followers to embrace and copy his moods and feelings. This comparison might be especially relevant when we think about Trump’s Instagram post displaying himself as a king (remember that?).
“I’ll Be Back” fittingly also takes places against a bright red backdrop, and with careful attention the viewer may notice how colors switch often throughout the performance. Blue is typically seen in instances of political ease, moments of positive uprisings or behind characters that are considered to have the highest level of morality, and red is used to highlight both moments of insurrection and characters that are morally gray. This primes the audience for the song “Who Lives Who Dies Who Tells Your Story” where Washington is presented in none other than purple. This is no coincidence as Washington throughout the play represents the voice of neutrality and reason, much in line with the restrained managerial role he played throughout America’s founding. This is intentional. The song is purposefully sung by Washington, not to the other characters but to the audience. This is the first instance of Miranda calling the audience to consider their story and legacy. He wants the audience to think about what it means to live within this administration, and to carefully consider who will tell their story after the fact and what this will mean for future generations.
Miranda’s revamped rhetoric does not end here. The play concludes with a re-singing of “My Shot,” the show’s undisputed anthem, against a gold backdrop, with the entire cast presented in a straight line facing the audience. The play ends with the lines “History has its eyes on you” facing the audience and finally Miranda singing “I am not throwing away my shot”. The play ends on this note, but the intended story does not. By paying careful attention to the way that he says,” I am not throwing away my shot” I noticed his level tone and locked eyes, this contrasts the way it is said in the play, and can only mean that he is speaking directly to the audience as Miranda, not Hamilton. He is ending his performance by not only calling the audience to action, but saying that this is his shot. This is his way of protesting and he hopes to inspire others to “Rise Up” and do the same. After all, History has its eyes on you.
by Daelyn Edge
