STILL SCRAPPY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS

It has been more than ten years since Hamilton’s Off-Broadway premiere. Alexander Hamilton may have declared himself—like his country—“young, scrappy, and hungry,” with scrappy meaning feisty, resourceful, and unwilling to back down. The musical that bears his name is no longer young, nor is it hungry—according to a 2020 Forbes article, it passed $1 billion in earnings just five years into its run. But it remains scrappy: still fierce, still inventive, still determined to tell the story of America’s founding in its own revolutionary way.

Nathan Haydel, Tyler Fauntleroy, Jared Howelton, Elvie Ellis, and Company

The national tour, now settled in at Boston’s Emerson Colonial Theatre until November 2, only confirms the artistry of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s extraordinary creation. The density of his lyrics grows more satisfying with repeated exposure, continuing to delight and surprise with unexpected yet perfectly fitting rhymes. His melodies remain arresting. Repeated motifs—both musical and verbal (“not throwing away my shot”; “look around”; “helpless”; the ominous dueling countdown)—take on fresh resonance in new contexts as the story of Alexander Hamilton, the nation’s first secretary of the treasury, unfolds on stage.

The Company

The appeal of Hamilton lies not just in its use of people of color in the roles of so many Founders and other historic figures, but in its presentation of them as flawed and human. When young Hamilton first arrives in New York City from his Caribbean birthplace of St. Croix, he quickly falls in with a group of young men hungry for revolution. They are young men like many young men of any era: hard-drinking and full of bravado—they just happen to have found one another at the right historical moment.

Elvie Ellis, Nathan Haydel, Jared Howelton, Tyler Fauntleroy

As the years pass in the course of this musical narrative, we see the same kinds of petty rivalries among political opponents we see today. George Washington’s trust in and support for young Alexander earns him the resentment of others we now call Founders. Thomas Jefferson (Christian Magby) may not have literally danced when scandal destroyed Hamilton’s political prospects, but he likely felt like doing so. Through the lens of Hamilton’s life we see the ways political alliances shift. Compromises are made, but no one else “is in the room where it happened.” It’s never completely clear who has traded what for what, but the Virginians get the capital city close to their plantations and Hamilton gets to create the financial system he wants. What an accomplishment to portray these complex political and personal negotiations through song!

Tyler Fauntleroy and Company

Hamilton is more than the biography of an individual. It is a depiction of the formation of the United States through the achievements—and flaws—of one man, who happened to be an immigrant. (At last night’s performance, the line “Immigrants, we get the job done,” drew fervent shouts and applause, as I imagine it does and will at every performance.) Hamilton is indeed a tragic hero—despite his intelligence and drive, he is brought down by two erroneous beliefs: first, that he can write his way out of any problem; second, that others will follow the rules.

Tyler Fauntleroy, Jimmie "JJ" Jeter, and Company

On opening night, standbys Michael Natt and Amanda Simone played the roles of Hamilton and his sister-in-law Angelica Schuyler without a hiccup and with all the passion required. A.D. Weaver impressed with a majestic portrayal of the very human George Washington, who models how to say goodbye by voluntarily giving up presidential power—an art many of us feel we are in danger of losing. Matt Bittner lives up to the comic potential of George III, originally created by Jonathan Groff, encouraging an audience sing-along on the da da das of “You’ll Be Back.” The hard-working ensemble is onstage throughout most of the production. They are not simply traditional back-up dancers; under the direction of Thomas Kail and choreography of Andy Blankenbuehler, they embody the emotional tone of every scene with movement that is fascinating yet never distracting.

Tyler Fauntleroy and Company

The musical closes with Eliza Hamilton (Lauren Mariasoosay) putting herself back in the narrative. Earlier she is depicted as erasing herself from the historical record after revelations of her husband’s infidelity, but here she chooses to honor his memory by founding an orphanage and preserving his writings. It’s a moving moment, coming after reflections on Hamilton’s legacy by his former rivals: Thomas Jefferson, played by Magby as petty and self-absorbed; Aaron Burr, portrayed as a scheming narcissist by Deon’te Goodman; and James Madison, an extremely small man nicknamed Little Jemmy played by the tall and solid Kai Thomani Tshikosi.

Lauren Mariasoosay and Tyler Fauntleroy

Hamilton is a classic. We continue to find meaning in it even as the world changes. Originally produced during the Obama administration, its use of People of Color in the roles of the nation’s Founders was not just a matter a race-blind casting—it was a recognition of the long-overlooked leadership abilities and roles played by people of color throughout our national history. During the first Trump administration, its celebration of immigrants became an act of defiance. Now, in the face of Trump’s authoritarian censorship and white supremacy, Hamilton is still an expression of defiance, but with its humor, infectious music, and intelligent structure, it is also an expression of hope and the power of creativity.

Lauren Mariasoosay, Marja Harmon, Lily Soto

photos by Joan Marcus

Hamilton
national tour
Emerson Colonial Theatre
ends on November 2, 2025 in Boston
for tickets, visit Broadway in Boston
tour continues; for dates and cities, visit Hamilton

for more shows, visit Theatre in Boston