Historic New England presents Hamilton: How the Musical Remixes American History
When:
Wednesday, Sep 16, 2020 5:00p -
6:30p
Wednesday, Sep 16, 2020 5:00p -
6:30p
Where:
Online event
Admission:
$20
Categories:
History, Lectures & Conferences, Virtual & Streaming
Event website:
https://my.historicnewengland.org/6800/10766
America has Hamilton-mania! With Disney+ streaming the show this summer, everyone’s talking about Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony-winning musical. Its crafty lyrics, hip-hop tunes, and big, bold story have even rejuvenated interest in the real lives and true histories that Hamilton puts center stage.
In this talk, University of Maryland historian Dr. Richard Bell explores this musical phenomenon to reveal what its success tells us about the marriage of history and show business. Learn what this amazing musical gets right and gets wrong about Alexander Hamilton, the American Revolution, and the birth of the United States, and why it matters. We will examine some of the choices Hamilton’s creators made to simplify, dramatize, and humanize the complicated events and stories on which the show is based, including slavery and the use of actors of color to portray the Founding Fathers and key participants in the American Revolution.
Notes
The link for the Historic New England webinar will sent in a separate email prior to the event.
Please call 617-994-6679 for more information.