Hamilton Previews- Page 19

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 9:51am

"For example: it is said that Hamilton wrote a large number of essays (I can't remember the exact number) but it was by far the greatest portion of these writing.  Ok, but what did they say?  How do we know what they were about.  I thought the show glossed over a lot."

They were the Federalist Papers.  Unless you are not American, how do you not have a basic understanding of what those were?  

Updated On: 8/6/15 at 09:51 AM

[MVintheheartland]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 9:54am

""For example: it is said that Hamilton wrote a large number of essays (I can't remember the exact number) but it was by far the greatest portion of these writing.  Ok, but what did they say?  How do we know what they were about.  I thought the show glossed over a lot."
The were the Federalist Papers.  Unless you are not American, how do you not have a basic understanding of what those were?  "

Haha, in my various high school and college educations, I was never introduced to the Federalist Papers until  recently.  Unfortunately, lots of history education back in my day was names and dates and battles and who won, without any in depth analysis of ideas of the day. Yay for public education and state university!

 

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 10:04am

"For example: it is said that Hamilton wrote a large number of essays (I can't remember the exact number) but it was by far the greatest portion of these writing. Ok, but what did they say? How do we know what they were about. I thought the show glossed over a lot."

It's the Federalist Papers. Hamilton wrote 51. It wasn't glossed over, you just clearly weren't listening.

Hamilton and Burr have a conversation where Ham tells Burr that he’s going to write a series of essays defending the Constitution to the public. Burr then SAYS IT AGAIN before he tells how many each man wrote.

It’s OK, Glitter. Complex musicals aren’t for everyone. If you thought they didn’t explain the history enough, maybe you should go read a history textbook. Hamilton is a musical.

Updated On: 8/6/15 at 10:04 AM

[NYadgal]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 10:25am

I thought the jokes were few and far between

I thought there were some wonderful 'jokes', written into the brilliant text/lyrics of the show.  He is a master at a clever turn of phrase.  But, I'm not sure 'jokes' were the point.

 

I'm shaking my head at the display of ignorance of our country's history in this thread.

 

 

Updated On: 8/6/15 at 10:25 AM

[Kad]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 10:26am

Hamilton also wrote hundreds and hundreds of essays and letters- often dozens of pages in length. It would be impossible to summarize in a song all of the topics he covered, because there hardly a topic of early American government he DIDN'T cover in writing.

The point of the song in which this is mentioned isn't WHAT he was writing about; it was HOW MUCH he wrote and worked.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 10:40am

I didn't see it posted anywhere, but LMM was in the show last night.  

As to glitter girl's leaving, yes, of course she's entitled to do so. I've even done it once, and wanted to two other times, but they were intermissionlesss shows! I think we all just feel it's such a shame she did.

 

 

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 10:42am

He only said he was out of the matinee. He wasn't supposed to be out at night.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 10:53am

Question: do you think any songs from Hamilton have the potential to become hits, either "as is" from the show, or recorded by a pop/hip-hop star?

I dunno but...

I can't stop--I CAN'T stop sing-ing "The room where it happens, the room where it happens..."

In my head

I keep hearing BURR sing "The room where it happens, the room where it happens..."

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 10:55am

It's like a combination of "A New Argentina" and "Stepping to the Bad Side."

[NYadgal]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 11:09am

Yay for public education and state university!

I had a public school education ("back in the day"), also, and I knew of the Federalist Papers. . .

[NYadgal]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 11:12am

Yes, I do think that there are 'songs' that will stand on their own.

I'm already looking forward to the release of this cast recording.  I've had songs and snippets of songs running through my head since last Saturday (when I first saw it).

Yesterday it was "Room where it happens".  

Today it's "Not throwin' away my shot"

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 11:15am

"Glittergirl probably would've left at intermission of A Chorus Line if there was one."

She probably would've walked out right before Paul's Monologue and then complained about the lack of development for the gay characters.

I kid, I kid. I don't think anyone is suggesting that theatre tickets are a binding contract to stay nailed to your seat through the playout, no matter how much you loathe the show. I think everyone is just jumping on the fact that her first, main complaint was completely negated in Act 2. I doubt anyone would consider Burn a giggling nothing of a song. Maybe if she'd seen Act 2, she would have still hated the show and that's her right, but at least the portrayal of women wouldn't have been the crux of her reasoning.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 11:17am

I mean - just read these words.   Brilliant!

I am not throwin' away my... shot
I am not throwin' away my... shot
Hey, yo, I'm just like my country
I'm young, scrappy, and hungry
And I'm not throwin' away my shot

I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory
When's it's gonna get me? In my sleep? Seven feet ahead of me?     If I see it comin', do I run or do I let it be?
Is it like a beat without a melody?
See, I never thought I'd live past twenty

Where I come from some get half as many
Ask anybody why we livin' fast, and we laugh, reach for a flask
We have to make this moment last, and that's plenty
Scratch that: This is not a moment, it's a movement
Where all the hungriest brothers with something to prove went
Foes oppose us
We takin' on a stand and roll like Moses, claimin' our Promised Land

And, if we win our independence
Is that a guarantee of freedom for our descendants?
Or will the blood we shed begin an endless cycle of vengeance and death with no defendants?
I know reaction in the street is exciting
But Jesus, between all the bleedin' and fightin' I've been readin' and writin'
We need to handle our financial situation
Are we a nation of states? What's the state of our nation?
I'm past patiently waiting! I'm passionately smashin' every expectation
Every action's an act of creation
I'm laughin' in the face of casualties and sorrow
For the first time I'm thinkin' past tomorrow

And I am not throwin' away my... shot
I am not throwin' away my... shot
Hey, yo, I'm just like my country
I'm young, scrappy, and hungry
And I'm not throwin' away my... shot

Updated On: 8/6/15 at 11:17 AM

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 11:30am

Thanks for posting that. This one always sticks with me. "And, if we win our independence/Is that a guarantee of freedom for our descendants? "

Updated On: 8/6/15 at 11:30 AM

[NYadgal]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 11:30am

I came across this a day or so ago.  (I missed it back in February).  

Fascinating 

New Yorker - Hamilton (February, 2015)

[Kad]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 11:35am

I have to say, the book being released in the spring will probably be a fascinating read.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 11:38am

Agree.  Fascinating.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 11:48am

That's a beautifully written New Yorker article, Addy.

This is the Times article by Patrick Healy about the connection between Hamilton and the current 2016 candidates I sent you yesterday:

 

NY TIMES: ‘Hamilton’ and the Republican Hopefuls

[NYadgal]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 11:55am

^  Loved reading that!  Thank you!

(and, while I absolutely refuse to watch a moment of tonight's clown show 'debate', how great would it be if one of them answered in rap?)

Updated On: 8/6/15 at 11:55 AM

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 11:56am

^ And slightly surprising considering Hilton Als review.  Different departments of course, but I still can't get over that sickening review.  

A particularly disgusting choice quote: Miranda’s men aren’t doing the usual “gay” work of the musical, which is to say singing about their feelings (at least, not at first); they’re guys in a circle jerk, and the lube is ambition, chicks, and power.

 

 

Updated On: 8/6/15 at 11:56 AM

[Kad]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 12:00pm

I had completely forgot about that terrible, off-the-mark review.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 12:01pm

That's vile.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 12:10pm

Not liking a show that most people love is fine; happens to all of us.

Leaving a show at intermission is fine; it's your money.

BUT...

Writing criticism about a show you left at intermission is inherently ignorant; it deserves to be flamed.

Criticizing a show for "glossing over a lot" (viz., what the Federalist Papers are about) is ignorant, not because the person did not know what they were (one would not expect a person from another country seeing the show to know American History to that depth), but because the scene in question is prompted by dialogue that expressly tells anyone paying attention what they were "about" and why they were written.

[Glittergrrl]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 12:31pm

""For example: it is said that Hamilton wrote a large number of essays (I can't remember the exact number) but it was by far the greatest portion of these writing. Ok, but what did they say? How do we know what they were about. I thought the show glossed over a lot."

It's the Federalist Papers. Hamilton wrote 51. It wasn't glossed over, you just clearly weren't listening.

Hamilton and Burr have a conversation where Ham tells Burr that he’s going to write a series of essays defending the Constitution to the public. Burr then SAYS IT AGAIN before he tells how many each man wrote.

It’s OK, Glitter. Complex musicals aren’t for everyone. If you thought they didn’t explain the history enough, maybe you should go read a history textbook. Hamilton is a musical.

"

Lol.

51... Right... But what was contained in them? What did they say? That was completely glossed over. It's meaningless without context. Someone just walks out and shouts, hamilton wrote 51--like that's impressive. It skimmed the surface. Complex, it's not.

[Glittergrrl]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 12:38pm

"Not liking a show that most people love is fine; happens to all of us.

Leaving a show at intermission is fine; it's your money.

BUT...

Writing criticism about a show you left at intermission is inherently ignorant; it deserves to be flamed.

Criticizing a show for "glossing over a lot" (viz., what the Federalist Papers are about) is ignorant, not because the person did not know what they were (one would not expect a person from another country seeing the show to know American History to that depth), but because the scene in question is prompted by dialogue that expressly tells anyone paying attention what they were "about" and why they were written.

"

He was writing to defend the constitution. I got the reason. I guess it just wasn't for me. I wouldn't say I hated it... Hate would be interesting. I found it tedious,