Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Evolution of Hamilton the musical
northlandfan
Stand-by Joined: 4/20/14
#1Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/4/16 at 11:14pm
Having seen the show recently on Broadway and never having the chance to see it's off-Broadway I'm just wondering if anybody who has seen both versions can let me know the evolution of the track listing.Are any songs off-Broadway not in the Broadway production and vice versa.
Were there any scenes cut from the off-Broadway version or any new characters introduced when it went to Broadway
Were any of the lyrics changed in any of the songs before the final version we hear on the current CD? Thanks for any information....
HBP
Broadway Star Joined: 6/2/05
#2Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/4/16 at 11:16pm
I hope the PBS documentary shows us a little more about the process from the Vassar workshop to The Public and then the Richard Rodgers.
#3Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/4/16 at 11:18pm
Many lyrics were changed from off-Broadway, most notably in Your Obedient Servant, which has the same melody and almost entirely differently lyrics. There was a reprise of Dear Theodosia that was cut (although the title may have been A Part of Her Lives On, I'm not sure of the official title, but the melody was the same and it referred to his wife dying).
northlandfan
Stand-by Joined: 4/20/14
#4Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/4/16 at 11:18pm
I wasn't aware of a PBS documentary when will it be on TV.....
#5Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/4/16 at 11:19pm
I do know that the song "One Last Time" was originally "One Last Ride." That may be the only notable lyric change but I'm not sure not having seen it in both versions.
#6Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/4/16 at 11:22pm
Oh yes, I forgot about One Last Time. That and Obedient Servant are the most-changed lyrics.
#7Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/4/16 at 11:24pm
I saw it twice at the Public and once on Broadway, and though there definitely some changes, most of the show is the same. Some of the changes included:
-Changing the song from "One Last Ride" to "One Last Time." "One Last Ride" still dealt with Washington's retirement, but also included Washington and Hamilton going to end the whiskey rebellion (not sure if the history is correct here, but it was something like that).
-There was a reprise of "Dear Theodosia" which came in the 2nd act after "Burn." In it, Burr tells his daughter that her mother (his wife) passed away.
-The addition of the tight harmony riffs in "The Schuyler Sisters"
-Many minor lyric changes throughout, such as changing Hamilton's age in "My Shot" from 17 to 19 (the latter being more historically accurate),
-Lyrics changes in "History Has It's Eyes On You." Washington's remarks about his first command had different lyrics, including a line "I triggered the French and Indian War." I believe Lin might have changed it because the line kept getting an unintended laugh. I don't know that for a fact, but Lin said in an interview once that there was a line that always got an unintentional laugh that he planned to change for Broadway. I have a hunch that it was that one.
-Large portions of the lyrics in "Your Obedient Servant" were re-written.
-Eliza's gasp at the final moment of the show was not present at the Public, or if it was, it was much more subtle (I can't remember it at all)
Updated On: 2/4/16 at 11:24 PM
#8Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/4/16 at 11:26pm
You are correct about One Last Ride being about squashing the Whiskey Rebellion.
There was also, at some point, a third cabinet meeting/battle that got into slavery.
#9Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/4/16 at 11:28pm
Why did the line about the French-Indian War get a laugh? I don't recall learning in history if Washington caused it, but I don't get why it's funny for him to say he triggered it.
I think I prefer the original ending of Schuyler Sisters, referring again to them looking for a mind at work, but I do love the riffs that occur in the current version. The original Vassar ending was even more brief with less harmony.
HBP
Broadway Star Joined: 6/2/05
#10Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/4/16 at 11:29pm
Didn't Hamilton & Eliza stand before a reflecting pool in the last scene at The Public?
ETA: Photo.
#11Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/4/16 at 11:42pm
Lin has said there was an LL Cool J line, "when I'm alone in my room sometimes I stare at the wall," that got unintentional laughter. That seems to be a more likely change in response to unintended laughter than a line about the French and Indian war. Although I would be interested to hear theories why people would find the French and Indian war funny.
#12Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/4/16 at 11:47pm
gypsy101 said: "Why did the line about the French-Indian War get a laugh? I don't recall learning in history if Washington caused it, but I don't get why it's funny for him to say he triggered it."
Well, it might not have always gotten a laugh, but it did when I saw it. And I don't mean a full-on laugh, but I definitely remember there being audible chuckles scattered through the audience when I saw it at the Public. I think it's a bit funny because it catches you off-guard. It's such a drastic way for his first command to go wrong. It makes me think of the famous line from Anchorman
Like I said, it was just a theory based on my experience at the show, Lin's remarks, and the fact that it was changed. I certainly don't claim to know it for a fact.
Updated On: 2/4/16 at 11:47 PM
#13Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/4/16 at 11:50pm
There was a pool for a bit of the run at the Public - I know friends who saw it first preview mentioned the pool, but it was already gone by the first time I saw it (Valentines Day weekend.)
random line that I miss is from My Shot, Laurens used to say "this **** make my people wanna rise up," and it would get louder and louder, with more people joining. In the place of where "when you're living on your knees..." is now.
indytallguy
Broadway Star Joined: 7/13/08
#14Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/4/16 at 11:50pm
It would require some effort to go through his feed, but Lin has sometimes addressed changes made, often in response to a question posed by a follower. And of course the 60 Minutes feature, as well as the recent New Yorker podcast, include some information about changes and edits.
#15Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/5/16 at 12:08am
Before Jasmine Cephas Jones was attached, both Eliza and Angelica had lines in "Say No To This". I'm not 100% sure, but I think they were little reprises of "Helpless" and "Satisfied" towards the end of the song. There's an audio of that workshop somewhere. Wish I had a copy. But alas.
#16Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/5/16 at 12:56am
indytallguy said: "It would require some effort to go through his feed, but Lin has sometimes addressed changes made, often in response to a question posed by a follower. "
Some effort is an understatement, the man tweets up a storm (he's tweeted over 35 thousand times).
#17Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/5/16 at 12:59am
Why does he tweet like he's running out of time?
ChiTheaterFan
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/9/15
#18Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/5/16 at 1:06am
Knowing how much LMM writes, I often wonder how much of Hamilton is somewhat autobiographical. I mean obviously it's about Hamilton but there are obvious parallels.
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#19Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/5/16 at 4:41am
Which likely explains at least part of why he was drawn to his story, I would think.
funhamilton_rent
Featured Actor Joined: 9/26/15
#20Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/5/16 at 8:03am
The reflecting pool gives me shivers and makes me almost cry just by thinking about it. I can distinctly imagine the reflecting pool in place of Eliza's gasp.
JM226
Broadway Star Joined: 11/10/15
#21Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/5/16 at 8:28am
-Lyrics changes in "History Has It's Eyes On You." Washington's remarks about his first command had different lyrics, including a line "I triggered the French and Indian War." I believe Lin might have changed it because the line kept getting an unintended laugh. I don't know that for a fact, but Lin said in an interview once that there was a line that always got an unintentional laugh that he planned to change for Broadway. I have a hunch that it was that one.
Lin has confirmed in subsequent tweets and interviews that the line he was referring to about the unintentional laugh was in "Say No To This." he ripped a line from a well-known LL Cool J song toward the beginning of the rap section, right before Maria enters, which has already been posted here in this thread. he was not referring to the French and Indian War line.
#22Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/5/16 at 10:14am
JM226 said: "Lin has confirmed in subsequent tweets and interviews that the line he was referring to about the unintentional laugh was in "Say No To This." he ripped a line from a well-known LL Cool J song toward the beginning of the rap section, right before Maria enters, which has already been posted here in this thread. he was not referring to the French and Indian War line. "
Ah ok. Well, I guess that settles it. I stand corrected.
hannhannham
Chorus Member Joined: 2/5/16
#23Evolution of Hamilton the musical
Posted: 2/5/16 at 10:18am
Angelica's appearance in The Reynolds Pamphlet was its own song, entitled "Congratulations" Lyrics are around if you Google them, a recording might be somewhere?
My personal favorite was the cut John Adams rap, first result on Youtube for "Hamilton John Adams rap", which was whittled down in the current show to just "Sit down John..etc."
ETA: spelling mistake
Updated On: 2/5/16 at 10:18 AM
BroadwayConcierge
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/24/15
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