America and Hamilton the Musical

By: MAJ (RET) Montgomery J. Granger @mjgranger1

In 2015, Lin-Manuel Miranda created a stunning and magical Broadway experience with his telling of the great American immigrant Alexander Hamilton. Nearly ten years later, the show still reigns supreme on The Great White Way (“white” because of the bright lights and white asphalt at the time). 

I’d first seen the original show, with Miranda playing the lead role, on TV via Disney+ several years ago. I laughed, I cried, I was amazed and disgusted at some of the revelations of one of our founding fathers. My wife and I recently saw it in person and up close and had plenty of time to take in the atmosphere. 

The house was packed, very slightly diverse, and older. We saw very few young people in their teens or twenties. The audience was mostly older, rich white folks. There were more Asians than people of color, who were severely outnumbered. In fact, one of the leads was an Asian female actor, which may have contributed to the increase in Asian audience members, two of whom sat in front of us, beaming whenever this actress sang or spoke.

At intermission, the dash was on for the restrooms. The next day, my wife told me about the conversation in the line for the ladies’ room, a line which she described as 95% white, older, wealthy women. “What do you think?” “Very creative.” “Very different than other shows.”

They obviously hadn’t known what they were walking into.

After hearing a line that referenced the “Betsy Ross’ flag,” I had an epiphany. There were no American flags; in fact, no red, white, and blue anywhere on the stage, costumes, or merchandise.

According to publicly available sources, the absence of American flags and the limited use of traditional red, white, and blue in the set and costumes of the show were intentional creative choices made by Miranda and the production team. The musical aims to provide a fresh and contemporary perspective on the founding of the United States, and it does so by employing a diverse cast, modern musical styles, and a minimalist set design.

Miranda has expressed the desire to make the historical narrative more relatable to a diverse and contemporary audience. The decision to have a diverse cast, regardless of historical accuracy, contributes to this goal. The minimalistic set design, without overt patriotic symbols like flags, he says, allows the audience to focus on the characters, their stories, and the themes of the musical rather than relying on traditional visual cues associated with historical period pieces.

While “Hamilton” is set during the American Revolutionary War and the early years of the United States, it “deliberately avoids a traditional, nostalgic approach to historical storytelling.” The use of modern music styles and a diverse cast helps make the story “feel more accessible and relevant” to a broad audience, emphasizing the universal aspects of ambition, struggle, and the complexities of building a nation. Manuel says the creative choices in “Hamilton” reflect an innovative and “inclusive approach to presenting historical narratives on the stage.”

The one obviously white speaking (and singing) character in the show is “King George.” Racially type-cast, this character is a foil to the non-white ensemble. He is the court jester, the clown, the target of ridicule. The audience laughs at his frustration and condescension toward Hamilton and the cast of darker characters, all playing white founding fathers of the United States. It is subtle discrimination but bigotry nonetheless, which is okay, I guess, because it is humor, after all, right? And making fun of people, their color, ancestry, and social status is allowed in an accepting, free speech, non-woke or cancel culture environment such as Broadway, right? 

Who, me, bitter? No way! I’m just noticing things and then expressing my freedom of speech.

But Lin-Manuel Miranda, I think, is a bit bitter. And this is his shot.

His bias surfaces in the production choices that eliminate any hint of American patriotism. He appropriates Western European culture as a vehicle to change the visual narrative of our country’s founding (remember, the truth is that the country was founded by a bunch of patriotic, relatively wealthy white guys, who ironically helped create a country where the freedom to make a fortune mocking them exists).

If Miranda were sincere about making the story more accessible to diverse populations, he would do more than just a lottery that gives maybe ten or so tickets for $10 each (which is how I ended up with such great seats). He would sponsor traveling troupes, clean up the language, and play to young, diverse audiences. Or not.

It occurred to me that the Broadway show now serves a different purpose. It milks money from rich white folks and, at the same time, guarantees a vehicle for non-white singers, dancers, and actors. Fair enough.

We live in an open, free-market capitalist society. People are successful because they make a product people want to buy and then survive on repeat customers. I have no doubt that the show will be eternally popular. It’s that good.

If you haven’t seen it, go. Shoot for the lottery, and be patient. My wife has won three times.

Just know what you’re getting yourself into. Maybe even read Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton, on which Miranda bases his story. It would help you follow the story and let you focus more on the incredible talent of the performers. 

Despite my frustration at the absence of any traditional patriotism expressed in lyrics or set or costumes, there is, in fact, one mention of such symbolism.

A search of the lyrics of “Guns and Ships” demonstrates that the line “Leave the battlefield waving Betsy Ross’ flag higher” is a metaphorical expression emphasizing the idea of achieving victory and independence. The mention of Betsy Ross’ flag, with its thirteen stars in a circle representing the original thirteen colonies, is a symbol of the United States.

The line comes in the midst of describing the challenges faced by the Continental Army, a “ragtag volunteer army,” in its fight against the powerful British forces. The reference to waving Betsy Ross’ flag higher suggests overcoming adversity and proudly asserting the American cause. It’s a poetic way of expressing the determination and resilience of the American forces in the face of a formidable opponent and adds depth and imagery to the narrative of the musical.

In the end, my own bias is exposed. But maybe that was one of Miranda’s goals. That, like art in general, it’s not about the creator’s interpretation; it’s about yours.

Lesson learned? Take another look (or three or four) at things before you judge them completely. Challenge yourself to have an open mind. You don’t have to accept the status quo or first impressions. Let the stew simmer and blend into its intended or unintended deliciousness, just as America has. 

MAJ Granger was the ranking US Army Medical Department officer with the Joint Detainee Operations Group, Joint Task Force 160, from February to June 2002 at Gitmo. He is the author of the memoir, “Saving Grace at Guantanamo Bay,” and narrator of the short documentary YouTube film, “Heroes of GITMO,” based on his book.