Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

History Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Theatre and Performance Studies

Gettysburg College

The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History

Alexander Hamilton

Articles 1 - 1 of 1

Full-Text Articles in History

Hamilton: Musical Theater, Public History’S New Frontier?, Megan E. Mcnish Jan 2016

Hamilton: Musical Theater, Public History’S New Frontier?, Megan E. Mcnish

The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History

Hamilton is one of Broadway’s newest musicals and it’s the hottest thing to hit the stage in a long time. The show, a rap-opera, follows the life of Alexander Hamilton, the nation’s ‘forgotten Founding Father.’ The show has had immense success since it opened in August 2015, with thousands of followers on the show’s Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube pages. It has exploded from the stage into a cultural phenomenon, but what makes the story of this Founding Father so compelling for audiences? Previous productions of historical musicals and plays have failed on the stage, while Hamilton thrives. What is its …