On September 5th, 2025, crowds of people flocked to theatres around the nation in anticipation of celebrating the 10th anniversary of the world-renowned musical, “Hamilton.” As the musical concluded and applause filled the room, fans were reminded of the indescribable feeling that “Hamilton” evokes. The seventh song of Act I, sung by King George III (Jonathan Groff) goes, “You’ll be back, time will tell,” and that was exactly the case for this musical. “Hamilton” has gained international recognition for its songs, choreography, and actors. With its number one song, “Alexander Hamilton,” having nearly 370 million listens on Spotify, it is no wonder that fans were overjoyed when they found out the musical was released in theatres nationwide to celebrate “#HamilTEN.” Sophomore Ethan Schaefer explains his reaction when hearing about the release of the filmed version of the musical in theatres. “I love ‘Hamilton,’ it was kind of the first play I really got into,” Schaefer said. “I was pretty excited when it came out.”
As the name suggests, Hamilton tells the story of one of the U.S.’s founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton. Written, directed, and performed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the musical started as a simple rap mixtape in 2009, inspired by Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton. During the same year, Miranda was invited to perform tracks from his musical “In the Heights” at the White House in front of former president Barack Obama. At the last minute, he chose to perform “Alexander Hamilton” instead, which we now know to be the opening number in the musical. He received immense praise, and from then on, as “Hamilton” tells us, “history had his eyes on him,” leading to the birth of the musical.
Aside from the entertainment aspect of the musical, “Hamilton” has served as a way for younger generations to understand the historical significance of many U.S. events. Whether it be the American Revolution, the Battle of Yorktown, or The Reynolds’ Pamphlet, Hamilton provides an accurate and visual representation of many events. AP U.S. History and MYP World History teacher Mark Barcelona shared his thoughts on Hamilton serving as an educational source for younger generations.
“I think it’s a really good entry point because it gets your attention,” Barcelona said. “[But] because it is made for entertainment, it is not the best to learn from.”
The message of Hamilton extends far beyond informing viewers about Alexander Hamilton’s life and accomplishments. According to many social media users, at the most recent Tony Awards on June 8th, 2025, a performance by Hamilton’s original cast was meant to shine a light on the current White House staff members and personnel. During the performance, all cast members wore black except for Jonathan Groff (King George III), who wore red. Many believe that the black was meant to represent the loss of the “ideal democracy” since 2015, while the red was meant to represent the extreme authority that President Donald Trump possesses. Others believe the set design referenced the white house. It seems as if the cast of “Hamilton” has mirrored the worries that many Americans have in regards to their current government. Although none of these theories has been confirmed, one fact is clear: Hamilton fans are “Satisfied” for now, but another Hamilton-related event might leave them “Helpless.”
