Hello I’m new here and registered just to talk about Hamilton.
For the questions about casting, I’ve considered what an audience of the Founders would think, stipulating that they would each be fully cognizant that they are at a play, and they each know how the play will end, just as our audience knows how the duel turns out.
First, Ben Franklin (of course he’s invited!) would cackle with delight throughout the whole thing, and throw the world’s craziest cast party afterwards.
George Washington would sit stiffly in his seat at first, his jaw grimly set as the play opens, but by the time Aaron Burr presents himself to the General in “Right Hand Man” he would relax (slightly) and get into the spirit of the thing. GW might recognize before all the others that this rainbow of actors are in fact the logical conclusion of the idea of America.
Well, except John Laurens prob’ly got there first. Not sure how he’d respond to all the touchy-feely business between him and Hamilton. That part was pretty well kept under wraps back in the day. As far as I know.
Thomas Jefferson might well get up out of his seat at some point in the second act, saddle his horse, and ride straight down Broadway, not to stop until he arrives at Monticello. And who would blame him? (Sidenote: As I considered the treatment of TJ in this show, I thought at first that LMM went a little hard on him, but then I shrugged and figured he’s probably earned it, just this once)
Hamilton himself would be writing his rebuttals in the margins of his Playbill. He might need a new Playbill at intermission.
Burr (yes, he’s invited too) might think he got off easy, but is still seething that the play is called “Hamilton”.
The Schuyler sisters, being ladies of their time, would mostly keep their thoughts to themselves. Perhaps until they get to Ben’s cast party, that is.
And on a personal note, I read several play reviews/interviews in which people expressed astonishment that people like Dick Cheney! and other evil Republicans attended the play, knowing that the cast featured actors of color. My jaw actually dropped. It is a PLAY. With ACTORS. Chosen and CAST by a DIRECTOR. Pretty sure that even Dick Cheney could grasp that fact and even agree with the premise “America Then as played by America Now.”
The casting becomes irrelevant anyway after the first few moments, as you are swept into the story. The story you thought you remember from school but realize that some parts were missing, and now they are added to the whole, and the whole is SO MUCH LARGER than the sum of those parts.
By the way the incredible irony that Burr goes against his character – and Hamilton throws away his shot – almost sounds like it evolved from the story itself, as the actors were already immersed in the play and the ending was nebulous all the way up until the opening days?
