Posted on 10/26/2018 1:28:23 PM PDT by BillyBoy
I just had an argument with a Facebook friend who called me "closed minded" when I said I had zero interest in seeing the Broadway musical 'Hamilton'.
She says she won't talk to me until I check out the show for myself instead of "pre-judging it"
I told her that I know it getting universal acclaim, but after reading about concept, it sound really stupid...it appears the premise is "Let's intentionally cast ethnic minorities and women to play white men from the colonial era so 'modern audiences' can 'relate' to the story. I hate when they do that in movies so I doubt I would enjoy it any more if they do that politically correct stunt on Broadway (It's playing here at the Chicago Theater District and they cast "Miguel Cervantes" in the title role of "Alexander Hamilton", just like how the Broadway version has "Lin-Manuel Miranda" as Hamilton ::rolls eyes::)
I also explained that I'm not AGAINST an actor playing another ethnicity, if they can BELIEVABLY pull off that role. For example, I had no problem with Cuban actor Andy Garcia playing an Italian-American mafia figure in The Godfather III. I can buy him as Sonny Corleone's son. On the other hand, I CANNOT buy the very white and very British Benedict Cumberbatch as "Khan Noonien Singh", a Sikh from India. Ridiculous Stunt casting like that ruins the story for me and insults the audience's intelligence.
My friend replied that the musical is great because the music, lyrics, and story are incredibly powerful. My response to that is that is IF the musical is really good and compelling with catchy songs and a strong story IN ITS OWN RIGHT, then they could cast people that actually FIT the roles and it would still work. They wouldn't NEED some gimmick like Snoop Dogg plays Thomas Jefferson. Let's see "Hamilton" performed with actors who actually look and sound like the colonial era founding fathers, and see if still attractions the same "buzz" as the politically correct version does.
“Because it is a minstrel show but politically correct...”
Nailed it!
Now, there were free blacks who joined regiments and fought in the Revolutionary War. Absolutely no doubt.
But this is a travesty.
He listened to it first, and couldn't stop gushing about it. Told me I just had to listen to it, it's the best musical in years.
"Um...isn't it largely rap and hip-hop? You know I can't stand that stuff."
"Just give it a try. The lyrics are brilliant>
So I did. And....there are a couple of good numbers. The ones by King George (all variations on the same song) are a lot of fun. One or two other songs are decent. The rest is rap and hip-hop, and the lyrics have a few moderately clever lines. Unfortunately, listening to them is like fingernails on a chalkboard, like all rap/hip-hop.
My friend told me I was just being "closeminded" to an entire genre, and was really missing out. To which I replied, "Fine with me. You listen to "Hamilton", and I'll listen to "Candide".
While I don’t agree with the politics of some of the people involved with this show, I can not tell a lie — it’s brilliant. Everything about the show is remarkable, spot on, and inspirational. Every spoken line, musical motif, and theme is nuanced in the right way to tell the story of how some of the most unlikely characters rose above their station in life to build a new nation. The themes are all solid — ie. overcoming loss, rising above circumstances, not throwing away opportunities, creating a great legacy, etc. It’s a show that makes you proud to be an American and I can’t imagine anyone taking issue with the content based on political leanings. It really is an impactful show.
It’s built into their... beep-boop-beep...programming.
I have zero interest in seeing it either. It has (c)rap “music” in it which I detest. Also, I don’t have a good opinion of Hamilton either and this is a nauseating hagiography.
I’ve seen it, and loved it.
I feared they would be smearing beloved Founding Fathers, but I did not feel that at all watching.
The feeling that I got was a true telling of the story, in such a way as to make it interesting, appealing and identifiable to a younger, and a Black audience.
It is a complete biography of Hamilton - historically accurate, and sympathetically portrayed.
America does not bashed - but King George does a bit...
It was very well done, in my opinion. I would recommend it.
Actually, Lin Manuel Miranda said right out that he wanted a cast that “Looks like America is now” and issued a casting call for “no whites”.
It does not get any clearer, fam. If you don’t cop on by now, you never will.
Holy mackerel... Hamilton is awesome!
It’s the best musical since CATS. Or - better!
Lyrically, musically... It’s a delight.
It really has nothing at all to do with “race.”
It’s just... Great! I’ll bet everyone who has seen Hamilton on this thread agrees with me.
Phantom was a dud, and lyrically boring.
“Les Miserables...” Facile and embarrassing to watch.
Hamilton? WAY up there!
Tell her you’ll go see it with her if she’ll go see GOSNELL with you!!
I’ll pass if I want to know anything about Hamilton I will go read Forrest McDonalds’s book or Ron Cherow’s book on Hamilton.
I don’t go to musicals to learn history or in the case of Cats biology!
ah you again stalker? I dont give a rats ass what you think LOL
I haven’t yet seen it, but given the expense and difficulty of obtaining tickets, I think the correct response would’ve been, “sure, get me a ticket and I’ll go!”. I’m surrounding by the types who think this play is literally the best thing since Obama’s election. Literally, that’s how they see it.
I have a feeling that it might be a barf fest for a conservative, but it does depend on whether you are able to enjoy “good” entertainment that’s made by liberals and includes liberal messages. They wouldn’t be raving about it as they do if it weren’t objectively of good quality. For myself, I hate musicals, but I do love hip hop music, so it’s hard to say where I’d come down. But I’m pretty sure it’s probably good entertainment if you like musicals, like hip hop and can stomach being assaulted by liberal messaging.
I do also find it a bit coincidental that the libs are particularly interested in lionizing Alexander Hamilton at a time when populism and nationalism are on the rise. Hamilton was by no means a socialist, but in today’s context, as I understand him, he’s be probably more on the globalist side of things than say, Thomas Jefferson, or certainly Andrew Jackson.
I personally don’t care one way or the other about them casting people of different races in the different roles. I’d prefer that we live in the world where any one of any race could play any role of any race, but I don’t really care if someone wants to deliberately tweak that. I do think anyone who goes to see this needs to STFU when a white person gets case in a non-white role though.
Finally, I do like that it’s casting one of the Founding Fathers in a good light. I happen to believe that the people who founded this nation where both individually and collectively blessed with divine inspiration and a keen understanding of the human condition, and so the more attention that gets focused on them and their thoughts, the better, IMHO.
Go see it, just don’t pay for it!
Well angry stalker, someone needs a life LOL You remind me of another stalker freeper who followed me around but you’re far too creepier LOL
I have no idea what is wrong with you but I hope you have the grace to dismiss yourself from this forum.
“it is a minstrel show but politically correct”
Spot on.
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