Posted on 04/18/2016 12:36:42 PM PDT by Borges
Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda's Broadway musical phenomenon that tells the story of “ten-dollar Founding Father without a father” Alexander Hamilton, was named winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in Drama.
It joins an exclusive club of just eight other musicals that have won the prestigious award since it was founded nearly a century ago. The Pulitzer, which is awarded to “a distinguished play by an American author, preferably original in its source and dealing with American life,” includes a $10,000 cash prize.
Finalists were Gloria by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and The Humans by Stephen Karam. This year's Drama Pulitzer jury consisted of chair Peter Marks (drama critic, The Washington Post), Ayad Akhtar (playwright), Stephanie Arnold (author, Professor Emerita Of Theatre, Lewis & Clark College), Anne Marie Welsh (theater critic, Script Editor) and Linda Winer (drama critic, Newsday).
This year marks the 100th announcement of the prizes in various categories, though the Drama prize wasn't inaugurated until 1917, and the first winner wasn't announced until 1918.
All eyes were on the juggernaut musical Hamilton this year. See Playbill.com's story Hamilton Seems to Have Pulitzer Prize for Drama All Sewn Up. Nevertheless, some critics suggested to Playbill.com there were equally worthy candidates out there, including Stephen Haram’s The Humans, Danai Gurira’s Eclipsed, Lucas Hnath's The Christians and Annie Baker’s John.
Hamilton has already won several awards, including the Grammy for Best Theatre Recording, and seems poised to become a strong contender in this spring's awards season.
The Pulitzer jury has a history of going to unexpected winners. The juries for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama have developed a taste for the small scale in recent years. The previous four winners were Between Riverside and Crazy by Stephen Adly Guirgis in 2015, The Flick by Annie Baker in 2014, Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar in 2013 and Water By the Spoonful by Quiara Alegría Hudes in 2012. Few of those were even on most pundits’ advance short lists. The last time the trophy went to a high-profile work was in 2011, when Bruce Norris won it for Clybourne Park.
The last musical to win was Next to Normal in 2010. Other musicals that won the Pulitzer: Rent (1996), Sunday in the Park With George (1985), A Chorus Line (1976), How To Succeed in Business without Really Trying (1962), Fiorello (1960), South Pacific (1950) and Of Thee I Sing (1932).
Thomas Jefferson will accept the award in blackface!
All of the founding fathers are played by Black and Latino actors. That’s part of the gimmick.
Yes but it’s illegal to put out an ad like that.
It didn’t win because its good; it won because its blacker than the others.
It’s getting raves. Extremely popular.
Oh yeah...that’s the one that sent out a casting call saying white need not apply.
Pulitzer prizes are prizes given by liberals, to liberals, for being liberal.
Saw it. Loved it. Didn’t even think about the casting, to be honest. Was too enthralled by the lyrics and choreography.
What’s it about (in brief)?
It sounds like the people who made it, thought a whole lot about the casting.
-PJ
Why is it Ok for non-white actors to play the role of whites but the opposite is somehow “appropriating culture”?
*shrug* I consider wearing pants to be cultural appropriation by some.
LOL...yes, they did. (Major emphasis :)
I enjoyed the other dimensions...the story of Alexander Hamilton (his relationship with Aaron Burr, The Revolution and his personal life), the music and dance.
King George III was hilarious.
Of course civilization IS cultural appropriation. The exchange of ideas drives the world forward. I won't accuse LeBron James of cultural appropriation because he excels at a game invented by whites and I won't bad mouth Chuck Norris for excelling at martial arts developed by Asians.
The one white guy- George Fetchet!
I haven’t seen the show but I did see a video 2 or 3 years ago in which the author performed a “rap” that formed an initial part of it. I’m not especially into rap but it was obvious that Mr. Miranda is enormously talented and entertaining and had chosen a fascinating topic.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.