“What’s your name, man?” “Alexander Hamilton.” As soon as Lin-Manuel Miranda runs out on stage and utters these two words, the applause is uproarious as the Richard Rodgers Theatre, filled to the brim with 1,319 people, gets a glimpse of the genius who created this masterpiece. “Hamilton” has become a worldwide phenomenon as word of the history, incredible actors and the unique rap music has spread. Popular politicians and celebrities such as Beyonce, the Clintons, Kanye West, Daniel Radcliffe, Oprah Winfrey, Jimmy Fallon, Ingrid Michaelson, Sylvester Stallone, Karlie Kloss and the Obama family have seen the show and raved about it. Hamilton has received major acclaim from all reviews, with New York Times critic Ben Brantley saying “Yes, it is really that good.” So what is this incredible show all about?

“Hamilton” is almost 3 hours long, but every moment is captivating and every word important. It begins with the song “Alexander Hamilton”, which describes Hamilton’s early life and his journey from St. Croix to New York City. The opening song also gives a preview of what is to come when it features lines from each prominent character concerning their interactions with Hamilton: “ ‘Me, I fought for him’, ‘Me, I died for him’, ‘Me, I trusted him’, ‘Me, I loved him’, ‘And me, I’m the damn fool who shot him’ ”. As the play continues, we meet Hamilton’s adversary, Aaron Burr, along with his comrades, John Laurens, Marquis de Lafayette and Hercules Mulligan, and learn of Hamilton’s aspirations to make a difference in this developing nation. This all occurs during “Aaron Burr” and “My Shot”, which are two mind-blowing songs filled with references to history while using modern language. The first act continues with humor and tension as we experience the Revolutionary War, meet the Schuyler sisters, interact with George Washington and see the founding of America. In the second act, Hamilton tries to push countless ideas and papers through Congress, while working through conflict with John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. The audience is able to see the pain that Hamilton and his wife, Eliza, experience as they work through a scandal, and later, when their son dies, in addition to highlighting Aaron Burr’s struggle to be included. At the end of the show, the audience has a deeper understanding of how and why this part of history occurred.

Alexander Hamilton’s main concern was with his legacy, and the last song is a beautiful way to wrap up the story and explain what each character accomplished. The message of the show is that it is important to remember figures that created this country, but the legacy that you leave behind is not everything: it is family and impact that is important.

Want to see “Hamilton”? Unfortunately, tickets are impossible to acquire, unless you’re willing to pay a hefty fee. However, you can enjoy video clips of Hamilton through YouTube’s “Ham4Ham” shows, their Grammy Performance, and, my favorite, the spectacular cast album, which includes almost every line in the show.