HUAS79001 - How Hamilton Happened, with Chris Jones

Course Description

On July 3, the streaming service Disney+ will premiere a filmed version of the original cast of the most successful Broadway musical in a generation. In advance of that event, join the critic (and Hamilton expert) Chris Jones for a look at the backstory to the creation of the musical, and a rich discussion of where this show sits within the context of American history, the modern American theater, and other seminal Broadway musicals that paved its way. Drawing from his years of covering the work for the Chicago Tribune/New York Daily News and talking to its creators, Jones will discuss how this musical was embraced and promoted by the 44th president of the United States and imparts mostly centrist values very much consistent with the values of that administration: diversity, unity, tolerance, an embrace of complex thinking, and an optimistic point of view about American democracy and its ability to push past its own failings for the eventual betterment of all citizens. He'll also consider the current context of events into which this remarkable creative work will now be thrust. Ideal for superfans and neophytes alike, How Hamilton Happened will enhance what promises to be a singular Independence Weekend experience.