Student Entertainment Events hosted a singalong to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton in Stamp Student Union’s Hoff Theater this past Wednesday and Thursday, where the music and energy of the historical hip-hop musical came to life.
From the first line of the titular first song, “Alexander Hamilton”, students sang out. The entire evening felt like a communal performance, with the crowd launching into Miranda’s melodies and harmonies without hesitation.
Audience members knew each track by heart, singing to their friends and partners with unapologetic enthusiasm. Students laughed, clapped and cheered, almost as if they were watching the original cast live on Broadway.
As a former theater kid who was seldom seen without my own Hamilton merchandise in middle school, Hamilton’s emergence and longevity in mainstream culture remain fascinating, and prompt a closer look into how a rap musical about a forgettable founding father became such a phenomenon.
In the 10 years since its debut, Hamilton made a prolific impact on pop culture, inspiring memes, TikTok trends, Halloween costumes and even an unauthorized, creatively divergent adaptation that was unaffectionately dubbed “Scamilton”.
“I think, if anything, [Hamilton’s] gotten more popular with the TikTok trends that follow it and the dress-up trends [it caused],” Brooke Carroll, a sophomore social data science major, said.
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Despite its initial popularity, Hamilton remains in the cultural consciousness, guaranteed to be heard at least once at every karaoke night since its Broadway debut.
Jennifer Qiu, a junior biology major, said she first encountered the musical during its initial wave of popularity in 2016. Nearly 10 years later, Qiu said she thinks its legacy has endured.
“I think it aged really well,” Qiu said, “It has a super good reputation still, after all these years online.”
The crowd went wild at a few key moments, mainly Daveed Digg’s rap verse in the song “Guns and Ships” and Jonathan Groff’s unfortunate amount of spit splashed at the camera during the song “You’ll Be Back”.
In 2020, during Broadway’s shutdown, Hamilton’s demand called for the release of its professional video recording, or proshot, which made the musical sensation available to fans and new viewers alike.
“[My first introduction to Hamilton was] when it was announced that the proshot was going to be on Disney+,” Katie Ng, a freshman journalism major, said.
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Even during ballads and less upbeat tracks, students were committed to singing along with every line.
During slower songs, such as “Dear Theodosia” or “Burn”, the voices of the audience grew tender and heartfelt, matching the tone of each song. Minutes later, those same voices were heard passionately spitting through the verses of “Right Hand Man” and confidently layering to create every part of the harmonies in “Non-Stop.”
Act 2, which holds fewer of the marquee songs, didn’t see a decline in energy or crowd participation from the first act. Students rapped along with each cabinet battle and stayed engaged with the production until Phillipa Soo gasped and the lights went dark.
Altogether, the singalong experience took on a meaning larger than itself. Students sang along with their friends and with total strangers, creating an environment of bonding and sharing the enthusiasm and love everyone held for the musical.
The themes Hamilton addresses — legacy, ambition and topics about immigration — allowed it to stay relevant. As topics that continue to shape modern social and political discussions, they make the musical feel current, even after 10 years.
“Especially with recent political news and whatnot, I think if anything, more people are watching it,” Carroll said.
With its innovative blend of history, modern music and resonant themes, Hamilton has cemented its place in musical theatre history.
As Ng puts it, Hamilton is “a musical that continues to be super popular and that everyone wants to see.”
