Chloe Parker
On February 27, students from Granite Falls High School got the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take a trip to the grand Paramount Theatre in Seattle to watch the critically acclaimed musical, Hamilton, live. Headed by our very own Mrs. Hamilton, who took her Pre-AP English kids, along with Mrs. Sullivan and the Theatre students, who arranged the whole trip, at 10 o’clock, we all loaded up onto the bus and took off.
Even though taking 40+ people on a bus in Seattle can be a challenge for some, the teachers handled it readily and we arrived with plenty of time to spare. As Mrs. Hamilton passed out our tickets, the group was buzzing with anticipation. After passing through the threshold, it’s like you transform into a fancy sophisticated playgoer in a fur coat and opera glasses, straight out of the 1930s. The theatre was gorgeous. Complete with ornate wall plaster reminiscent of when the theater was first built in 1928, staircases out of a Disney movie, and a big optical illusion-inducing feature in the ceiling, it was a spectacular feat indeed. There was also a water fountain that looked like an angel-adorned bird bath (drinking the water tasted kind of weird but it was totally worth it). But soon it was time to stop looking at the architecture and take our seats for the show.
Now, onto the actual performance: it was outstanding. To quote the theater kids, “Hamilton was a godsend,” when referring to how they themselves were struggling to find inspiration for their upcoming production, The Pink Panther. By far, it was the best field trip that I wasn’t supposed to go on ever. As soon as the lighting went down, it felt like the audience was inside of a television, watching the accumulation of a year’s worth of the performers’ hard work. The actors took the original script and truly made the show their own while also paying tribute to the original musical, written and performed by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
First performed ten years ago in January of 2015, Hamilton quickly became a big hit on and off Broadway. The play is based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, one of America’s founding fathers, and his rise to fame after the Revolutionary War and involvement in politics afterward. As an orphan from the Caribbean, Hamilton was able to sail to the mainland of the colonies, where he was able to become an integral part of the Revolution. Becoming George Washington’s assistant, Hamilton secured himself in the history books, when, after the war he became the first Secretary of Treasury, along with many twists and turns within his private life. Ultimately, the musical ends with his death at the hands of Aaron Burr, his longtime friend and rival. Wrapping up in the song “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story,” which highlights all of his accomplishments throughout his life and his place in building this nation. All in all, it was a wonderful performance, and if you haven’t seen it yet, you should soon.