[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by JD10367

So, I've seen it live, and I've seen the recent taped production. I did enjoy it, even though there's a little too much rap for my liking, but I get it: it's kind of the point, so having a black cast sing opera would be a little bizarre. And some of the songs have a catchy little hook to them, even if it's simply them saying "Alex-ander Ham-il-ton!" or "the room where it happens".

But, ultimately, I think the thing gets an unfair boost simply because of what it is. I get it. It's black people playing historic white roles. But is that alone a reason for something to be popular? Miranda's previous big work was "In The Heights", which is a fairly mediocre and forgettably typical Broadway production. I'm all for being woke but I want a musical that actually lives up to the hype as well. If this was a white cast people would be like, "Eh." I don't care if I'm watching a bunch of Mexicans do "Phantom of the Opera". Or two lesbians doing "Romeo and Juliet". (Okay, well, maybe that one I do care.) If the production doesn't live up to the hype... I can name a bunch of musicals I've seen that deserve more praise for having music and a production that lives up to the story. Obvious choices from old like "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Fiddler On The Roof", more recent works like "Les Miserables" and "Phantom of the Opera", even more recent works like "Kinky Boots", "Avenue Q", "The Book of Mormon", "Something Rotten"... I just think there's a bit of 'Emperor's new clothes' going on with this thing.