“Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story?”: Diversity and the Importance of Representation in Hamilton
Title: “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story?”: Diversity and the Importance of Representation in Hamilton
Creator: Rebecca Maehara
Category: Body
Creator Commentary:
In the midst of contentious racial politics and hateful rhetoric under a new Presidential administration, contemporary America is reflective of a time and place deeply entrenched in social, political, and economic polarization. As a cultural product, the 2015 production Hamilton: An American Musical is very much involved in this current cultural dialogue, challenging what it means to own a body and occupy space in 21st century terms. However, it is important to be critical in the way we remember others and whose narrative we are telling in doing so. This academic paper will explore Hamilton’s representation of racial diversity for the purposes of creating a more inclusive space for theatre, and by extension, the American people.
Submission:
Author Bio:
Rebecca is a junior English literature major and art history minor with hopes of working as a lawyer or being involved in the social justice realm. She is interested in the arts, environmental science and policy, and activism.