By: Jenna Wigman

Musicals have shifted from being a staple in the pop culture lexicon in the 1940s – 1960s to present day where film and television take the leading roles. But every so often there is a new musical that is so disruptive and creative that is stands out to even those who generally turn their noses up at the at-times “campy” genre. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton is an original American musical taking the country by storm in a time when the notion of positive nationalism is needed more than ever.

On the surface it would seem that a three-hour musical about one of our nation’s founding fathers that never actually became President would be fairly dry and tedious. But through Miranda’s energetic and addictive music, deliberately verbose lyrics and his approach to mixing musical genres to enhance the storytelling, even the most musical-averse theatregoer will be left reeling and surprisingly invigorated by the biographical hip hop tale.

Not only did Miranda write the music, lyrics and book for the innovative show, but he also stars in the show as the brilliant and at-times arrogant Alexander Hamilton. The deep-seated passion of this ingeniously written piece is not only felt from Miranda’s performance, but from the charmingly villainous Aaron Burr (Leslie Odom Jr.), the ensemble that permeates excitement into even the most mundane cabinet meeting and more. The modern music infused with the historical storyline creates a compelling dichotomy that ushers in fans from a massive spectrum. Hip hop fans, theatre nerds and history buffs alike are going crazy for the show—which has been demonstrated by its monumental box office success. The show is sold out through most of 2016 and resale tickets are going for as high as $600, making it the hardest ticket to find in town.

Photo courtesy Instagram, @LeslieOdomJr

Though the show enjoyed a successful pre-Broadway run at the Public Theater, it is fairly unprecedented that the show would be receiving this level of acclaim so many months before the Tony Awards. Not only has President Obama already seen the show twice, but ultra-famous audience members have become a daily norm for the high-profile show. From Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Barbara Streisand, Bill Clinton, Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey to Paul McCartney, the cumulative lineup of celebrities that have stepped foot into the Richards Rodger Theater for the show is as star-studded than the Oscars.

Miranda’s genuine passion for the theatre is not only evident in this monumental piece, but also in his connection with his wildly passionate fan-base. Not only is he constantly responding to fan tweets with his signature wit and style, but he has also ignited a new Broadway sensation that is reaching well beyond those lucky enough to score a coveted ticket. Miranda’s regular #ham4ham shows started off as a way to thank fans for standing in the craziness of Times Square for an hour for a chance to win discounted day-off tickets to the show. The promotion has turned into a digital sensation. Each 3-5 minute sidewalk performance—which oftentimes is planned only hours before—pulls in some of Broadway’s and New York’s finest talents to deliver a light-hearted experience of live theater to a dedicated fan base. From a duet of Aladdin’s “A Whole New World” with the original voice of Jasmine Lea Salonga to an adorable reenactment of one of the show’s duets by a young theater reviewer, the mini shows portray a genuine excitement for live theater which is being shared across a wide range of age and demographics, reaching a whole new online audience with this theatrical passion.

If you’re not able to get a ticket to go see it in the foreseeable future, don’t stress. The original cast album has soared to unprecedented success, landing the #2 spot on Billboard’s Top Albums of 2015 and was specifically crafted to deliver a comprehensive theatrical and musical experience to listeners. And with the smashing Broadway success, the show is already making significant progress on national growth. An open-ended run of Hamilton is scheduled to open in Chicago in September 2016, with details of a national tour still in the works.

So whether you think you’re into musicals or not—at least give it a Spotify listen before you decide.