Amna, Reza and family invited me to join them on seeing “Hamilton” on Broadway, a play I had been planning to see for a long, long time. Sajjad and I had been plotting to get tickets, but it never materialized. It was nerve wrecking to get into Manhattan from New Jersey, on a rainy day. The City itself was packed with people and car traffic, and trying to get over the George Washington Bridge and across town seemed to take forever. Never again will I leave only one hour to get to an important event.
As I passed the Richard Rogers Theatre right off Times Square, I saw long lines of people waiting to get into the theater and was secretly smiling. New York City is back, and so is Broadway! What a wonderful change from the last 2 years (almost)! Even getting into the parking garage took a long time, as I kept looking at the time since we had to be online before the 3pm start. Walking rapidly through the busy sidewalks reminded me of my commuting days when I worked at AT&T near Radio City Hall, when getting to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in record time was my daily goal, choosing quick sidesteps and shortcuts and feeling happy when I made intended bus departure. The people energy, the noise, the lights all create a feeling in oneself of being picked up by an energy and just cruising fast through it all. It just felt so normal and wonderful, probably because I do not have to do it every day. I am sure my daughter Sonia, a young mother, who used to commute daily to Times Square, in fact, from Jersey City does not miss it either!
Once inside the theater, we were instructed to keep our masks on the whole time, and as the grandkids ate, they could only move the mask up or down to eat or drink briefly. A man was walking around reminding everyone. Going in I had to show my vaccination card, which I happily did, feeling secure in the knowledge that everyone was being checked.The play is hard to describe, except to say that it is just brilliant! It tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, who was a statesman at the time of the founding of the United States of America, and led both militarily and politically with George Washington, the founding father. Every single musical in the play is incredible in its wit, its delivery, and its innovative blend of hip-hop, rap, and other modern forms of music. Every scene is full of constant action, with many different settings on the single stage moving in grand unison, and yet able to have the audience totally mesmerized with the central performance.
The key message of course is to give credit to someone who achieved so much in the founding of the USA, and to reinforce that plurality and innovation go together. Hamilton was not from a wealthy family but rose in the ranks through his ambition and hard work, which was rare in those days. And the play depicts this rapid journey to success, with so many lasting legacies that he left behind. Given where we are in this country, it was a blessed moment of reminder of the greatness that is woven in the DNA of its founding.Everyone should see this play- it is inspiring and I am so glad our grandkids saw it. I was so proud of their engagement with it, and as Amna told me, they know all the songs. Izzy was humming along quietly throughout the show- what a treat and a most memorable play!
Be First to Comment