Seeing Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton seems especially appropriate in this year of our nation’s 250th birthday. The musical is a celebration of the United States that acknowledges the contradictions between glorious ideals and less-glorious reality. Aug. 6 is the 10th anniversary of the musical’s Broadway premiere. Hamilton returns to Morsani Hall Oct. 21 – Nov. 8 and tickets are now on sale. Visit our website or call 813-229-7827.
Aug. 12 is the 66th anniversary of another American classic, Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham. What connects this children’s book to Hamilton? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. But that didn’t stop us from wondering how the good doctor might have approached this story of our nation’s beginnings.
(It’s also a reminder that Patel Conservatory will present Seussical Jr., which brings Horton, the Cat in the Hat and other Seussian favorites to the stage. Seussical Jr. will be presented July 23-26 in TECO Theater. For tickets or more information, visit our website or call 813-229-7827.)
I am Hamilton. Hamilton I am. You get it. Green Eggs and Hamilton? There are no references to food, actual or Seussian, in our version. Hard to resist that as a title, though. Anyway …
Hamilton
He has a shot
Will he throw it?
He will not.
See here, Ham
What’s so great
About this shot?
For goodness’ sake.
It will say
“I was here,”
In a couple
Hundred years
I’ll save it ‘til
I need its magic
To throw too soon
Would be just tragic
Would you throw it away
For the Schuyler clan?
Eliza, Angelica,
Dear Old Dad?
How about good old
General George?
Freezing through winter
At Valley Forge
For love? For the king?
For the revolution?
I’m out of ideas
What’s the solution?
My shot will not
Be thrown away
Unless there is
No other way
To not take a life
Or break a commandment
My heart would insist
And my soul would demand it.
Aaron Burr, though,
Had other designs
He lodged a bullet
In Hamilton’s spine
Hamilton died
And Burr’s a villain
History, though, gave
Hamilton top billing
See for the first time
Or see it again
When Straz welcomes back
Our friend Hamilton