Composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the 2015 breakout musical “Hamilton” grew to insurmountable levels of fame in a relatively short amount of time. The musical has recently hit its 10-year anniversary and fans everywhere are eager to celebrate.
One part of the anniversary celebrations is the theatrical release of a 2016 recording of the musical. Before, the recording was only available on Disney+. “Hamilton’s” release in theaters across the country has generated excitement from longtime fans and restarted discussions about the musical online.
Over the summer, TikTok user Zoe posted a video lip-synching to the song “Best of Wives and Best of Women” from the second act of the show. In the video, she is dressed in head-to-toe 1776 attire, drawn-on beard and all.
The video gained nearly two million likes and inspired others to join the trend and film their own renditions. Tallahassee local Velia Selva dressed up as Alexander Hamilton and recreated the trend while attending a movie theater showing of the musical last week, gaining attention on TikTok.
“I feel so lucky to have been with such a welcoming and interactive crowd of Hamilton lovers. The audience itself became part of the show making it feel like a concert mixed with Broadway,” Selva said to the FSView. “Re-enacting the trend was not planned, but the encouragement and energy in that room resulted in that.”
While the theatrical release of the musical has been the catalyst for its newfound relevancy in pop culture spaces, it’s not the only reason “Hamilton” truly resonates with viewers.
“I think the Broadway community really loves the creation of the story,” Florida State University (FSU) political science major and “Hamilton” fan Peyton Feeley said. “Yes, the story is important, but people love the community that surrounds it.”
The musical tells the story of Hamilton, who was a founding father, and his journey navigating relationships, politics and overcoming his past. “Hamilton” brings historical figures to life to reflect themes of ambition, legacy, loss and the pursuit of the “American Dream” from the perspective of an immigrant.
Miranda first began to write the 46-track musical back in 2008 after he read an autobiography about Alexander Hamilton on vacation. In 2009, he performed a short work-in-progress mixtape version at the White House, where he officially announced his seemingly outlandish plan for the musical. Despite first impressions, “Hamilton” would turn into a monumental success for musical theatre.
“I believe Hamilton fosters a unique community from theatre kids, musical fans, history lovers and even people who are not familiar with Broadway or care for musicals,” Selva said.
The original cast of the Broadway show reunited to perform a “Hamilton” medley at the 2025 Tony Awards, the first time the group has performed together since 2016.
The performance generated online buzz, mainly due to the fact that the political commentary in the musical is relevant in 2025. Most of the cast consists of people of color, pointing to the fact that America is a melting pot and highlighting that some of America’s founding fathers were immigrants.
“Possibly the most relevant theme today in ‘Hamilton’ is the importance of seeing injustice in the world and correcting it, as expressed in the song ‘Non-Stop,’” FSU senior human development and family science major Ally Albuerne said.
In addition to the political nature of the performance, the cast wore all-black outfits, aside from Jonathan Groff, who played the tyrannical King George III in the musical.
“Hamilton” has already begun to prove its longevity. The show’s versatility allows its variety of themes to remain relevant within American politics, which is why many believe it will become a timeless classic.
“The power of standing up for what you believe in and not casting yourself away to the sidelines to wait for it to be done, is a message of ‘Hamilton’ that is really fitting to the encouragement of young people getting involved with current political, social and environmental beliefs that are being advocated for today,” Albuerne said.
Olivia Klimek is a Staff Writer for the FSView & Florida Flambeau, the student-run, independent online news service for the FSU community. Email our staff at contact@fsview.com.
This article originally appeared on FSU News: Hamilton renaissance: What the musical means in 2025
Reporting by Olivia Klimek, Staff Writer / FSU News
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