Hamilton writer Lin-Manuel Miranda has revealed the feedback he received on the play from legendary composer Stephen Sondheim during its early drafts.
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A decade after Hamilton was first performed, and ahead of what would have been Sondheim’s 95th birthday on Saturday March 22, Miranda posted screenshots on Instagram of email exchanges between the pair as he worked on an early version of the much-loved musical.
In the caption, Miranda wrote: “Stephen Sondheim would have been 95 years old this Saturday. He was our art form’s greatest writer and our greatest encourager. When we first met in 2009, he told me to keep him updated on my progress with Hamilton, and I did, via dozens of emails and drinks at his townhouse over the years.
“Above is just one exchange from 2014, after sending him the first draft of Act 2. “Variety, variety, variety.” The last image is his email from opening night of Hamilton at @publictheaterny. I treasure it and I miss him very much.”
The screenshots show Sondheim providing feedback on the very first draft of Hamilton’s Act 2, congratulating Miranda on his signature verbose lyrical style whilst also offering suggestions for improvement.
One paragraph from Sondheim encourages Miranda to reconsider the final song of the show by thinking more about what initially inspired him to write it. It reads: “The other thing that occurs to me is that the last song feels a little dry and conventionally rueful/uplifting thesis-like instead of moving with the blood of what made you write the piece in the first place.
“I don’t think the show is about time and historical reputation, I think it’s about something a great deal deeper and broader than that. Give it a little thought and get back to what started you on this.
“What is there about ambition and political idealism and the remarkable founding of this county, what is there about that particular man that so seized your imagination?”
Hamilton: An American Musical made its Broadway debut in August 2015. Created entirely by Miranda, the show reimagines the life of US Founding Father Alexander Hamilton through a groundbreaking blend of hip-hop, R&B, and traditional musical theatre.
It became a cultural phenomenon, earning critical acclaim, 11 Tony Awards, a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and a record-breaking cast album, with a filmed version released on Disney+ in 2020.
Recently, the cast of the musical cancelled their production at The Kennedy Center due to President Trump taking control of the venue.