So, what happens when a certified history geek who is also a certifiable theatre geek sees

“Hamilton.”  Well, first, he has to get out of his brain the  picture of Alexander Hamilton in “The History of New York State and Its People” (the textbook used to teach history of the Empire State one of the two times it was taught to young scholars back in the years when history was still “His-story.”  That particular depiction of Mr. Hamilton had him look incredibly like TV’s favorite secret agent, Napoleon Solo, the Man from U.N.C.L.E., portrayed by the dashing young Robert Vaughn.   The theatre geek side loved the show. though Jefferson as Prince was a bit of a surprise, but very well done.  I liked the use of women in the chorus for cross-gender roles.  I won’t bore you with all the history geek’s nitpicks, but James Madison was physically tiny and the whole Jefferson – Sally thing was a little weird.  Oh, and the Hamiltons had a shedload of kids, not just the two mentioned.  But my brain is full of that kind of stuff.   Like poor old Martha Washington who was BFF with Elizabeth and she got short shrift.

Oh, and I forgot to mention in my previous entry on the Hislop exhibit, he covered protest music too.  One of the songs was “Strange Fruit” made famous by Billy Holiday and written by Abel Meeropol.  What surprised me was that the exhibit didn’t mention that Mr. Meeropol adopted and raised the sons of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg after they were executed for spying.

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