White Folx: what we’re not gonna do is apply “woke white criticism” to the musical powerhouse starring almost exclusively black and brown actors.

My students’ introduction to theatre was my class. Even the clip of #Hamilton I showed was life changing for all of them.

Until I showed them clips with faces that looked like theirs, they did not want to participate in class. The moment @DaveedDiggs starts rapping? Game over. Now I had got kids asking for audition prep for the school of the arts.

Are there criticisms that can be made about Hamilton? Of course, but faces like ours need to shut the actual fuck up right now with that criticism.

I know it’s hard considering all of musical theatre has been “ours,” but this one isn’t. The biggest show of all time IS NOT OURS.

So, unless you wanna go look my 13-year-old student with zero exposure to theatre who watched ONE Hamilton video and then auditioned for and was accepted to an arts high school for performance in the eyes and tell him this life changing musical “is problematic” you can STFU.

Better yet, instead of criticising the mega popular musical with black and brown folx, focus that “woke” energy for OKLAHOMA!, FLOWER DRUM SONG, SOUTH PACIFIC...or you know, anything composed by the namesake of the theatre Hamilton was performed in.

I was asked to clarify, so I will.

There are plenty of things to analyze/criticize about Hamilton and it’s centering of white stories with Black and brown actors as a vehicle to do so.

But it is not for white people to decide what is/isn’t problematic for Black and brown folx.