thoughtinmind.blogspot.com: IS ANYONE ENTITLED to see HAMILTON because of their race or fiscal circumstance? No. Many of the folks who have paid to see it scrimped and saved and made it happen because it was important to them. They earned it just as much as the folks who had more available income, and thus didn’t have to save quite as much for quite as long to afford tickets. The only people who can stake an uncontested claim to being entitled to seeing the show are the people who bought tickets…but I have issues with a system that virtually locks people out of a cultural experience, even when that cultural experience benefits from reflecting audiences that can’t actually see the show.
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I've been saying this for years. I was incredibly upset a few years back when Lin Manuel Miranda spoke out about Hamilton bootlegs basically begging people to not spread them. I understand that selling bootlegs is not okay, but posting them on Youtube with no cost to the viewer and no monetary gain to the poster so that an important piece of art can be more accessible is perfectly moral in my opinion and it was disappointing that Lin Manuel Miranda, someone who was born into a low income family, would not be understanding of that. Bootlegs do not lower anyone's desire to see a live show anymore than a recording of the music on spotify would. I commend the efforts Hamilton has made to make the show accessible with the lottery and providing tickets at a reduced cost to educational institutions, but it still seems crazy to me that these shows cost so much. I understand, though, that for the most part these prices are not determined by Miranda or any actual person but rather a tradition that has dictated that the theater is only for those of an elevated status. I hope that shows with an intended audience of the working class will someday become available to those people when we finally figure out a way to more evenly distribute wealth and become more compassionate people. Until then, luck to all those in the lottery over the coming weeks.
Situations like this are so hard to explain in a thoughtful and eloquent manner but I think this article did an excellent job of explaining a phenomenon that is existing throughout practically the entirety of the theatre industry. That is the expense of theatre making it inaccessible to a significant portion of people who the art could and should be able to reach. The issue is complex in the fact that we want theatre to be inexpensive so that it is accessible but we also want to pay people fairly for creating this art. Hamilton in particular faces a new layer in this issue because it has diversity and representation in this show, (yay!) but it isn’t accessible to see preformed live to a significant portion of people who this sort of diversity empowers. Though the wealthy white America may enjoy this progressive jump it isn’t the same as someone seeing representation on the stage in a way that they have been thirsting for, for so many years.
What an interesting perspective to take. Considering how Hamilton has paved the way for other shows that are poignantly about people of color, this article expresses that Hamilton is also a very hard act to follow. This article also complements how Hamilton is a success for more than just its soundtrack. The set, lighting, costumes, and performers are all things that give Hamilton the reputation it deserves. However, this article touches on a really important thing: THEATRE IS TOO EXPENSIVE. I understand that it takes a ton of money to create a broadway production, but the fact that people have to save up money to go see a Broadway show is really ridiculous. Everyone should have the opportunity to experience high quality theatre. And I know that the whole point of Non-profit theatre is to bring theatre to the community, but the scope of a non-profit show compared to that of a commercial show is very different.
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