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A review by ktdakotareads
Rise Up! Broadway and American Society from Angels in America to Hamilton by Chris Jones
3.0
Rise Up! by Chris Jones offers a view of the changing Broadway landscape from the early 1990s until 2016 with the emergence of Hamilton. As one would expect the social and political climates of the time found their way to the Great White Way in pieces highlighted through this book. From the talk about AIDS and HIV mentioned in Angels in America, The Normal Heart and Rent! to political indifference from the past that is still present today in Hamilton, Broadway has acted as a beacon for individuals to find their voice and let it be heard. Rise Up! also highlighted works by playwrights such as August Wilson who provided a voice for the African American population that had sadly been missing from the majority of mainstream productions.
My biggest problem with this work was the constant comparison to Hamilton. Don't get me wrong I enjoy this musical and look forward to seeing it in a few months, but I don't think it needs the constant comparisons. Each work prior to Hamilton had their own voice, that may have paved a path for Hamilton, and they should be appreciated in their own light. By the comparison to Hamilton, I felt like it cheapening the works of the playwrights, musicians, actors and everyone else who participated in making those other productions reality. Hamilton will stand the test of time, at least it currently appears, and so will these other works so please let them stand alone.
This book is a good read for those that appreciate theater, want to know more about Broadway's contemporary history and are Hamilton fans.
My biggest problem with this work was the constant comparison to Hamilton. Don't get me wrong I enjoy this musical and look forward to seeing it in a few months, but I don't think it needs the constant comparisons. Each work prior to Hamilton had their own voice, that may have paved a path for Hamilton, and they should be appreciated in their own light. By the comparison to Hamilton, I felt like it cheapening the works of the playwrights, musicians, actors and everyone else who participated in making those other productions reality. Hamilton will stand the test of time, at least it currently appears, and so will these other works so please let them stand alone.
This book is a good read for those that appreciate theater, want to know more about Broadway's contemporary history and are Hamilton fans.