The story of one of the most acclaimed musicals in Broadway history and the story of the man the show is about are deftly intertwined in “Hamilton’s America,” a “Great Performances” documentary being broadcast on Friday, Oct. 21, on PBS. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the book, music and lyrics for the musical “Hamilton,” is a genial guide to both tales.
He recalls how the idea for the stage show came to him while he was taking a breather after mounting his earlier hit, “In the Heights,” and started reading Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton. No one was more surprised that such a book could become the toughest ticket on Broadway than Mr. Chernow. “Lin invited me to ‘In the Heights,’” he recalls, “and I went backstage, and he said, ‘Ron, I was reading the book, and hip-hop songs started rising off the page.’ And I said to him, ‘Really?’”
Haven’t seen the show? Musical excerpts are served up as Mr. Miranda and others relate how it took shape while also detailing Hamilton’s considerable role in American history.