The groundbreaking Broadway musical “Hamilton,” which tells the story of Alexander Hamilton in hip-hop form, has snagged a record 16 Tony nominations, including ones for best musical, best book, best performance by an actor in a musical, and best performance by an actress in a musical.
Based on the Ron Chernow biography, the musical features a racially diverse cast – George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Aaron Burr are all portrayed by African-American actors – while the show’s creator and composer, Lin-Manuel Miranda, a first-generation American of Puerto Rican descent, depicts the title character.
The show two weeks ago was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for drama, only the ninth musical to receive the honor.
Other nominees for best musical include “Shuffle Along,” Waitress, “School of Rock,” and “Bright Star.”
In a desperate bid for relevance, the musical “Waitress” is holding a press conference at 4:00 this afternoon to announce its running mate.
Read all about the Tony nominations here.
