I'm not sure what ELSE I was expecting. Of course Barack and Michelle Obama introduced Hamilton at the Tony Awards. They have been fans of this show longer than most of us, and nobody is more deserving of this honor. And considering the musical's subject matter, it was more than fitting to have the President of the United States introduce its highly anticipated performance.
In the video, the POTUS talked about how Lin-Manuel Miranda once nervously introduced his next project at a White House poetry jam in 2009. It was then called The Hamilton Mixtape and wasn't even necessarily going to be a musical at the time. At the jam, Miranda described Alexander Hamilton as someone who "embodied the spirit of hip hop" and proceeded to perform what would become the show's first number.
As the President says, they laughed at him then. It's true! The audience found the energetic and jumpy Miranda thoroughly charming. Few could have known then the impact that his "project" would have today. Now the words "Alexander Hamilton" inspire applause instead of giggles. What a difference just a few years has made. The President and First Lady's introduction, which you can watch below, also spoke to how Hamilton teaches us about the best that America can be.
I'm glad that Hamilton has been recognized not just by the theater world, but by the President and millions of people across the country.
