Top 10 Hidden Details in Hamilton That Blow Us All Away

Numbers play a big role in the show! While there are some more noticeable easter eggs, like Philip Hamilton dying at the count of seven, the same number he had trouble with in “Take a Break” (xref), there are some far less overt. There are some interesting coincidences with the ages of certain characters and how many songs they lived through. Philip, newly born in “Dear Theodosia”, survives through 19 songs before dying in “Stay Alive” (Reprise). Philip was 19 when he died! Likely a coincidence… except the musical also follows a pattern for Alexander Hamilton himself. Hamilton, also 19 at the beginning of the show, died 28 years later, at the age of 47. If you include Laurens’ “Tomorrow There'll Be More of Us” - which didn’t appear on the cast recording - there are 47 songs in “Hamilton.”

Ambition really was Hamilton’s folly, but perhaps a greater mistake was uttering the name of this figure. There’s a superstition in the theatre community that to say the name “Macbeth” is bad luck for a production, and so actors and crew will often refer to it as the “Scottish Play.” Over the years, some have made caveats that the curse only applies if the name of the play is said, but that the character is fair game. Interestingly, as soon as Alexander Hamilton mentions the name of that tragic Shakespearean figure, his life starts to fall apart - though very much of his own volition. The very next song is “Say No to This”, and then things unravel as Hamilton loses his career, his healthy marriage, his dignity, his son, and finally, his own life. You want proof? Lin himself acknowledged it.

Though it might not get as much attention, there’s no question that the design of the set in “Hamilton” is one of its greatest aspects. One of the more interesting - and less obvious - elements is how the set subtly changes over the course of the show. In the beginning, you can see coils of rope hanging off stairs to indicate that Hamilton has come in from the immigrant boat. The scaffolding in the background of the first act indicates the building of a new country. In Act 2, we see more and more bricks added to the set’s design, indicating the very real building process that continues and becomes more finished as the characters work.

Speaking of the set, how about that turntable? It’s definitely one of the most visually interesting parts of the show, but it also has deep significance. Korins stated in a Washington Post interview that the choice was “inspired by the whirlwind of history that sweeps up Hamilton,” the hurricane that hit his birthplace, and even the “cyclical relationship between Aaron Burr and Hamilton, where they were basically spiraling around each other their entire careers and lives.” But even which direction it turns means something! The show’s choreographer, Andy Blankenbuehler, explained at a 2016 SiriusXM Town Hall that “when we’re resisting fate, the action on the stage goes clockwise,” then counter-clockwise for times of “forward progress, or at least inevitability.” Songs like “Satisfied,” for instance, see the stage reverse directions to show how time is being rewound. It also reverses direction when Hamilton’s dying.

Props deserve a hat-tip too! A lot of time was spent on getting the letters right to great on-stage effect and to add another layer of storytelling. In “Hamilton,” Hamilton is sent home to Eliza during “Meet Me Inside,” only to find out she’s pregnant in the following number. But this is set up earlier! During “Stay Alive,” Eliza can be seen above the action writing the letter to her husband. (xref) However, the coolest fact about letters in “Hamilton” is how much trial and error Props Master Jay Duckworth went through to pick the right PAPER for “Burn.” Duckworth went through different paper weights and sizes to have the cursive transcripts of historical letters burn for exactly two minutes and nine seconds. Why so specific? So the fire would go out just in time to leave Eliza in complete darkness on stage at the end of “Burn”.

The costume design in “Hamilton” is nuts, and it’s not surprising that Paul Tazewell earned a Lucille Lortel and Tony Award for his efforts. In-keeping with the balance “Hamilton” strikes between modern and historical, Tazewell made the conscious choice that costumes from the neck down would be period appropriate, while everything from the neck up would be modern, including hairstyles. This helped give the show that fresh, hip-hop feel while also making it clear when it was set. The dresses the female characters wear also change silhouette to reflect the passage of time and the styles du jour - though only King George III’s costume is down-to-the-details accurate. Color also has a meaning; Hamilton wears green for a simple reason: money. Jefferson’s velvety burgundy and purple ensemble is meant to call Jimi Hendrix and Prince to mind - and Daveed Diggs certainly commands the stage in a similar fashion.

Though some critics have fairly suggested “Hamilton” didn’t do enough to address slavery, there are some hints to it in the stage production. The biggest is Thomas Jefferson’s introduction in “What’d I Miss”; as Jefferson strides down the stairs, talking about freedom and revolution, the ensemble can be seen on their knees, scrubbing the floor. Jefferson also mentions “Sally” in the song, a possible nod to Jefferson’s slave Sally Hemings, with whom he was known to have a sexual relationship. Another Founding Father, George Washington, owned slaves, which gets acknowledged lyrically when he’s the one to cut off Laurens’ call for freedom in “Yorktown.” Christopher Jackson, who played Washington, also has an understated moment in the background during the final number. As Eliza mentions slavery, Washington registers her words and hangs his head in shame.

This is one even Lin-Manuel Miranda didn’t know. Andy Blankenbuehler, the choreographer, ensured that Hamilton was always moving in circles, in arcs, to represent his constant thinking, his constant forward momentum, and to show a frenetic and shifting viewpoint to match the times. Burr, meanwhile, always walks in straight lines, which matches his cautious character making a move only when he was sure it was the right one with least consequence, and to “Wait for It.” The staging had to be so precise so that both characters could showcase these sides of themselves while barely drawing attention to it. What’s additionally interesting is as Burr’s resolve unravels, he stops the straight, forward motion. The magic of theatre, folks!

This moment never fails to make us cry, but what does it mean? At the end of “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story”, Eliza sees Hamilton again, and he guides her to look out at the audience. Eliza gasps, and Lin-Manuel Miranda has said he wants to keep the significance of that moment for the actress who plays Eliza to decide on. However, he has said that it is certainly a moment meant to transcend time. What do you think Eliza is looking at? Is it the audience? Is it Hamilton? Is it seeing her legacy laid out before her? These are all perfectly valid interpretations and each one is impactful and filled with nostalgia and sorrow.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Thank Yous
Miranda Gave Special Thanks to All the Places He Wrote “Hamilton”

Jefferson Hands Alex Lacamoire a Reynolds Pamphlet
Have YOU Read This, Mr. Music Director?

The Microphone Cases
Kept in the Same Boxes as the Dueling Pistols; A Duel of Words

Ephraim Sykes’ Knees
This Guy Is BENDY!

Lafayette / Jefferson & Mulligan / Madison Fought With & Against Him, Both Laurens / Philip Died for Him
Lin’s Lyrical Duality Is Genius!

This one’s sure to blow us all away... quite literally. In the original production, the actress Ariana DeBose, an ensemble member, plays “The Bullet”, a special role meant to signify death. Other than Hamilton’s mother, she’s the first character killed in the show, and every appearance she has after is usually either foreshadowing a death or causing it. She mimes holding a bullet in both “Stay Alive” and “The World Was Wide Enough.” She shakes hands with Laurens during “Yorktown,” who dies soon after. When Philip goes searching for George Eacker, who should tell him where to go but DeBose, and so Philip, right before dying, flirts with Death. As the show nears its inevitable conclusion with the Burr/Hamilton duel, the Bullet hands Burr his quill to write out the letter that will spell doom for the two men. Next time you watch Hamilton, keep an eye out for her.