The Broadway Hip Hop musical Hamilton has already been a hit and a pop culture smash since its premiere in January 2015. It has since received a Grammy Award and a Pulitzer Prize.
Today (May 3), the musical was nominated for 16 Tony Awards, more than any other show in Broadway history.
The show received nominations in every category: acting, writing, directing, dance, music and design. Seven Hamilton performers were nominated, and in two categories, actors will compete against each other.
“It’s unbelievable — it’s absolutely humbling and incredible,” show creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda told The New York Times. Miranda, 36, was nominated for three awards for his book, music and his performance.
AD LOADING...
Hamilton uses rapped lyrics and a multiethnic cast to tell the story of United States Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, and the origins of the U.S.
“When I had the idea, I did say to myself, ‘I can’t believe no one’s done this yet,’ because it felt to me like a good idea,” Miranda says. “Hamilton’s life was uniquely suited to the things that are my strengths: hip-hop and musical-theater storytelling.”
The musical has become perhaps the biggest in recent Broadway memory. Shows are regularly sold out, the Grammys gave it the award for the Best Musical Theater Album, Miranda received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and the play has received scores of other awards. Miranda also appeared in a freestyle video with President Barack Obama.
