Review Roundup - New PBS Documentary HAMILTON'S AMERICA, Premiering Tonight

HAMILTON'S AMERICA, the documentary film that brings history to vivid life through the lens ofLin-Manuel Miranda's pop culture Broadway phenomenon Hamilton - winner of 11 TONY AWARDS and the Pulitzer Prize - explodes onto THIRTEEN's Great Performances, tonight, Friday, October 21 at 9 p.m. on PBS as the season premiere of the PBS Arts Fall Festival. (Check local listings.)

[NOTE: No TV but still want to watch tonight's premiere of Hamilton'S AMERICA? Don't fret! The GREAT PERFORMANCES Facebook page (facebook.com/greatperformances) will live stream the show through Facebook Live at the time of the broadcast - click here for more details!]

The story of Alexander Hamilton is most remembered for its dramatic conclusion, which saw Hamilton killed in a duel by Vice President Aaron Burr. Today, Hamilton's fan club is vocal and growing, thanks, in no small measure, to Tony, Grammy, and Emmy-winning composer and actor, Lin-Manuel Miranda's revolutionary musical.

Produced by Academy Award® and Emmy Award®-winning producers RadicalMedia and directed by Alex Horwitz, Hamilton's America delves deep into the creation of the show, revealing Miranda's process of absorbing and then adapting Hamilton's epic story into groundbreaking musical theater. Further fleshing out the story is newly shot footage of the New York production with its original cast, trips to historic locations, and a surprising range of interviews includingPresident Barack Obama, President George W. Bush. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Secretary Hank Paulson, Secretary Timothy Geithner, Questlove, Black Thought, Jimmy Fallon, John Weidman, Nas and Stephen Sondheim.

Let's see what the critics have to say:

Neil Genzslinger, The New York Times: 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.

Owen Gleiberman, Variety: What's undeniable is that Miranda, in channeling the spirit of the American Revolution, created a revolution on Broadway. "Hamilton's America" puts you backstage - and center stage - at the moment when he turned pop culture upside down.

Liz Raftery, TV Guide: Directed by Alex Horwitz and airing as part of PBS' GREAT PERFORMANCES series,Hamilton's America blends the historical narrative of Alexander Hamilton's life with a behind-the-scenes look at the genesis of the stage adaptation. Anyone who's familiar with the musical knows the Hamilton-Aaron Burr story is a compelling one when told in the right way, and Horwitz doesn't disappoint.

David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter: Couldn't score a ticket to the Broadway blockbuster Hamilton before its ecstatically received original cast began to disband in July and move on to other projects? Then the PBS documentary special, Hamilton's America - premiering at the New York Film Festival ahead of its Oct. 21 airdate as the season kickoff to the broadcaster's sixth annual Arts Fall Festival - is a tasty sampler of what you missed. It's also a testament to the dazzling creativity and historical CURIOSITY that went into writer-composer-performer Lin-Manuel Miranda's instant cultural landmark, as well as a solid indication of why this musical juggernaut will continue to draw sellout crowds for years to come.

Corey Atad, Esquire: More than a look at history, though, Hamilton's America serves as a glossy, nearly mythologizing examination of Lin-Manuel Miranda himself. The documentary features plenty of people calling Miranda a genius (probably true), and at least one person saying he's the best playwright since Shakespeare (a stretch). To an extent, Hamilton's America does for Miranda what the musical does for Alexander Hamilton.

Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun Times: For Miranda, who based his musical on Ron Chernow's biography of Alexander Hamilton, the revolution clearly was not meant to be televised (apologies to that earlier spoken word master, Gil Scott-Heron). It was meant to be the stuff of theater - a living, breathing, ever-evolving organism. And it was not just to be about the American Revolution "in capital letters," but about Miranda's own revolutionary act of racially and ethnically flipping the identity of the Founding Fathers and finding the ideal balance between contemporary rhythms (by way of hip-hop), and the enduring lyrical lure of Broadway, in order to make it sing. And if all this begins to sound supremely patriarchal, be assured that the women in this show more than hold their own.

Constance Grady, Vox: The most controversial thing Hamilton's America dares to note is that most of the Founding Fathers kept slaves. Or, as it's put by Daveed Diggs (who originated the dual roles of Thomas Jefferson and the Marquis de Lafayette in the musical), Jefferson wrote "this incredible document, and several incredible documents, with things that we all believe in, and he sucks."

Megan O'Keefe, Decider: The best part of Hamilton's America is that it's a feast for fans. Not everyone will get a chance to see the production in person and, while it would have been nice for Great Performances to actually have produced a film version of the original production, this feels like a fine enough consolation prize. By seeing key musical numbers evolve from Miranda's pen to the Broadway stage, we get the illusion of greater intimacy with the art.

Paul Sheehan, Gold Derby: "Hamilton's America" is presented as part of the "Great Performances" series. Previous installments of this long-running arts anthology which have won 29 Emmy awards in total for a range of technical and creative achievements. And with reviews like those excerpted below, expect "Hamilton's America" to add to that tally.

Elise De Los Santos, Redeye: Even when the documentary delves into the historical events of the American Revolution, it doesn't lose track of Miranda as the central figure of the show. A segment exploring Hamilton's life includes Miranda visiting Hamilton's actual house and sitting at his desk, for example.

Credit: RadicalMedia

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