Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton musical is one of the hardest Broadway shows to get tickets to today. However, one of the perks of being the most powerful man in the world is that you can get Broadway to show up at your doorstep. On Monday, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed the cast of Hamilton to the White House. This isn’t the first time that Lin-Manuel Miranda has performed at the White House. Miranda performed the opening number from the musical in 2009 at the White House Evening of Poetry, Music, and the Spoken Word. Check out the report below for a look at the cast performance as well as Obama’s comments on his role in Hamilton’s origins.
President Obama welcomed the cast of Hamilton at the White House, saying:
“It is an understatement to say this was one hot ticket. Last time I went to Hamilton I didn’t even get to see the show. The just let me come on stage and talk after the curtain fell. So feeling a little deprived we invited the cast to perform today. Because we wanted to share this incredible musical with folks who otherwise might not get the experience. And I want to thank them so much, the show’s producers, for helping to bring Hamilton to the White House.”
The President went on to discuss the role that the White House played in Hamilton’s origins, adding:
“Now the truth is though, they do owe me. Because seven years ago Lin-Manuel Miranda came to the White House poetry jam, and he took the mic and he announced that he and his musical collaborator, Alex Lacamoire, that they were going to perform a song from a hip-hop album they were working on, and I’m quoting him, ‘about the life of somebody who embodies hip-hop, Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton.’ And so we all started laughing but Lin-Manuel was serious, and who's laughing now. Having said that, not to take undue credit or anything, but this is definitely the room where it happened.”
Check out the cast of Hamilton performing, “My Shot,” at the White House:
