THE HAUNTING OF LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA
by Ishmael Reed
October 6, 2020
Paperback
4 7/8 x 8 in.
84 pages
ISBN 9781576879245
With a new introduction by the author.
Described by the New York Times as “classic activist theater” and “a cross between ‘A Christmas Carol’ and a trial at The Hague’s International Criminal Court.” This powerful play, originally produced at the Nuyorican Poets Café, comprehensively dismantles the phenomenon of Lin-Manuel Miranda and Hamilton. Reed uses the musical’s crimes against history to insist on a radical, cleareyed way of looking at our past and our selves. Both durable and timely, this goes beyond mere corrective—a meticulously researched rebuttal, an absorbing drama, and brilliant rallying cry for justice.
A perfect tie-in to both the success of and backlash to Hamilton: The Revolution, it is the major voice in contrast to the new movie. It both captures the earnest engagement that fans of the musical desire, as well as the exhausted disbelief of those who can’t stand it. Teachers, students and fans of drama, literature, and history will find much to love. It is written by one of America’s most respected and original writers, who is eagerly promoting it, and who is long overdue for a renaissance.