Top 10 of 2018: Part 5 - Asian Aaron Burr, Sir

Hamilton starts suddenly, without warning. The lights dim, there is an announcement over the speakers in the character of King George to silence cell phones and the opening chords of the first song, “Alexander Hamilton” starts. There’s no overture, no time to really ease into the show, instead you are immediately placed into the room where it happens. As the opening chords sounds as knocking on a door, the sound of strings like a creaky door lead into the first opening questions, and in that moment the exhilarating ride that is Hamilton begins.

My mom and I had gotten to the theater with some time to spare. This was to my fourth time seeing the show and the first time for my mother. We had some issues with dinner beforehand.  The service was slow, which was annoying because, well, we had Hamilton tickets. It was left unsaid to us, but I could see in my mother reactions that we were both wondering if our service had anything to do with the fact that we were the only two people of color in the restaurant. If you think we were being paranoid or unreasonably thinking about our race in this situation, you will not by the end of this post.

I knew that the show was going to start like a roller coaster. I was prepared for it, but I wasn’t prepared for the first thing that happened on stage: Asian Aaron Burr. I didn’t really think about the cast. I assumed there might be some changes since the last time I had seen the show, but I didn’t bother looking up if there was going to be any changes. I was sure it was going to be great regardless.
Then walking onto stage left with a swagger and a twinkle in his eye was Jin Ha.  His performance of the first the questions “How does a bastard, orphan, son of…” literally left my jaw hanging open in shock and awe. I have seen so many amazing things on stage, in music, and on screen that have surprised me, left me speechless, and given me an emotional feeling that makes life worth living.

Jin Ha, Asian Aaron Burr, was one  of the greatest artistic moments I have ever experienced in my entire life.

The other times when I had seen the show, I felt tears well up in my eyes when the entire cast during the song “Alexander Hamilton,” stand in a company front and all of the wonderful diversity is presented on stage with one powerful chord on the word “time.” This time, I felt tears from the moment Jin Ha walked on to stage. He was everything. His voice was powerful and beautiful, his form and stance were strong and inspiring, and his appearance was attractive, masculine, and beautiful.

Jin Ha on stage was everything I always wanted to see in an Asian-American on stage, and everything I wanted to see in myself when I looked in the mirror.

Sitting next to my mom, I could feel her excitement match mine. It meant so much that we were sharing this moment.  This talented, wonderful Asian-American actor was validating her belief in me and filling me with hope for what could be for my children.

I understood why it was meaningful on an intellectual level to have people of color play all of these roles of people who were Caucasian historically. This was an audacious, through-provoking and controversial choice the creative team behind Hamilton made  The success of this casting philosophy demolished any arguments against inclusive casting decisions. However, I didn’t get it emotionally until I saw one of my own, a true mirror on stage doing something that was once unthinkable, impossible, and incomprehensible in my mind: an Asian-American playing a part that first belonged to an African-American/Black actor playing a character that was based on a historical white person.

This casting was about race but it was also about the hard work, and talent which Ha proved throughout the musical owning the part of Aaron Burr.  He played it with virtuosity, incredible singing technique and depth of character that was nothing short of remarkable. This all meant so much, and so much more because of all of the horrible things the 45th and his administration continued to say about fundamental parts of my American experience.

All of the horrible things that the 45th has said can be put into two categories: things that I find appalling because of what they mean to other people, and things that I find un-American and offensive because of what they reflect about myself. My heart aches every time he says something about a group of people that I am not a part of, but my soul hurts when he says something about me and my family.

This “guy” has questioned the value of my parents as immigrants, portrayed Asians with offensive mocking accents and stereotypical characterizations, provided no public support for AAPI federal initiatives, attempted to position us against other people of color in perceptions of college admissions policies, and even questions my place as an American citizen by questioning the value of birthright citizenship. He did all of these things callously, often with misinformation, and never followed by apologies. His racism against Asian-Americans is as clear as his racism against Mexicans, and his sexism against women.

Worse than all of these things is that his evil efforts to harness the worst fears and scapegoat immigrants have led to the deaths of innocent children and the unnecessary suffering of thousands of people. He has kidnapped children from their parents, ripped babies away from mothers, and he is ultimately responsible for the deaths of at least two children, likely more, all in the guise of a made-up non-existent crisis.

With all of this floating around in my mind, in the zeitgeist of our society, I have thought more about my identity as an Asian-American and an immigrant son than any other year of my life. Unfortunately, these thoughts have more often happened in times of hurt, and painful disbelief.  In this world we live in, the strength of one man who proves every single stereotype and misinformation wrong is an inspiring, superhuman act of heroism. This is what Jin Ha did that night on that stage. His contribution to that show, was proof that Asian-Americans are beyond stereotypes, are an essential part of American society, and through their immigration make America great.