For fans of Broadway’s Hamilton who are trying to explain this spectacular musical to those unfamiliar. 

The best overview, courtesy of Mo Rocca and CBS Sunday Morning: 

The original tune that started this journey. First performed in 2009. 

There have been so many articles on this production: here’s one from the New York Times. A very new one from USA Today. I’m also partial to this amazingly insightful piece on director Tommy Kail. 

Finally, two cultural phenomenon that have sprung from Hamilton,  egged on by Lin Manuel Miranda’s devoted twitter followers. First is the #YayHamlet hashtag, with its origins explained here. And then the daily #Ham4Ham show– the brief performance given before the lottery (enter your name to win $10 front row seat tickets two hours before the show). They are frequently posted on youtube and/or twitter. Here’s one that was quite nice (for those familiar with Miranda’s previous work). 

Now you know about Hamilton. Go spread the gospel, so that this show can run for an incredibly long time!!

You [John Kander] have one of my favorite quotes ever about the writing process, and I don’t think I’ve ever even told you this. My wife and I went up to stay at your house one weekend; you were working on Scottsboro Boys at the time. You went away for the morning, and we were on our own for breakfast; you went to your little writing hut where you write upstate. And you came out and went, “My conscience is clear!” That meant you had gotten your writing done for the day. You had finished a verse or a couplet you were working on. I still say that all the time: Any time my wife asks how things are going, if I’ve finished the couplet I’m working on, I go, “My conscience is clear!” — Lin Manuel Miranda conversation with Kander at an event hosted by Time Out New York. found here: http://www.americantheatre.org/2015/06/18/in-conversation-john-kander-and-lin-manuel-miranda-compare-notes/