Sara Bareilles is officially a broadway baby. She wrote the score for the hit Broadway musical Waitress. She performed as Mary Magdalene on the televised concert of Jesus Christ Superstar. Now, she has even been summoned by the brilliant Lin Manuel-Miranda to collaborate on this month’s #Hamildrop. And what an excellent collaboration it is!
Manuel-Miranda has kept his promise of releasing new Hamilton related content each month for the year of 2018. This month’s #Hamildrop is a song entitled “Theodosia Reprise,” which was originally intended to be a song between Aaron Burr and his daughter in act two. The song is Burr’s way of breaking the news of his wife’s death to their daughter. He also uses the song to console his daughter by assuring her that together they will build a strong foundation. The song is beautiful and definitely a tear jerker and of course Bareilles does an amazing job with the vocals.
The #Hamildrops have all been amazing but the ones that have resonated most with me are the songs that were originally intended for the show. The original draft of the song “Burn,” which was released as “First Burn” and sung by five different Eliza’s, had me wishing it was the draft used in the Broadway show. The one line “I see how you look at my sister,” which Eliza sang to Hamilton, could have added so much depth to Eliza’s character. Her relationship with her sister Angelica would have been so much more layered as well. “Theodosia’s Reprise” adds a vulnerability to Burr who is the show’s villain. The decision not to include this song into the final version of the show makes total sense to me. Burr doesn’t need anymore vulnerability! I like being angry at my villains. Call me “black or white” but I want to love my heroes and hate my villains.
Either way, “Theodosia’s Reprise” is a beautiful song executed perfectly by Sara Bareilles. I’ve already listened to it 41 times today so be sure to take some time to dive into your feels and listen below!
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