This week has been monumental for me: I finally got to see the over-anticipated, extremely hyped Broadway musical, “Hamilton.”

After weeks and weeks of monitoring resale ticket prices on StubHub & Ticketmaster (and countless times of being rejected from the daily lottery #NewYorkProblems), I decided to take the plunge and purchase $300+ tickets (I know non-Hamilton fans would say that’s insane, but for me, they felt like a steal considering how ticket prices shot up to $1K+ during Tony season with the original cast).  And though I’m bummed that I didn’t see the show with Lin Manuel Miranda, Daveed Diggs, and Leslie Odom Jr, I figured hey- the music/story is still the same, so it’ll be worth it.

And oh, how it was worth it.

I enjoy watching broadway musicals, and for me, the perfect musical will have the combo of clever lyrics, catchy songs, great production, and a touching story.  Up until now, “Into the Woods” and “The Book of Mormon” were at the top of the list for me.  Though I never saw “Into the Woods” on broadway, I first became familiar with the show through our high school production (and my best friend Joyce’s amazing performance as the Baker’s Wife); I loved their songs and the way it brought a dark twist to the fairy tales we’re so familiar with. The opening of “The Book of Mormon” coincided with around the time I moved to New York, and I finally ended up seeing it on one of my birthdays as my friends generously gifted tickets to me. It was hilarious, crass, and extremely smart.

But I would have to say “Hamilton” is just on another level.  It’s storytelling at its absolute finest. Not only has Lin Manuel created a score that is unbelievably catchy and with such “tactical brilliance” (incorporating rap battles, R&B love songs, and pop ditties), but he created a story with so much heart. He created a story of an underdog (a small fry) that so many people can relate to.  A story of the rise of a man. A story of the fall of a man. A story about the hardships of marriage and the redemptive power of forgiveness. A story of unrequited love. A story of the heartbreak of parenting. A story of competition and bitter rivalry.  A story of freedom, correcting injustices, and living for something bigger/greater than yourself.

I honestly don’t know what to say that hasn’t been said before.  But when I wake up in the morning, I listen to the soundtrack and it energizes me.  Before watching the musical, the opening song “Alexander Hamilton” would be the song I start my day with. I listen to “Non-Stop” as it amps me up for law school.  As I jog, I run to “Guns & Ships.” Every single song in the score is a stand-alone masterpiece, and I would advise anyone going to watch the musical (and even those who aren’t) to listen to and digest the whole soundtrack.

My favorite though is the finale song.  At this point of the musical, I was practically bawling as it just hits on so many levels of emotion: the sadness of a life lost, the overpowering love of a sacrificial marriage, and the strength of hope from one man’s story.