The broadway musical “Hamilton” has become a smashing success with critics and audience members giving it high praise. Having recently won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album, it’s evident that this show is worth the hype and deserves recognition.

Set in the late 1700s, the musical follows the life of Alexander Hamilton, America’s first Treasury Secretary. An illegitimate orphan born in the Caribbean, Hamilton sails to America, joins George Washington’s army during the revolution and outlines his involvement in politics in the following years.

A theme that is woven throughout the show is legacy.

What makes this musical unique is its ability to break out of the normative boundaries of usual broadway productions. Rather than incorporate cliche broadway tunes, the show features music of current times, seamlessly combining hip hop music with a story of our nation’s history.

Paying homage to our forefathers and how America came to be an independent country, the show embraces the old and the new. While the actors are in time period costumes, they are performing sharp and current dance moves and singing rap and hip hop songs.

Although the show features current music and dance, its foundation lies within its culturally diverse cast. With a cast of mostly African American and Latino/Hispanic actors, it is clear that the show aims to not only teach audience members about a historical figure, but also accredit the diverse cultures that make this country what it is.

The cast performed the musical’s opening number “Alexander Hamilton” via satellite for the Grammy Awards on Feb. 15. Songwriter and composer Lin-Manuel Miranda played the lead of Hamilton for the performance. With a Grammy win and Broadway success, it can only be hoped for the show to be an inspiration for future musicals to present innovation and cultural appreciation.