|
MARK ROBERT GORDON stars in his one-actor play weaving together the writings, speeches, and biography of Alexander Hamilton. Set at his Harlem home in the waning hours prior to his fateful duel with Vice President Aaron Burr, the play places this Founding Father's life in the context of a tragic hero who rose from poverty as the bastard child of a woman imprisoned for prostitution to become one of the most influential figures in American history: a Revolutionary War hero, General and President Washington's principal aide and speechwriter, co-author and "salesman" of the Constitution and Federalist Papers, and the first Secretary of the Treasury who created much of the nation's financial system. Yet his triumphs and zealous pursuit of his political philosophy and ambitions secured him many enemies and one of his extramarital affairs would be used by his enemies as an avenue to impeachment proceedings. His ultimate downfall left unfulfilled his highest aspiration of the Presidency, and ultimately cost him his life. Though set 200 years ago, "H" shows a life pertinent to today: from sex scandals to impeachment, gays in the military to race politics, the nation's debt burden to tax plan scares, political "spin" to disputed Presidential elections.
|
