When we look back at 2016, it might be remembered for two things: this completely insane presidential election, and the transformation of Alexander Hamilton into a pop icon at the hands of Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Now a group of college students have found a way to bring them together.
Uniting via a Facebook group page, a team of 17 writers has rewritten the Broadway hit “Hamilton” to tell the story of Jeb Bush’s failed presidential campaign.
Entitled “Jeb! An American Disappointment,” the script opens with Donald Trump walking onstage and posing this question:
How does the pampered brother, son of a George and a Barbara,
Dropped in the middle of a forgotten spot with some Floridians,
By politics and Charles Koch’s donations
Grow up to somehow miss the nomination?
And when Trump asks what Jeb’s name is, he responds by saying: “Jeb Bush, exclamation point.”
The lyrics don’t always have the flawless poetic rhythm that “Hamilton” has from start to finish, but the sheer number of references they make to the events of this year’s election is impressive.
“My Shot” becomes “My Point,” mocking the exclamation point on Bush’s campaign promo material. “Say No To This” becomes “Guac Bowls for This,” referencing the $75 guacamole bowl Bush sold on his website. The musical’s finale even becomes a way for the writers to make fun of themselves with the title, “Who Wins, Who Drops, Who Memes Your Story?”
Every single song from the musical is here, and it’s all been tied to headlines from one of the biggest busts in recent presidential election history, which is a feat in itself.
The other figures in the campaign get fitting parallels to the cast of “Hamilton,” too. Trump plays Aaron Burr, Ted Cruz plays Thomas Jefferson, and George W. Bush plays George Washington.
The entire script has been put out as a Google doc that’s dozens of pages long and includes bonus material like fake reviewer quotes (“It’s not fair that 1% of the play owns 99% of the Jeb!” – Bernie Sanders).
No word yet on whether or not this script will get turned into a live production or a YouTube parody, but the writers have put up Facebook and Twitter pages for “Hamilton” fans to check out.