--- title: Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton is Completely Taking Over description: This 8-year-old’s birthday party is living proof of the cultural influence of Lin-Manuel Miranda's hit Broadway musical Hamilton canonical: https://time.com/4499927/hamilton-broadway-takeover/ author: Eliza Berman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-09-19T20:52:42.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-13T02:14:04.000Z og:title: See How the Broadway Hit Hamilton Has Completely Taken Over America og:description: This 8-year-old’s birthday party is living proof og:url: https://time.com/4499927/hamilton-broadway-takeover/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt819e2fa0be90e836/6988a6adab6d774f426ab496/hamilton-musiclal-themed-birthday-party-04.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1707 og:image:alt: hamilton-musiclal-themed-birthday-party-04 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: See How the Broadway Hit Hamilton Has Completely Taken Over America twitter:description: This 8-year-old’s birthday party is living proof twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt819e2fa0be90e836/6988a6adab6d774f426ab496/hamilton-musiclal-themed-birthday-party-04.jpg?branch=production ---  # See How the Broadway Hit _Hamilton_ Has Completely Taken Over America by [Eliza Berman](https://time.com/author/eliza-berman/) and [Marysa Greenawalt](https://time.com/author/marysa-greenawalt/) Updated: Dec 13, 2023 2:14 AM UTCPublished: Sep 19, 2016 8:52 PM UTC  Jenna Parker, dressed as King George, chases Juliet Forrest at North Park outside Pittsburgh on Sept. 17, 2016. Jenna Parker, dressed as King George, chases Juliet Forrest at North Park outside Pittsburgh on Sept. 17, 2016.Andrew Spear for TIME by [Eliza Berman](https://time.com/author/eliza-berman/) and [Marysa Greenawalt](https://time.com/author/marysa-greenawalt/) Updated: Dec 13, 2023 2:14 AM UTCPublished: Sep 19, 2016 8:52 PM UTC At her eighth birthday party, Juliet Forrest wore a colonial dress. Her friend Jenna arrived dressed as King George. The pavilion was decorated with bunting flags, and there were water cannon duels along with a game of Pin-the-Cannonball-on-King-George. For Juliet, who is obsessed [with the broadway musical _Hamilton_](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/07/theater/review-hamilton-young-rebels-changing-history-and-theater.html?%5Fr=0), the party’s theme was obvious. Juliet’s parents, both middle school educators, are musical lovers who started playing the soundtrack nonstop in their home last winter. During [Lin-Manuel Miranda’s](http://time.com/4299633/lin-manuel-miranda-2016-time-100/?iid=sr-link10) final week of performances, the family traveled to New York on a whim and nabbed tickets outside the theater just minutes after the curtain lifted. The Pittsburgh second-grader has been hooked ever since. To create an invitation for her September birthday party, Juliet’s dad, Tom, photoshopped her silhouetted figure onto the _Hamilton_ logo. The soundtrack set the mood as kids feasted on a _Hamilton_\-themed cake and drew in _Hamilton_\-themed coloring books. In lieu of gifts, Juliet asked guests to bring a Hamilton—a ten-dollar bill, that is—to donate to [Graham Windham](http://www.elizasstory.org/), the children’s welfare organization Eliza Hamilton co-founded in 1806. When the sugar high wears off, she’ll return to the junior biography of Alexander Hamilton she checked out from her school library, and the family will continue the conversations they’ve begun about immigration and what it’s like to arrive on America’s shores with nothing but a dream. The eight-year-old’s birthday party is just one example of the permeating influence the record hit, [which won 16 Tony Awards](http://time.com/4315150/tony-nominations-hamilton-2016/?iid=sr-link8), has had on American culture.  Christine Forrest helps her daughter, Juliet, prepare for her Hamilton-themed birthday party at their home in Pittsburgh on Sept. 17, 2016.The Forrest family first saw Hamilton on Broadway in early July, one of the last shows with the original cast. Juliet Forrest, who just turned 8, is such a fan of the show that she wanted a Hamilton-themed birthday party. The family decorated a pavillion with bunting flags, tricorne hats and a treasure chest piñata. There were water cannon duels along with other games like Pin-the-Cannonball-on-King-George. Andrew Spear for TIME  Jenna Parker, dressed as King George, chases Juliet Forrest at North Park outside Pittsburgh on Sept. 17, 2016. Andrew Spear for TIME  Tom Forrest green screens his daughter Juliet, center-right, and classmates into a scene from Hamilton at North Park outside Pittsburgh on Sept. 17, 2016. Andrew Spear for TIME  Ryan Mehler, dressed as a Revoluntionary War solider, aims a fake musket at Juliet Forrest, center, and other classmates at North Park outside Pittsburgh on Sept. 17, 2016. Andrew Spear for TIME  Juliet Forrest participates in a water cannon duel at North Park outside Pittsburgh on Sept. 17, 2016. Andrew Spear for TIME  Jenna Parker dressed as King George at North Park outside Pittsburgh on Sept. 17, 2016. Andrew Spear for TIME  Tom Forrest leads the party in a game of Pin-the-Cannonball-on-King-George at North Park outside Pittsburgh on Sept. 17, 2016. Andrew Spear for TIME  Juliet Forrest, center, blows out candles on her Hamilton-themed birthday cake at North Park outside Pittsburgh on Sept. 17, 2016. Andrew Spear for TIME  Tom Forrest 3D printed a cake topper based off of the Hamilton promotional poster to decorate his daughter Juliet's birthday cake. Pittsburgh, Sept. 17, 2016. Andrew Spear for TIME  A Hamilton-themed poster advertises Juliet's birthday party at North Park outside Pittsburgh on Sept. 17, 2016. 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