On August 5, Lin-Manuel Miranda resurrected Hamilton in the most playful setting imaginable: a classroom. On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, he joined Fallon and The Roots for a spirited medley of the musical’s defining numbers—performed entirely with toy instruments.
To commemorate Hamilton’s tenth anniversary, Miranda donned period attire and, alongside Fallon and the house band, reinterpreted “Alexander Hamilton” and “My Shot” using tambourines, triangles, melodicas and kazoos.
This episode marked another highlight in The Tonight Show’s beloved Classroom Instruments series, which has featured artists from Adele to BTS in stripped-down, whimsical arrangements.
Following the musical tribute, Miranda sat down with Fallon to discuss Hamilton’s enduring impact and unveiled an exciting milestone: the filmed stage production will hit theaters on September 5. “We captured the original cast on film in 2016,” he explained, “and always envisioned a theatrical release, but the pandemic altered those plans.”
“We opted for a streaming debut so audiences everywhere could enjoy it,” he continued. “But come September 5, viewers across the U.S. and Puerto Rico will experience Hamilton on the big screen.”
Miranda also recounted a now-viral tale of missing the night Prince attended Hamilton—he was DJing a friend’s wedding while the cast celebrated with the legend. “That’s the ultimate FOMO of my life,” he laughed.
The filmed version of Hamilton originally premiered on Disney+ in July 2020, featuring a live capture of the Broadway cast. This Tonight Show episode also showcased Chance the Rapper in a musical segment, plus a cameo from The Daily Show correspondent Jordan Klepper.
