Leslie Odom Jr.
Blow Us All Away (2014 Workshop)
[PHILIP]
Meet the latest graduate of King’s College!
I prob’ly shouldn’t brag, but, dag, I amaze and astonish!
The scholars say I got the same virtuosity and brains as my pops!
The ladies say my brain’s not where the resemblance stops!
I’m only nineteen but my mind is older
Gotta be my own man, like my father, but bolder
I shoulder his legacy with pride
I used to hear him say
That someday
I would—

[ENSEMBLE]
Blow us all away!

[HAMILTON]
My father wasn't around

[BURR]
My father wasn't around

[HAMILTON]
I swear that

[HAMILTON AND BURR]
I'll be around for you
[PHILIP]
Ladies, I’m lookin for a Mr. George Eacker
Made a speech last week, our Fourth of July speaker
He disparaged my father’s legacy in front of a crowd
I can’t have that, I’m making my father proud

[MARTHA]
I saw him just up Broadway a couple of blocks
He was goin’ to see a play

[PHILIP]
Well, I’ll go visit his box

[DOLLY]
God, you’re a fox!

[PHILIP]
And y’all look pretty good in ya’ frocks
How ‘bout when I get back, we all strip down to our socks?

[BOTH]
-screaming-

[HAMILTON]
I'll do whatever it takes
[BURR]
I'll make a million mistakes

[HAMILTON AND BURR]
I'll make the world safe and sound

[COMPANY]
And you'll blow us all away!

[PHILIP]
George!

[GEORGE]
Shh

[PHILIP]
George!

[GEORGE]
Shh! I’m tryin’ to watch the show!

[PHILIP]
Ya’ shoulda watched your mouth before you
Talked about my father though!

[GEORGE]
I didn’t say anything that wasn’t true
Your father’s a scoundrel, and so, it seems, are you
[PHILIP]
It’s like that?

[GEORGE]
Yeah, I don’t fool around
I’m not your little schoolboy friends

[PHILIP]
See you on the dueling ground
That is, unless you wanna step outside and go now

[GEORGE]
I know where to find you, fuck off
I’m watchin’ this show now

[BURR]
Your son's engaging in a duel in Weehawken

[HAMILTON]
What? Where'd you hear that?

[BURR]
He's got the whole street talking
Thank Theodosia for warning me, now I'm warning you
You've got the facts now Alexander what you gonna do?

[PHILIP]
-and Pops, if you had only heard the shit he said about you
I doubt you would have let it slide and I was not about to—

[HAMILTON]
Slow down

[PHILIP]
I came to ask you for advice. This is my very first duel
They don’t exactly cover this subject in boarding school

[HAMILTON]
Did your friends attempt to negotiate a peace?

[PHILIP]
He refused to apologize, we had to let the peace talks cease

[HAMILTON]
Where is this happening?

[PHILIP]
Across the river, in Jersey

[HAMILTON/PHILIP]
Everything is legal in New Jersey…

[HAMILTON]
Alright. So this is what you’re gonna do:
Stand there like a man until Eacker is in front of you
When the time comes, fire your weapon in the air
This will put an end to the whole affair

[PHILIP]
But what if he decides to shoot? Then I’m a goner

[HAMILTON]
No. He’ll follow suit if he’s truly a man of honor
To take someone’s life, that is something you can’t shake
Your mother can’t take another heartbreak

[PHILIP]
Father—

[HAMILTON]
Promise me! You don’t want this
Young man’s blood on your conscience

[PHILIP]
Okay, I promise

[HAMILTON]
Come home as soon as you’re done
Take my guns. Be smart. Make me proud, son

[PHILIP]
My name is Philip
I am a poet
I’m a little nervous, but I can’t show it
I’m a Hamilton with pride
You talk about my father, I cannot let it slide!
Mister Eacker. How was the rest of your show?

[GEORGE]
I’d rather skip the pleasantries

[PHILIP AND GEORGE]
Let’s go

[GEORGE]
Grab your pistol

[PHILIP]
Confer with your men
The duel will commence after we count to ten

[ENSEMBLE]
Number ten!

[PHILIP]
Look ‘em in the eye, aim no higher
Summon all the courage you require
Then slowly and clearly aim your gun towards the sky—

[MALE ENSEMBLE]
One two three four

[FULL ENSEMBLE]
Five six seven eight—