Our series on transformative theatrical discoveries continues with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical, as remembered by the man who played Aaron Burr on its London premiere in 2017

My agent said: “They want to see you for this show, Hamilton.” I had never heard of Alexander Hamilton but I knew it was hip-hop. I’m not really that kind of performer. My agent said: “Just listen to it.” When I did, I thought the person who has written this is obviously aware of all of musical theatre. They’re aware of Sondheim, they’re aware of Kander and Ebb – and Gilbert and Sullivan, even.

The chosen form is hip-hop in parts, but essentially it’s a very strong piece of musical theatre about the creation of the US as we know it. It’s also about a young man who is really struggling to try to make something of himself which is the stuff of musicals.
It was so beautifully written, so smart, so witty and yet very raw emotionally. I just fell in love with it.

She’s the subject of a new documentary, has just announced her farewell tour, and is about to play Glastonbury. The singer and songwriter discusses Trump, resilience and why she hated being pitted against Madonna

Once you’ve had a feature-length documentary made about you, it’s surely time to accept you’ve reached legendary status? Cyndi Lauper laughs. “My dogs don’t think so,” she says, to the sound of barking. Then, to her dogs: “You gotta stop, guys!”

Lauper is the subject of Let the Canary Sing, a new film by Alison Ellwood. It follows Lauper from her difficult childhood with an abusive stepfather, through the New York music scene and early bands, to the release of feminist anthem Girls Just Want to Have Fun, and beyond. There are clashes with music execs who don’t understand Lauper’s art school sensibility and want her to compete with Madonna, and she survives a career downturn. More recently, Lauper has become a campaigner, and the writer of award-winning musicals.