A Unique Lenten Sacrifice

While many observe Lent by giving up sweets or social media, one 7-year-old girl from Utah chose a different path: abstaining from the music of the Tony Award-winning musical, “Hamilton.” This unusual sacrifice has garnered attention, even from the show’s creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Meet Stevie Ryan, a Young 'Hamilton' Fan

Stevie Ryan is a typical 7-year-old who enjoys dolls, coloring, and spending time with her sisters. However, she harbors a special passion for Alexander Hamilton, the titular character of the acclaimed musical. She even dressed as Hamilton for Halloween.

A Shared Birthday

“He’s my favorite character, and I also have the same birthday as Alexander Hamilton. Not Lin-Manuel Miranda,” Stevie explained. When Lent approached, she determined that giving up “Hamilton” would be her sacrifice.

The Decision and Social Media Attention

“I couldn’t decide to give up my favorite food because it just would be way harder. So I chose ‘Hamilton,’” Stevie said. She documented her decision in a class assignment, expressing her commitment to the 40-day challenge.

Her father’s coworker shared her assignment online, tagging Lin-Manuel Miranda in the post. This proved to be a pivotal moment.

Lin-Manuel Miranda Responds

The post quickly reached Miranda, who responded with a quote from the song “Wait For It” from Act II of “Hamilton”: “There are things that the homilies and hymns won’t teach ya.”

A Moment of Shock and Excitement

“It was shocking,” Stevie’s mother, Jeanna Ryan, said. “And Lin-Manuel responded, and she just, she was like, ‘Oh, I’m kind of famous.’ And then I told her where the post went, and she just said, ‘I’m lucky Lin-Manuel saw it.’”

A Lesson in Sacrifice and a Mother's Relief

Jeanna Ryan expressed her pride in her daughter’s dedication. “It’s a great lesson and practice in life, and it just brings up something that we can talk about, and then for her to just work through for 40 days,” she stated.

She also admitted to a bit of relief that Stevie didn’t choose to give up her favorite food. “I was thankful she didn’t give up fries because that would have been a disaster,” Jeanna Ryan added.