By now, everyone has heard of Hamilton: An American Musical, even if just in passing. It has won 11 Tony Awards, a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, among others. The hit musical has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics and has made Lin-Manuel Miranda a household name. That being said, not many, if any, of us have heard of Spamilton: An American Parody. As one can reasonably infer, Spamilton is a satirical musical parody of the famous Broadway show.

Written, directed, and choreographed by Gerard Alessandrini, the creator of Forbidden Broadway, Spamilton has received positive reviews from critics. Lin-Manuel Miranda himself highly praised the parody, saying he “laughed his brains out.” Ben Brantley of The New York Times described the musical as “smart, silly, and convulsively funny,” while Frank Scheck from The Hollywood Reporter wrote it “is so infectiously fun it could easily run as long as its inspiration.” Indeed, Spamilton has already swept through New York and Chicago, leaving audiences tickled with laughter.

Everything about Spamilton is reminiscent of its inspiration, from its costumes to its music and witty lyrics. Actors play Lin-Manuel Miranda and his Hamilton crew, along with desperate ticket seekers, mimicking yet adding a comical twist to each character’s signature moves. While Hamilton is centered around Alexander Hamilton, Spamilton has chosen Miranda to be the focus of the show. When asked why he chose Miranda to be the central character, Alessandrini said he wished to “tell a fantasy story about Lin-Manuel trying to invent something that would freshen up Broadway.” And so he did; although the show gently pokes fun at Miranda, it acknowledges that Broadway has been better “since the happy day [he] came.”

While definitely focused on Hamilton, Spamilton is also a combination of several other musicals, including Gypsy, Camelot, The Book of Mormon, and more. The focus of the show shifts to Broadway shows new and old, with Miranda declaring he will “mix old and new Broadway.” Alessandrini, who “loves Broadway at its best”, manages to pitch his vision on the business of Broadway. Witty and hilarious, the show ends on a sweet note with “If there’s a better Broadway, I’m gonna find it – or build it.”

Spamilton is currently being performed in Los Angeles at the Kirk Douglas Theater, and will end on Dec. 31, so don’t miss it! Be sure to check out this hilarious spin-off of Hamilton!