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Tifton Pastor Behind Viral 'Hamilton' Parody: Video Is A 'Shot Of Hope' For Mankind
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When Rev. Lonnie Lacy of St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Tifton made a parody music video based off a song from the popular musical "Hamilton," he never imagined it would go viral.
"It turns out that a little bit of my goofball joy kind of hit the spot," he said. "People have said this video has given them the shot of hope they needed to be able to make it on for the foreseeable future."
Since being posted last weekend, the video has received more than 600,000 views, offering much-needed relief to those stuck in their homes amid the coronavirus pandemic.
"We sigh, and we long for the day when we’ll kneel down and pray side by side," Lacy croons in the video titled "Dancing Priest Does Hamilton."
The inspiration for Lacy's video came from a previously planned family trip to see Hamilton performed at the Fox Theatre in downtown Atlanta. When the pandemic cancelled their plans, he and his daughter sat down to watch a filmed version of the musical, which was recently released on the streaming service Disney Plus.
As the character of King George sang "I'll Be Back," inspiration hit him.
"In my brain and in my heart, I thought, I know that King George means that as a threat," he said. "But for me and my people and folks who miss worshiping in person, this is a promise. These are the words we need to hear."
He said the video was made using an iPhone, a tripod and "several late nights over the span of a week at the church."
Lacy said the spirit behind the video is reflective of a larger sentiment in Tifton, a town of 17,000 people about 180 miles south of Atlanta that has been hit hard by the pandemic.
"We're a small community, we're a tight-knit community, and we're all trying really hard to take good care of one another," he said, "I think all of us are trying to find ways to make each other smile right now."
While Lacy hasn't heard from the producers of Hamilton yet, he said he plans to make good on his promise to his daughter to see Hamilton in a theater once the world has returned to normal.
"I cannot wait to be in a room full of people and to feel the operation of the music and just the full sensory experience of it with with my family," he said.
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