Thousands of high school students get a history lesson from 'Hamilton' the musical

EduHam, an educational "Hamilton" program, brought nearly 2,700 students from 43 Title I high schools to watch a matinee performance of the musical at ASU Gammage. A few high schoolers were able to perform on the "Hamilton" stage and participate in a Q and A session with the cast. 

Marcella Baietto - Reporter: 

ASU Gammage welcomed thousands of students and teachers from more than 40 Title I high schools as part of an educational "Hamilton" program called EduHam.

Colleen Jennings-Roggensack - ASU Vice President for Cultural Affairs:

ASU Gammage has long brought students to the theater. We think it's very important. And for many students this will be their first experience. Can you imagine your first theater experience being "Hamilton"?

Baietto: 

And that's exactly what Rodrigo Sevilla was able to experience. Sevilla, along with his classmates got to watch a matinee performance of "Hamilton."

Rodrigo Sevilla - Maryvale High School Junior:

It's a good experience to have because I've never been to a big theater before.  

Baietto: 

Sevilla was also one of the few students chosen to perform on the "Hamilton" stage.  

Sevilla:

I feel excited and special since they chose me from all the people that tried. 

Baietto: 

Cast members of the musical 'Hamilton' participated in a Q and A with students and were blown away by the performances. 

Yvette Lu - "Hamilton" Cast Member:

I can't imagine having done that in high school and how much they're going to grow from doing that. Like there's so much talent and, also just a lot of really great minds with a lot of like progressive ideas which is really exciting. 

Dorcas Leung - "Hamilton" Cast Member:

You have to remember that the Founding Fathers, as dusty as they seem in school, were human beings. They had affairs, they had personal relationships with people, they were just like us in some ways. I think what's really interesting about telling this story is that there are themes that are still applicable to us today.    

Baietto: 

Reporting for the State Press, I am Marcella Baietto. 

Reach the videographer at mmbaiett@asu.edu or follow @marcellabaietto on Twitter.

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