Annenberg Foundation joined the Rockefeller Foundation and the Toys R Us Children’s Fund in sponsoring performances of the hit musical “Hamilton” for 7,800 Los Angeles high school students. Organized by the Gilder Lehman Institute of American History, the program, detailed in Variety, included original student musical performances:
Thursday’s program kicked off with original student performances inspired by Miranda’s show. There was a palpable energy in the room as the audience clapped along with students who got the chance to sing, act, and rap about historical figures including Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and King George.
James Basker, president of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, has seen “Hamilton” over a dozen times, but what he looks forward to most is witnessing the clever and unique student works.
“We had two performances this morning of Abigail Adams by high school girls. Abigail Adams is not in the show,” Basker pointed out. “They’re not responding to the show, they’re responding to their own discovery of her in documents. They give her voice on stage today, and it’s totally original.”
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