Emery High students attend Hamilton in SLC

Emery High School students from Castle Dale joined more than 40 other Utah high schools for an all-student matinee performance of “Hamilton” at the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City on May 4. After weeks of studying a special integrated curriculum about Alexander Hamilton, the performance provided more than 2,100 students an opportunity to experience the musical in person.
Special funding through the state of Utah, Zions Bank and other organizations allowed these students to attend the matinee performance for just $10 — a Hamilton bill. They also participated in a question and answer with members of the “Hamilton” cast, and watched peers perform songs, poetry, rap, scenes and monologues about the Founding Fathers on stage.
“It was a thrill for us to meet the students from Emery High School who had the chance to experience this important musical and to dive deep into this chapter of history through the Hamilton Education Program we were so proud to support,” said Rob Brough, Zions Bank executive vice president. “Because the arts bring value to our community, we wanted to make sure students from across the state had the chance to see ‘Hamilton’ on tour.”
The Hamilton Education Program, nicknamed “EduHam,” is one of several history education programs at the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Its president, James G. Basker devised the education program in New York in tandem with “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, producer Jeffrey Seller, The Rockefeller Foundation and the NYC Department of Education added, “This project is transformative. ‘Hamilton’ has struck a chord with our nation’s students because it embodies what great history education is all about: bringing the past to life and fostering connections with the exceptional individuals and moments that have made us who we are. This program empowers students to reclaim their own narrative and empowers teachers to bridge classroom learning with the stage.”
The Rockefeller Foundation provided an initial grant that funded the educational partnership in New York City, then committed an additional $6 million to the effort to support the national expansion of the program.
“Hamilton” is the story of America’s Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and was the new nation’s first Treasury Secretary. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B, and Broadway, “Hamilton” is the story of America then, as told by America now. With book, music and lyrics by Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, “Hamilton” is based on Ron Chernow’s biography of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton.