When the national tour of “Hamilton: An American Musical” hit the stage at ASU Gammage this year, it was the first time Lin- Manuel Miranda’s Broadway smash was performed on a college campus.
“Witnessing a live performance of one of the most groundbreaking musicals of this century to date was an opportunity that I thought I’d never have,” said Sofia Alvarez, a junior studying theatre design and production at ASU.
Alvarez was one of a select number of students who received a free ticket thanks to the forward thinking of Tiffany Ana López, director of the School of Film, Dance and Theatre, and the support of ASU Gammage. Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, ASU Gammage executive director and ASU vice president for cultural affairs, made blocks of seats available throughout the show’s run in order to engage students across campus while the influential work was in Tempe. López used discretionary research funds to purchase a number of the coveted tickets for some Film, Dance and Theatre students.
“One of the glaring problems in the arts is when amazing work gets made and it is not accessible to the intended audience,” said Kelly Joyce Fielder, a graduate theatre for youth student who was also selected. “By allowing us access to this work that we otherwise would not have had the opportunity to see, we are able to participate in this global conversation about the phenomenon that is ‘Hamilton.’”
López called the tickets the “icing on the cake” for the larger project she organized — “What ‘Hamilton’ Means to Me.” The real treat was participating in a series of interactive workshops that explored “Hamilton” as an important work for artists.
“The inspiration came from knowing how many students would want to see ‘Hamilton’ and wondering about the incredible work that could evolve if students had the opportunity to see ‘Hamilton’ in conjunction with participating in a workshop with leading artists sharing about the impact of ‘Hamilton’ on their own art making practice,” López said.
School of Film, Dance and Theatre students, musical theatre students from the School of Music, and ASU’s College Assistance Migrant Program students were invited to submit a one-minute video on what “Hamilton” means to them for the chance at being selected.
In her submission, Alvarez said “Hamilton” means representation.
Undergraduate film student Francisco Monarrez said, “‘Hamilton’ reminds us that we should never ever give up on what we truly believe in and what we love.”
“It is proof you can take artistic risks, telling stories in new ways and challenging societal expectations while still creating really successful theatre,” said undergraduate theatre student Jordan Mattson.
Daniel Zemeida, also an undergraduate theatre student, submitted a short rap to the tune of “My Shot” from “Hamilton.”
Even Herberger Institute’s Dean Steven Tepper joined in, sharing a video on what “‘Hamilton” means to him — “the triumph of inclusion over exclusion.”
López and a panel of community and national arts leaders selected the students to participate in the workshops and receive a ticket to the show, which they saw together along with López, workshop leaders and other project mentors.
“Seeing the show opened my mind to the questions asked on stage,” Alvarez said. “And through the facilitation of Dr. López, I had the chance to share these thoughts and opinions with my peers in such a constructive way.”
Workshop leaders included David Ivers, artistic director of Arizona Theatre Company; Clyde Valentin, director of Ignite/Arts Dallas at Southern Methodist University Meadows School of the Arts and former executive director of the New York City-based Hip-Hop Theater Festival; Aliento, a Phoenix-based organization that creates community healing through art leading to collective power; and Patricia Herrera, associate professor of theatre at the University of Richmond, who gave a TedTalk about her experiences with “Hamilton.” At one of the workshops, four members of the “Hamilton” cast, including Desmond Nunn (swing) and Ruben Carbajal (John Laurens/ Philip Hamilton), stopped by to answer questions and visit with students.
“The goal of the project is for students to find themselves inspired and informed about how to create work born from their own cultural experiences and the forms of artistic expression that make them feel passionate about telling their stories,” López said.
And telling those stories is something Alvarez sees as a critical mission.
“It is important that our generation of artists learn to tell stories that aren’t frequently told,” she said. “As students of art, we carry the responsibility of being responsible and thoughtful creators.”