Page 13 - The Wayne Dispatch

Wayne Memorial students see Hamilton performance

By Carolyn Marnon
Seventy students from Wayne Me-
morial High School’s 11th grade
English classes were able to attend a
matinee performance of the musical
Hamilton at the Fisher Theater last
month. Over 2000 students from
high schools throughout the Detroit
area attended the Hamilton Educa-
tion Program, also known as
EduHam.
After being greeted by a cast
member, students from the 15 par-
ticipating high schools took to the
stage to perform original projects in-
spired by educational materials and
the musical. This was followed by a
Question and Answer session with
members of the touring company.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute
partnered with producers of Hamil-
ton and the Miranda family (Lin-
Manuel Miranda composed, wrote
and starred in the Broadway produc-
tion of Hamilton) to create EduHam
for Title-I eligible high schools. The Wayne Memorial students perform ar the Fisher Theater in Detroit for members of the cast of Hamilton.
schools are invited to integrate
Alexander Hamilton and the found- digging, got the blessing of our ad- “The 11th grade English team vant as a form of entertainment.”
ing era into classroom studies and ministrators here at Wayne Memo- chose Alana Parks and Jaylen Alana Parks found the entire ex-
then to see the musical as part of a rial, and applied to the program for Corbin as our strongest performers. perience “extremely exciting. I love
mission to improve the teaching and our school. Luckily, in January I was They spent time over midwinter performing, so the adrenaline rush
learning of American history. Detroit notified that our school was selected break and composed a song that was unreal. I learned that perform-
is one of 16 cities that are on this to participate.” imagines the final letter that Alexan- ing in front of people you don't know
special educational tour for 2018- She goes on to say, “For students der Hamilton sent to his wife Eliza is a lot different than performing in
2019 and 2019-2020. to attend the production, they each Schuyler-Hamilton before he leaves front of people you do know, and it’s
According to the Gilder Lehrman had to create a performance piece for his duel with Aaron Burr. In their almost easier. The musical adds an
Institute of American History web- transcript that was submitted to the planning, they composed a haunting emotional touch to the story. Some-
site, “Before the students see the Institute. Every 11th grade ELA (Eng- piano-driven melody to back the thing the textbooks can't do. It forms
show, their teachers guide them lish Language Arts) student com- lyrics that show Hamilton’s hesita- a much deeper connection to the
through a unique, hands-on class pleted a creative piece that they tion to leave his wife, and Eliza’s re- characters involved, and an under-
project using Gilder Lehrman Insti- performed in front of their class. It alization that she will lose her standing that they were real and
tute resources to introduce the stu- was decided that we would imple- husband. “Jaylen and Alana have emotional people, not just historical
dents to the people, events, and ment the project in the 11th grade been so incredibly humble about this figures.”
documents of the founding era. In English classes because it blended whole experience and said that they When asked if she had done
addition, the students learn how Lin- well with our literacy standards and really didn’t expect to be selected to something like EduHam before, Ms.
Manuel Miranda, the creator of the adaptation unit we start in the perform, however, their lyrics, stag- Popik replied, “I haven’t done some-
Hamilton, incorporated primary third marking period. 11th grade ing, and performance show just how thing like this before, but I am plan-
sources into the songs he wrote for students are also all in an American talented these two juniors are.” ning on keeping my eyes out for
the show and use that knowledge to History course, so they were able to Jaylen Corbin said being on stage more opportunities like this for our
produce their own performance use prior knowledge to help support “felt surreal. The adrenaline defi- students. Many of our students have
pieces.” them as they dug into some difficult nitely fueled what was happening, never had the chance to see a profes-
“I love talking about our EduHam primary documents. and I didn’t really process it until I sional theater production, and
experience,” said Wayne Memorial “After each student or student got off the stage. I learned that Hamilton is the reigning juggernaut
teacher Kristi Pipok “I heard about group presented their creative piece, enough collaboration and drive can of the theater world, so it really feels
the program when it was launched in the 11th grade English team was really bring a project to life, and that like a once in a lifetime opportunity
New York, then again when the show tasked with selecting the strongest project can lead to unexpected re- for our kids. The theater is an amaz-
started touring in Chicago. I didn’t performance to record and send to wards.” Jaylen feels the play uses ing place. It opens our eyes to new
realize that it was coming to the De- the Gilder Lehrman Institute. The In- modern elements that many of people, new experiences, and new
troit leg of the tour until the fall when stitute viewed submissions from today’s youth enjoy, like hip-hop. ideas. I would love to be able to give
a friend in another school district each of the 34 schools attending our “Since kids tend to listen to and more of our amazing kids the chance
told me that she had applied to the program date and selected 15 stu- memorize songs, the historical ele- to be a part of the theater world in
program for her school. I did some dent groups to perform on stage. ments of the lyrics keep history rele- such an intimate way.”
The Wayne Dispatch · May 2019 · 13