As much as Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton has become a cultural force, the show is so much in demand (the Obamas have gone, as have Jay Z and Beyoncé) that tickets are sold-out and prices run in the thousands on sites like StubHub.
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
20,000 NYC High School Students Will Get to See Hamilton for $10
As much as Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton has become a cultural force, the show is so much in demand (the Obamas have gone, as have Jay Z and Beyoncé) that tickets are sold-out and prices run in the thousands on sites like StubHub.
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4 comments:
I had an inner city NYC education growing up before I moved to Long Island for high school so I can relate to quite a few things talked about in this article. First of all, it was shocking to me the difference in public education between NYC and Long Island-- in the city, we barely had enough money to support clubs of any kind and we didn't have the luxury of having amazing, higher-end school related excursions. To be able to send 20,000 NYC high school students to see such a hot musical like Hamilton is astounding because it really is impossible for many kids to afford it otherwise. Inner city education is a completely different world compared to the suburbs-- it's rougher, tougher, and there's not as much love (or at least it's harder to find it). I think on top of just furturing "their enjoyment of American History, music and drama," it adds an important aspect of enjoyment and community that would be difficult to find otherwise. This opportunity provides eye-opening experiences and could very well open up the eyes of many future drama students.
I think this is one of the greatest things to have happened in a while. Not only does an action like this help promote live theatre to students, but it gives them an edutainment as they so put it in the article. By offering this to students at such a low rate to a musical that has grown in popularity in such a small span of time, helps show that we still want to help the next generation grow in their knowledge of what little they know about the world right now. Having been able to listen to the majority of the soundtrack, it sounds like a great musical; but I do find it interesting that of all the presidents to do a musical about, they chose Alexander Hamilton. It looks to me that I’ve got my own brushing up to do in my history lessons. I’m envious of those kids that get to have an opportunity like this, because those are far and few between.
OMG I would love to get this chance. This relates to another article I read where they sent students to watch live theatre. Having students go watch Hamilton for only $10 dollars is so awesome. Its so great to see theatre companies donate their money to a greater good like education. Like the previous comment states, inner city education is rougher and makes it so much harder to get the means and go watch a show like Hamilton, worth so much for a ticket in the last row. Also exposing the students to a show like this infuses history, music, dance, drama and opens up so much artistic inspiration for students who wouldn't get that sort of exposure otherwise.
I think making theater more accessible is really important. When you have the demand to sell tickets for a high price, it is hard to find a way to force them to be available cheaper. This becomes even more difficult when you consider the cost of putting on a production. My only concern is, how will they avoid high school students just scalping the tickets? I know plenty of people who I went to highschool with who would’ve seen cheap tickets as an easy way to turn a profit, and I can’t necessarily blame them for it. I might do the same thing if I didn’t feel the way I do about theater. Why wouldn’t someone put their name in a lottery for a chance to be able to re-sell the tickets. Then again, my guess is that the majority of people who enter the lottery and get a ticket would want the ticket for themselves, so maybe the handful of outliers isn’t worth worrying about. I suppose the easy solution would be that the lottery would allow them to come see a specific night, and they wouldn’t get physical tickets. I definitely like the idea of this project, I just hope that it is executed so the tickets go to student who really want to see the musical.
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