Connecting my daughter with Hamilton cast member?

Hi. :)

My partner and I are taking our daughter, who is nine, to see Hamilton this Friday. She is a huge fan of the show, spending lots of time looking up Youtube clips and memorizing the cast album and admiring all the actors and actresses from afar via Twitter and such.  She's a young actress of color herself (in community productions), living in a predominately white area where access to working actors of color can be challenging (though we try!). The fact that Hamilton features so many actors of color is a revelation to her.

This is a fairly big trip for us -- we don't have unlimited financial resources, but we lucked into partial view seats that we could afford and really wanted to give our kid the opportunity to see the OBC if we could. I generally suck at asking for things like this, and I know this is a huge hit with very busy people, but if anyone knows how she might be able to talk with anyone from the cast who'd be interested in inspiring a girl who hopes to be on Broadway (as a swing actually -- she prefers ensemble roles :P) someday, please be in touch. We arrive in the city in the early afternoon on 4/1 and are sane, nice people. 

Thanks. 

 

 

Bolt out of the theater after the curtain call and get a good spot at the stagedoor. The cast members are really sweet.

BroadwayConcierge said: "Bolt out of the theater after the curtain call and get a good spot at the stagedoor. The cast members are really sweet."

Yes. After. Not during.

Thanks all, that's helpful info. We do plan on trying the stage door, I was just concerned since I've been hearing that people who hadn't attended the show are starting to gather before it's even over that we might not get a spot close enough to the front to see anyone. I was picturing a crowd where they might only get to a front row of people, but it sounds like they go down a line?  If that's the case, that would be fantastic. :)

I have found the stage door at Hamilton to be not too bad. Despite the huge buzz for the show it is not as insane as the stage door for the big movie/TV stars. The cast is so nice and they go down the line and try to sign for everyone and many of them will take selfies and chat briefly. With Lin out it might actually be less crazy. When I went to the stage door Leslie Odom Jr. Took quite awhile to come out because he was backstage with his wife and the rest of the cast had already left. Most of the crowd left after Lin came out and signed. As a result there were only a few of us left by the time Leslie came out. I was at the end of the line and he stood and chatted with me for probably 5 minutes or so. (And he was so surprised and grateful for those of us who had stayed and waited!  Such a nice guy and so gracious.) So if you stay until the time they remove the barricades things may get less crowded!

 

and if it were me, I'd mention to the ensemble members in particular she is interested in being a swing someday. Never know if that might engage them for a little chat!

I think theater people are very connected to their art, and understand the importance of it when it comes to cultivating the future of it.  Definitely more so than those who start as "movie" and "television" people (I know that's a generalization, but not entirely untrue).

I direct junior versions of Broadway musicals with elementary-aged students and while they are not professionals, it's pure magic watching them on stage.  Seeing them be something and do something they didn't think they could do is so heartwarming and special.

One year I contacted a woman, who happens to be a Tony-nominated actress, who attended the schools in our city to see if she might be able to stop by and talk to our kids before they "went on" one year.  A little "break a leg" talk with the kids.

She actually responded and said that she'd be in the area visiting family and friends at that time and would love to do that.

I think theater people really are in touch with the difficulties that it takes to get there.  And they appreciate it.  And have a lot of passion for imparting their knowledge and experiences on the future of the theater.  Are there exceptions?  I'm sure there are. But I was grateful for this one actress who showed that willingness to do so.

Many good ideas.

 

With a 9 year old, even if there's a bit of a crowd "pre-dooring", she can probably slip through the lice and get to the barricade to get a chance to connect with the cast.  If she has specific questions or comments for any of the cast members they'd probably get a real kick out of it, coming from a kid, and get her some extra attention.

PalJoey said: "Why not go all out and Fed Ex a letter to the company manager, Brig Berney, at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, 226 W. 46th St., and explain things? Maybe, if they're in a generous mood, they'll arrange a brief chat with some cast members for you and your daughter. Worth a shot, at least, right?

I never, ever agree with newintown, but that's a wonderful idea.Be sure to include the part about your daughter wanting to be a swing when she grows up. That's very charming, and the company manager might just share it with one of the swings. Good luck!

 
My daughter actually sent her first fan letter ever to the attention of Lin and the cast of Hamilton about a month ago.  I included a little note similar to my one above as well, mentioning that she was a huge fan and an young performer and that we'd be in the area on the 1st of April.  I think we were a bit naive that the letter would be seen in time, though. 

I think barring some miracle connection, I'll plan to hurry to the stage door after the show and hope she can say hi to the performers then. 

 

 


 

 

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Much of the cast are on twitter, so you could try tweeting a couple of the swings. I wouldn't ask them for a separate meet up, but telling them your 9 year old who wants to be a swing will be at a performance and stage door might put it on their radar. Swings/standbys don't necessarily stay all the way through curtain call if they didn't go on, so that's something to know too.

I don't know if shows still do this, but they used to take donations to Broadway Cares (as someone else mentioned) and then you could go backstage and stuff. My mom did it for me when I was younger for Mamma Mia - I got to go backstage, meet the cast, see the set stuff and costumes. My aunt did it for my cousin for Rent as well. 

I'm assuming Hamilton probably does not do this, though, and if they do it would be for a pretty sizable donation. Or you'd have to sacrifice your daughter - one or the other, idk.

JM226 said: "off-topic but slumdog, i need you to know that i read every single one of your posts in my head with the voice of "prison mike." i crack myself up but cannot help it... i blame your avatar completely

 

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Don't blame my avatar, blame the dementors