Riverside theater students spent a day working with cast members from the Broadway hit Hamilton.
Seniors Edgar Delgadillo Castillo and Varyssa Henderson met with the current cast members, who were performing in the play at the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) from Nov. 6 to Dec. 2.
Hamilton is a musical from Broadway about one of the founding fathers who rose to a higher power and accomplishes such through the entertainment that comes from musical retellings.
“It was a truly life changing experience,” said Delgadillo-Castillo, who sang a song from Beauty and the Beast in front of them. “When they went on stage with me in order to improve my theatrical skills, I felt like I could succeed in a career of acting.”
“It was really nice to be present with the actors onstage,” Henderson said. “I sang a song from The Color Purple, and one of the male actors was was holding my shoulders and helping me understand the words in order to get me to focus on the words themselves rather than the notes of the music.”
“It was a joyous occasion and I am glad my students could be inspired by such wonderful people,” theater teacher Monique Taylor said.
By Jacob Breuer
photos courtesy of Monique Taylor