Utah ‘Hamilton’ fans’ opening-night social media posts tell ‘The Story of Tonight’
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Bailey and Lindsey Nye stop for a photo on opening night of the "Hamilton" run at the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City, Wednesday April 11, 2018.
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony-winning hip-hop history lesson “Hamilton” arrived Wednesday night at Salt Lake City’s Eccles Theater — and some of the musical’s Utah fans seeing it opening night are sharing their joy on social media.
Here’s a sampling of Twitter and Instagram posts from Utah theatergoers:
Here’s a compliment to the locals from the actor playing Alexander Hamilton:
Morales’ kind words got a response from celebrity chef Tom Woodbury:
Meanwhile Wednesday afternoon, in West Valley City, more than 50 Granger High School students shared the musical and spoken-word pieces they’ve created through the educational initiative known as EduHam. They’re among 81 Granger students who participated in the program, which has been a key component of the “Hamilton” experience since the show opened on Broadway in 2015.
To earn deeply discounted tickets to the blockbuster musical, students must complete a specially designed curriculum, study original founding documents and create an original work — rap, song, poem, essay or even, in the case of one creative Granger student, a puppet show — inspired by a figure or moment in American history. At Granger, lesser-known Revolutionary War heroes such as civilian spy Emily Geiger were included alongside household names such as Benjamin Franklin and Abigail Adams.
Twelve regional winners in Utah will be invited to perform on the Eccles Theater stage before the May 4 matinee of “Hamilton.”
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Granger High School student Serena Smith performs during a competition for EduHam, an education program that accompanies the Salt Lake City run of "Hamilton." Granger theater teachers Kirsten Anderson and Brian Fuller said 81 students at the West Valley City school participated in the program, which asks students to study original founding documents and create an original work of art -- rap, song, poem, essay, etc. -- from a big moment. Twelve of the regional winners will be invited to perform before a matinee performance of "Hamilton" on May 4. Utah's program is the first to be funded in a public-private match. Wednesday, April 11, 2018.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Granger High School student Ivan Padilla performs during a competition for EduHam, an education program that accompanies the Salt Lake City run of "Hamilton." Granger theater teachers Kirsten Anderson and Brian Fuller said 81 students at the West Valley City school participated in the program, which asks students to study original founding documents and create an original work of art -- rap, song, poem, essay, etc. -- from a big moment. Twelve of the regional winners will be invited to perform before a matinee performance of "Hamilton" on May 4. Utah's program is the first to be funded in a public-private match. Wednesday, April 11, 2018.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Granger High School student Victoria Tinsley performs during a competition for EduHam, an education program that accompanies the Salt Lake City run of "Hamilton." Granger theater teachers Kirsten Anderson and Brian Fuller said 81 students at the West Valley City school participated in the program, which asks students to study original founding documents and create an original work of art -- rap, song, poem, essay, etc. -- from a big moment. Twelve of the regional winners will be invited to perform before a matinee performance of "Hamilton" on May 4. Utah's program is the first to be funded in a public-private match. Wednesday, April 11, 2018.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Granger High School student Alton Phonepraseuth performs during a competition for EduHam, an education program that accompanies the Salt Lake City run of "Hamilton." Granger theater teachers Kirsten Anderson and Brian Fuller said 81 students at the West Valley City school participated in the program, which asks students to study original founding documents and create an original work of art -- rap, song, poem, essay, etc. -- from a big moment. Twelve of the regional winners will be invited to perform before a matinee performance of "Hamilton" on May 4. Utah's program is the first to be funded in a public-private match. Wednesday, April 11, 2018.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Granger High School student Ivan Padilla performs during a competition for EduHam, an education program that accompanies the Salt Lake City run of "Hamilton." Granger theater teachers Kirsten Anderson and Brian Fuller said 81 students at the West Valley City school participated in the program, which asks students to study original founding documents and create an original work of art -- rap, song, poem, essay, etc. -- from a big moment. Twelve of the regional winners will be invited to perform before a matinee performance of "Hamilton" on May 4. Utah's program is the first to be funded in a public-private match. Wednesday, April 11, 2018.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Granger High School students Aliya Palmer and Jaden Romero perform during a competition for EduHam, an education program that accompanies the Salt Lake City run of "Hamilton." Granger theater teachers Kirsten Anderson and Brian Fuller said 81 students at the West Valley City school participated in the program, which asks students to study original founding documents and create an original work of art -- rap, song, poem, essay, etc. -- from a big moment. Twelve of the regional winners will be invited to perform before a matinee performance of "Hamilton" on May 4. Utah's program is the first to be funded in a public-private match. Wednesday, April 11, 2018.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Granger High School student Luciano Lopez performs during a competition for EduHam, an education program that accompanies the Salt Lake City run of "Hamilton." Granger theater teachers Kirsten Anderson and Brian Fuller said 81 students at the West Valley City school participated in the program, which asks students to study original founding documents and create an original work of art -- rap, song, poem, essay, etc. -- from a big moment. Twelve of the regional winners will be invited to perform before a matinee performance of "Hamilton" on May 4. Utah's program is the first to be funded in a public-private match. Wednesday, April 11, 2018.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Granger High School student Morgan Bard performs during a competition for EduHam, an education program that accompanies the Salt Lake City run of "Hamilton." Granger theater teachers Kirsten Anderson and Brian Fuller said 81 students at the West Valley City school participated in the program, which asks students to study original founding documents and create an original work of art -- rap, song, poem, essay, etc. -- from a big moment. Twelve of the regional winners will be invited to perform before a matinee performance of "Hamilton" on May 4. Utah's program is the first to be funded in a public-private match. Wednesday, April 11, 2018.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Granger High School student Mary Newton performs during a competition for EduHam, an education program that accompanies the Salt Lake City run of "Hamilton." Granger theater teachers Kirsten Anderson and Brian Fuller said 81 students at the West Valley City school participated in the program, which asks students to study original founding documents and create an original work of art -- rap, song, poem, essay, etc. -- from a big moment. Twelve of the regional winners will be invited to perform before a matinee performance of "Hamilton" on May 4. Utah's program is the first to be funded in a public-private match. Wednesday, April 11, 2018.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Granger High School student Leila Mujic performs during a competition for EduHam, an education program that accompanies the Salt Lake City run of "Hamilton." Granger theater teachers Kirsten Anderson and Brian Fuller said 81 students at the West Valley City school participated in the program, which asks students to study original founding documents and create an original work of art -- rap, song, poem, essay, etc. -- from a big moment. Twelve of the regional winners will be invited to perform before a matinee performance of "Hamilton" on May 4. Utah's program is the first to be funded in a public-private match. Wednesday, April 11, 2018.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Granger High School students Aliya Palmer and Jaden Romero perform during a competition for EduHam, an education program that accompanies the Salt Lake City run of "Hamilton." Granger theater teachers Kirsten Anderson and Brian Fuller said 81 students at the West Valley City school participated in the program, which asks students to study original founding documents and create an original work of art -- rap, song, poem, essay, etc. -- from a big moment. Twelve of the regional winners will be invited to perform before a matinee performance of "Hamilton" on May 4. Utah's program is the first to be funded in a public-private match. Wednesday, April 11, 2018.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Granger High School student Morgan Bard performs during a competition for EduHam, an education program that accompanies the Salt Lake City run of "Hamilton." Granger theater teachers Kirsten Anderson and Brian Fuller said 81 students at the West Valley City school participated in the program, which asks students to study original founding documents and create an original work of art -- rap, song, poem, essay, etc. -- from a big moment. Twelve of the regional winners will be invited to perform before a matinee performance of "Hamilton" on May 4. Utah's program is the first to be funded in a public-private match. Wednesday, April 11, 2018.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Granger High School student Victoria Tinsley performs during a competition for EduHam, an education program that accompanies the Salt Lake City run of "Hamilton." Granger theater teachers Kirsten Anderson and Brian Fuller said 81 students at the West Valley City school participated in the program, which asks students to study original founding documents and create an original work of art -- rap, song, poem, essay, etc. -- from a big moment. Twelve of the regional winners will be invited to perform before a matinee performance of "Hamilton" on May 4. Utah's program is the first to be funded in a public-private match. Wednesday, April 11, 2018.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Granger High School students Alton Phonepraseuth, Bailey Beacham and Ivan Padilla perform during a competition for EduHam, an education program that accompanies the Salt Lake City run of "Hamilton." Granger theater teachers Kirsten Anderson and Brian Fuller said 81 students at the West Valley City school participated in the program, which asks students to study original founding documents and create an original work of art -- rap, song, poem, essay, etc. -- from a big moment. Twelve of the regional winners will be invited to perform before a matinee performance of "Hamilton" on May 4. Utah's program is the first to be funded in a public-private match. Wednesday, April 11, 2018.
Catherine Reese Newton contributed to this story.