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Metro Detroit students experience hit musical 'Hamilton' thanks to grants, show's education program

Posted at 4:59 PM, Apr 11, 2019
and last updated 2019-04-11 20:05:20-04

DETROIT (WXYZ) — Getting your hands on tickets to see "Hamilton" might be difficult because it’s so popular.

Some high school students from all over the state got to see today’s matinee, thanks to several grants and the show’s education program. The students studied about Alexander Hamilton and the Founding Fathers before seeing the performance.

One student is hoping this experience will help influence her career.

“I’ve never been more excited for anything in my life,” said 16-year-old Frankie Cramer, a Belleville High School student.

Her school, along with 26 others, brought nearly 2,000 students to the Fisher Theater to see the marriage between a musical and American history.

“Convey so much emotion through a story and I think that’s the most beautiful way humans can feel emotions,” Cramer said.

For the teen, the production inspires her to become a theater performer.

“I’m insanely passionate about the craft,” she said.

Thursday night is her school’s opening night for "Sound of Music." She plays the character named Elsa.

“Seeing this is really going to hype me up to be better at my role,” Cramer said.

Before the show, there was a Q&A with the cast of Hamilton and original performances by fellow students.

Andrea Sprague is an English teacher at Belleville High School.

“A lot of our kids have never been to the theater before," Sprague said. "They’ve never experienced something like this.”

Cramer credits Sprague and other teachers for making this happen. The teacher explained that “the looks on (students') faces really makes all of this worth it, just to see how excited they are.”

Cramer takes mental notes to make a career out of her passion.

“This is what I feel like I was born to do,” the student said.