On Wednesday, October 24, a group of 54 excited Quincy teens converged upon Washington Street in Boston in front of one of the city’s most famed venues, the Boston Opera House, to see Hamilton.
Hamilton, the American musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda, has not offered any group sales for its first U.S. tour; however, thanks to The Marilyn Rodman Theatre for Kids Program’s longstanding partnership with Broadway in Boston, 2,000 tickets were secured for distribution to Greater Boston area youth who may otherwise not have an opportunity to see the show. As part of the only permitted buyout of the performance’s entire national tour to date, 54 deserving teens from the South Shore YMCA Germantown Neighborhood Center and Quincy Branch programs were selected to attend the Tony-Award winning musical free of charge.
“Once the curtains opened, you could hear a pin drop,” shared Taylor Gilbertie, Music Studio Coordinator for the SSYMCA Germantown Neighborhood Center. “Opportunities like this are life changing for these children. It was such a joy to see them experience such an incredible show.”
Marilyn Rodman impacted countless individuals throughout her life, most notably the thousands of children for whom she advocated. She was also the inspiration for the Theatre for Kids program. Since the program’s inception in 2001, over 65,000 children have had experienced the wonders and joys of live theatre.
“It was an honor for our teens to be selected to see Hamilton,” said Tyrone Buchanan, Director of Teen and Youth Programs, South Shore YMCA, Quincy Branch. “These kids left the theater engaged and excited after watching history come to life inside the Opera House. The play’s influential messages set against a backdrop of unforgettable music and lyrics are sure to be remembered by each one of them for a long time to come.”
