HAMILTON student competition seeks to connect youth to Broadway

Calling all creative-minded students! HAMILTON, the mega-successful Broadway musical is coming to Alaska this September, and Alaska Center for the Performing Arts has developed a community outreach element within the Broadway Alaska program, called ‘BroadwayBoundAK’ and will bring educational and outreach opportunities to communities across the state.

In honor of HAMILTON, BroadwayBoundAK has partnered with Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (GL Institute) and HAMILTON to create an Alaska-specific, statewide competition for middle and high school students, grades 7-12, to submit a video showcasing original, creative work inspired by the musical.

“We want students to embrace this,” says Lauren Rice, Community Engagement Manager for the Alaska Center of Performing Arts.

The work must be a newly created rap, piece of music, spoken word, scene, poem, short story or theatrical performance, etc. inspired by HAMILTON. BroadwayBoundAK will accept submissions from around the state and will regionalize winners (12 total winning submissions, plus 1 chaperone per student).

There will be one middle school and one high school winner per contest area, which includes Far North, Interior, Southwest, Southcentral and Southeast.

Winners will travel to Anchorage for the Saturday, September 9, 2023 matinee performance of HAMILTON. All winners from outside of Anchorage and greater Southcentral will receive hotel accommodation along with airfare.

“We will work with HAMILTON to coordinate additional show related opportunities to be announced.”

If submitting a video recording, students will need to submit the video recording of the piece, along with a written script of the song, rap, poem, or theatrical piece being performed.

If the submission is a written piece, entrants will need to submit no more than 2 pages for a written submission.

“We want to show that Alaska has so many talented young people, and want to see them bring their perspectives, creativity and ideas,” said Jason Herr.

Rice says that while the submissions need to capture the meaning and message identified in HAMILTON, artistic license may be used to change certain facts or context.

HAMILTON is just one of 4 Broadway shows coming to Alaska this 2023/2024 season. Other shows include Come From Away, SIX: The Musical, and Disney’s ALADDIN.

Submissions are due by June 20. For more information, please visit www.centertix.com/community-1