Hamilton at the White House

Yesterday, the cast of Hamilton were welcomed to the White House by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for a day of events that honored the musical’s groundbreaking qualities and showcased its ability to inspire students of American history. 

It was a big day for everyone, and in her opening remarks, First Lady Michelle Obama revealed that she was excited too—"I’ve been waiting for this day for a long, long time," she said, and praised the musical as "best piece of art in any form that I have ever seen in my life."

Students from three Washington DC-area high schools took part in workshops, in which they performed their own original songs and held a Q-and-A session with the cast. Students in New York City Hamilton ticket program are similarly developing their own performance pieces based on historical documents before they see the play.

In his remarks, President Obama stressed the importance of educational initiatives like the student ticket program: 

Hamilton is not just for people who can score a ticket to a pricy Broadway show; it is a story for all of us, and about all of us. And so we are absolutely thrilled that the show’s producers have been working with the New York Public Schools, The Rockefeller Foundation, the Gilder Lehrman Institute, to make sure that thousands of low-income students have the chance to see the show.

Following the President’s remarks, members of the cast performed selections from the musical.

To learn more about Gilder Lehrman’s role in the Hamilton Education Program, visit www.gilderlehrman.org/hamilton.