A Conversation That Brings History to Life: La Salle University Professor Connects Students with HAMILTON Cast
November 26, 2024
Dr. Mark Thomas, a longtime Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts security officer and professor at nearby La Salle University, recently brought history, politics, and theater together in an extraordinary way during our recent engagement of HAMILTON the musical.
Dr. Thomas hosted a dynamic Zoom discussion between La Salle’s History and Political Science students, members of the university’s student-run theater group “Masque,” and two standout cast members from the HAMILTON tour, Elvie Ellis and Nathanael Hirst. The conversation followed the students’ attendance at the award-winning musical the night before at the Academy of Music where they soaked in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s iconic storytelling. With insightful questions in hand, the students explored themes of history, live performance, and creativity with the actors.
We briefly sat down with Dr. Thomas to pick his brain on his history with our organization, his thoughts on HAMILTON, and the transformative role of the arts in education.
With HAMILTON, my hope was the students would see Lin-Manuel Miranda’s messages that all of the characters, and all of us as people, are complex with mixed desires and values.
Please introduce yourself.
My name is Dr. Mark Thomas and I have worked as a security officer for The Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts and as a professor at La Salle University since I retired from the U.S. Department of Defense in 2016.
I am an alumnus of La Salle, where I studied Russian and German, and I am a long-time fan of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Philadelphia Ballet, so I have always felt an affinity for the performing arts.
What is your favorite part about your job with us?
My favorite part about working here is being able to work with people who love and support our performers and our guests.
Have you seen HAMILTON?
I have seen HAMILTON more times than I can count, and I have the soundtrack!
What inspired you to take your La Salle students to see HAMILTON?
Thanks to a National Endowment for the Humanities grant, La Salle was able to invite our students, mostly History and Political Science majors, as well as our Masque members, to see the performance.
How do the arts connect to political science?
With the performing arts, the message is in the music.
With HAMILTON, my hope was the students would see Lin-Manuel Miranda’s messages that all of the characters, and all of us as people, are complex with mixed desires and values. Second, that tolerance and renouncing violence, which Aaron Burr communicates in his final song, is critical to the survival of democracy. Again, the message is in the music, be it in the lyrical or the musical motifs.
What was the most interesting part of the virtual discussion?
The students gained a great deal from the HAMILTON cast members. The best part of the exchange was the message of the need to dedicate yourself to whatever endeavor you choose to undertake. And the cast’s message of the importance of the ensemble in the production — that underlined the importance of teamwork.
How did your students respond to the HAMILTON cast members on the call?
I received several comments afterward from the students, all very positive. Everyone appreciated the insights on what it takes to make a performance spectacular and how much effort it takes to perform in a high-energy environment.
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Thank you so much to Dr. Thomas for taking the time to respond to our questions. If you're an educator and would like to connect your lessons to what is happening on our stages, check out our FREE Broadway 2024-25 Study Guides.
Programs like this are made possible through the generosity of Ensemble Arts Philly Members, whose support helps us inspire audiences of all ages.