Anthony is a tell-tale sign of what the arts do for our kids >>Sara Steinweiss The cast of “Hamilton.” Photo by Joan Marcus the time – back then it was called “Hamilton’s Mix Tape.” They were doing one more lab before it was going to the Public Theater downtown. I didn’t really know what was going on, so I walked in to audition for another musical being cast by major Broadway casting agency Telsey and they said, “Hey, we’d like you to audition for this ‘Hamilton’s Mix Tape.’” My friends said, “Yo, you need to absolutely do that.” I saw Lin -Manuel Miranda was attached to it and he’d written “In The Heights,” but I didn’t see how it could work with this other show I was scheduled for. The casting director said, “I see you’re doing this other show, but you’re right for this so I’m just going to call you back.” Sure enough, “Heart and Lights” got cancelled during previews. I lost my job at 11 a.m., and at 4 p.m. got a phone call asking if I’d want to do “Hamilton.” These things just kept happening in my life. That’s how I got on the “Hamilton” train. They offered me the role at the Public Theater where it ran from January 20 through May 3, 2015 and on Broadway where it opened on July 13, 2015 and that’s how we got here. How do you feel about being here? It feels good. This is an awesome thing that I’m a part of, but it also requires a lot of responsibility and a lot of sacrifice and a lot of time, but I wouldn’t want it to be any other way – not right now. In this business it’s hard because, the further you get, the deeper you get into it, the harder it gets. But, I’ve learned so much. It’s a blessing to learn these things because the hard lessons are the good lessons. It also feels good to be in something that you care about – and I care about this a lot. What advice would you give to students today? My advice to them is: do whatever you want. Trust people who love you, and who’ve always had your best interests at heart. Kids today need to be able to go ahead and study that thing, and P h o t o c o u r t e s y o f C o u n c i l m ember Mark Treyger New Utrecht High School graduate Anthony Ramos receiving a proclamation from the New York City Council. explore that further, and – at the same time – parents need to back their kids when they’re trying to live out their dreams. I just want kids to know that, no matter what your circumstance is and no matter where you’re from, you can always make a way. There’s always a way out of or a way in to do something – that thing that you want to do. I think that it’s important for parents to back their kids, to support them and to help them find some mentors – mentors like I had in Sara. Sara helped me find this thing. She didn’t push this on me. She just saw something in me that she knew was unique. She opened the door for me, but it was me that made the final decision. She saw me doubting myself but she motivated me. All along, she knew this was something that I wanted to do, and I think it’s important for kids to know that they’ve got to do what they want to do. If you want to be a firefighter, go do that, don’t be afraid. If you want to run a school or start your own business, don’t make excuses. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do that. I thank God ever y day that my family rallied behind me. And, I want to encourage students pursuing theater that, this business is hard, but your joy shouldn’t lay in the business. Your joy needs to lay in the art of it, and the giving of it. “Hamilton,” a diverse, hiphop and-rap-infused narrative about the nation’s founding fathers, made its Off-Broadway debut at the Public Theater in February, 2015, and premiered on Broadway in August, 2015. Tickets are available by lottery at www.hamiltonbroadway.com
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