Collegiate Alum, “Hamilton” Actor Visits Campus

This morning, he toured the Hershey Center for the Arts with Collegiate’s Director of Performing Arts Mike Boyd and popped in to see some of his former teachers. Filming him as he walked through his old stomping grounds was fellow alum Jasmine Turner Perry ‘11, a reporter for NBC12. Her story on Taylor will air this afternoon at 4:30 p.m.

"When Taylor was 17 or 18, I will never forget him telling me, 'I'm gonna leave home and I'm not coming back. I want to perform, I want to do shows; I'm going to Broadway,’” Jasmine remembered. “Yes, he came back, but with a show, and this is the third one he's come back with. Taylor has always chased and caught every single dream, and it inspires me to do the same thing. You see the performer Taylor; I get to know the real Taylor, and I love it."

One student that Taylor chatted with was 10th Grader Ella McDaniel, who was his Kindergarten buddy when he was a Collegiate senior. The two reconnected a few days ago when she attended Hamilton with her mother and saw him after the show, and she was surprised that he instantly remembered her. This morning, she stopped by Middle School drama teacher Jenny Hundley's classroom to say hello to him a second time.

"A few of my friends were like, 'Did you know that someone who is in Hamilton came and taught our dance class? I was like 'Yeah, that's my senior.' It was kind of cool to flex a little bit."

Yesterday, Taylor led that Collegiate dance class, during which he taught Upper Schoolers choreography that anyone auditioning for Hamilton must master. (Joya Sellers’ 4th Grade class also watched the class.)

“Hamilton choreography is about breaking barriers as well as storytelling,” he said.

Afterward, he answered questions from students, including the favorite show he’s been in (Memphis) and the most surprising thing about being in a Broadway touring company.

“It never gets easier,” he said. “But that’s what I love about it. It challenges you every single time you’re on stage.”

Collegiate dance teacher Stacy Dudley said Taylor’s coming to campus exemplified a full circle.

“Here is a student who was at Collegiate and has become successful and is now giving back,” she said. “The sense of pride everyone has for him is just incredible.”

Students lingered to get photos and ask a few more questions of Taylor before they headed off to their next class.

“I don’t want to go,” said one student.