tells us all about it

What I think is very special about every company, every individual in a Hamilton company show, you are able to see this showthroughsomanydifferentartists’eyes, interpretation of the characters and make them shine That’s something that I really love about this show. I watch other Hamiltons,othercompaniesandIamstillinaweof other people’s choices and vocal renditions of songs It’s one of those shows that you can watch over and over again and you will consistently find something new on stage This show really allows the actors to have funandbringthemselvestothecharacter.It alsoallowstheaudience,everytimetheysee a new company or show to see something fresh and new I think that is why Hamilton is doing so well right now and it is such a cool experience It has a high demand in the world because of the story music and theartistsjumpingintoitarebringingtheir ownauthenticselves

Y:Fortheveryfewnotfamiliarwithitcan youtellusaboutthestorywithoutgivingtoo muchaway?

PJG:Hamiltontheplay followsthestory ofAlexanderHamilton,oneofourfounding fathers It’sactuallybasedonanovel,Chernow’sbiographyaboutAlexanderHamilton What Lin-Manuel Miranda did is take this man’slifestory,embellishitabitandturnit intoakindofepicdrama,soapopera,movie experience It shows his journey of how he created the banks of America, his relationshipwithhiswife withGeorgeWashington and how his life ended essentially in a duel with Aaron Burr We start off with that in the beginning of the play, so it’s not something we are trying to hide, plus it is a part ofhistory.Thestoryistoldthroughhip-hop and R&B songs. It’s an epic, amazing, beautifulstoryandsomuchfun

Y:Youandalltheotheractorsareportraying real and historical figures How do you

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Harlem Globetrotters return to the Chartway Arena March 25th with two shows, Hammer Harrison tells basketball stories

InterviewByYiorgo

The long tradition of the Harlem Globetrotters returning to the Chartway Arena continues March 25th with two games at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM against the Washington Generals The Harlem Globetrotters2023WorldTourispresentedbyJersey Mike’s Subs and you can see your favorite Globetrotter stars showcase their amazing basketball skill, incredible athleticism and just outright, a fun, good time for all. This truly unforgettable experience also includes the opportunities for more fan interactions with the Magic Pass, Meet & Greet Pass and Celebrity On-Court Pass

For tickets and more info go to https:// www.chartwayarena.com/events/detail/ harlem-globetrotters-2023-world-tour

Yiorgo: With us today is Harlem Globetrotter star Hammer Harrison. Hello Hammer,whatshouldpeopleexpecttosee who have never been to a Harlem Globetrotters game before? Hammer Harrison: When we go out there, we give it our all. We don’t know whatpeoplearegoingthroughandourgoal is to make sure we take their mind off it. Wewanttomakesuretheyenjoytheirtime withus Weonlygettwohourstoentertain our fans, so we want to make sure they get a memory they will never forget. Coming to a Harlem Globetrotters game is not just watching a basketball game, it is so much more. Fans can interact with us We have a Magic Pass where fans come out and get personalandupandclosewithus askquestions,andshoothoops WehavetheCelebrity-On Court Pass, and more, so go to our websiteatharlemglobetrotters.comtoread and see all the events that we have and the bonuses that fans can get. And on top of all that, after the game, we provide a picture and autograph session. Overall it is a great experience so bring your kids and your family.Weentertainfromseventoseventy It does not matter how old you are, you are going to love the Harlem Globetrotters

Y:Whereareyoufromoriginallyandhow did you get the nickname “Hammer”?

HH: My first name is Donte I originally got my nickname of “Hammer” because of my powerful dunking abilities and nailing everyshot.IgrewupinBrooklyn NewYork and I currently reside in Tampa, Florida Y: You had a very traumatic, life changing moment at the age of 11. Can you tell us about it?

HH: I got into a situation and I broke all my right fingers, wrist, and both legs So I wasnotintosportsasmuchafterthatevent. WhenIwasaround16-17,Igrewsixinches in one year and that’s when I actually picked up a basketball. Having that minor setback inspired me to go harder because I knew I had a lot of time to make up Kids that were my age were way more skilled than me So I worked hard in the morning, in the afternoon and even sometimes at night to get my skills right and to get to my ability that I am right now

Y: How were you first introduced to the game of basketball?

HH: I would watch the greats like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant on TV They definitely inspired me to become a more skillfulplayer.Iwatchedalotofgamefootageandtriedtoreplicatesomeofthethings I have seen growing up

Y: You are one of our own. You attended Hampton University Why did you choose to go to HU and what is a fond memory of your time there?

HH: The best thing about my 2 years at Hampton was that I was sought after for my basketball talents and was offered a 2 year full scholarship to play Division 1 basketball This opportunity meant the world to me and my family because I was a firstgenerationcollegegraduate Oneofmy fondestmemorieswasgettingtheopportunitytofaceoffagainstHowarduniversityat Madison Square Garden at the Big Apple Classic in front of my family and friends Atthetime thatwasthebiggeststageIhad ever competed on.

Y: Were you a fan of the Harlem Globetrotters growing up and if so who were some of the players that you admired?

HH: In my adult life I definitely took the time to watch all the old footage of Curly Neal, Meadowlark Lemon, Marques Haynes and watching those old shows it was very astonishing I could only imagine ifIsawthemasakidwhattypeofimpactit would have on me

Y: What was the tryout process like in joining the team?

HH: It was just like any basketball team tryout. We did our stretches and drills and then we did our individual stations and scrimmages They are not asking you to spin a ball on your finger They did want to see a couple of my dunks but mostly we lookedforgreatpeopleandgreatbasketball players and great entertainers People ask, didyouknowallthetricksbeforeyoucame ontheGlobetrotters?Thehonestansweris no I came in as a great basketball player. I playeddivisiononebasketballatHampton University.Iwasandstillamahardworker very disciplined and I listened. So when I came into the Globetrotters, I listened to the vets I followed their lead and worked my butt off every single day learning the tricks,newdunksandhowtocommunicate and entertain people I would say my communication skills werethemostimportanttraitIgainedjoiningtheteam.GrowingupinBrooklyn,Iwas not a very social person. But after travelingtheworldandpeopleseemestanding6 footnineinchestall,alotofpeoplewantto askquestionsandengageinaconversation.

Once I tell them I am a Harlem Globetrotter,everybodyhasastoryabouttheHarlem Globetrotters and that’s why I love it so much and keep it going

Y: What’s your favorite part of being on the team? Do you play pranks on each other?

HH: We usually save our pranks for the court, we like messing with the fans We areonebigfamily Whenarookiecomesin, we the vets are going to teach you. When I see a rookie come in, I put them under my wing and teach them some tricks, how to communicatewithpeopleandhowtomake people happy. It’s so fun touring with the team. We are away from our normal families so out on the road, all we have is each other We have a really intense schedule, we play everyday and are gone from four to six months a year straight, so when you see somebody down, we like to pick each other up

Y: What have been some of the most fascinating places that you’ve been with the team?

HH:Ohman Ihavebeentoover60countries around the world. The most fascinatingplacewasAustralia Iamarealoutdoors person and into adventure and Australia is a pretty adventurous place I actually went bungee jumping there in New Zealand.

When we played at the Barclays Center, in Brooklyn my hometown city was really special. In 2012, we were the first sporting event to open the Barclays Center after Jay-Z performed. That was a memorable moment for me Growing up in Brooklyn, being a shy kid, to now performing at the biggest Center that Brooklyn has to offer And of course there’s nothing like performingatMadisonSquareGarden,but performing at Barclays did it for me

Y: What have been your fondest memories so far of being on the team?

HH: I am living some of my fondest memories right now on the court I came into this organization as an all-around player. I was only known for my fancy dunking ability, a strong powerful dunker I did a lot of low post moves, a lot of high flying slam dunks my first couple of years ThenIbecameabetterballhandler Sonow Iamoneofthetopballplayersontheteam andthat’sbecauseofhardworkandthevets teaching me

Around my 9th-10th year with the Harlem Globetrotters, I became a showman,soIfollowedinthefootstepsofMeadowlark Lemon. I’m the voice of the crowd, kind of the leader out there, interacting with the fans and putting smiles on their faces The feeling and reaction I get out there is my mental high. I love it, I love it.

Y: Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

HH: Being in this showman position. I’ve worked my whole career to be in this position. I couldn’t do this when I first got here, it took years and years of practice I’ve played well over 1000 games with the Harlem Globetrotters. Each time I go out there it’s the best.

Yiorgo is an arts entertainment and sports writer A stage TV and movie actor, he is also a sports entertainer, educator, motivational speaker, writer, storyteller and columnist prepare, have you researched Hamilton’s story?

PJG: I started off reading Ron Shernoff’s biography, the same book that Lin read and based Hamilton on. My biggest thing was, I went to go see it, I studied and looked back into Lin-Manuel’s work as well. For myself asanactor aresearcherbecauseasanactor you are a researcher first I wanted to make sure for myself, I knew the whole story beforeIsteppedintohisshoes I’mnotgoing tolie,Iwasterrified.Istartedoffasastandby on the Philip Cast Tour and that meant I coveredHamilton,BurrandtheKing.

Y: Tell us about the audition process for Hamilton getting to be in it and finally gettingthelead.

PJG:Theauditionprocesswasabitcrazy and intense Looking back at it now, they werereallytryingtoseeifIwascapableand ready I actually went a total of seven times The first one was the initial open call, then I finally got called in to do a general audition, then after that, I didn’t hear anything for a while I got another call back to read forHamiltonandtwoothercharacters They did not even add Burr yet. After that I did a little dance call, then they called me back for Burr stuff After that I had another callback to do Hamilton, Burr and Mo Madison Thatwasthelastinitialroundandthen