Photo by Christopher Dacanay Warren Egypt Franklin, a former star in the “Hamilton” national tour, teaches Steubenville City Schools students a routine from the hit musical, including its iconic pose from the number “My Shot.”

STEUBENVILLE — A former star in the hit Broadway musical “Hamilton” tested a group of Steubenville City Schools students’ dance prowess Friday, during an educational session to prepare them for a career on stage.

Warren Egypt Franklin, who played Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson in the “Hamilton” national tour from 2020 until 2023, taught dance terminology and steps from the musical to an ensemble of Steubenville High School and Harding Middle School students in the SHS auditorium.

A Cleveland native, Franklin was one of three individuals to visit SHS from Broadway Dreams, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides youth and young adults with performing arts instruction taught by entertainment professionals. Founder and President Annette Tanner and General Manager Ryan Ratelle joined Franklin in a question-and-answer session with students, offering industry insight.

Scott Wolodkin, SHS drama and choir director, noted that roughly two dozen students who can attend yearly trips to New York City, which include drama workshops and musical viewing. Broadway Dreams’ visit Friday was a huge benefit, he said, since it gave more students that inside look at Broadway than would otherwise get it through the trips.

“This is nice because we can have more kids experience what we do while we’re in New York,” said Wolodkin, who’s head of the SHS Fine Arts Department. “We have a pretty strong theater (program) through the schools. This is kind of that next step, where those who are maybe thinking of pursuing a career have an opportunity to talk to some people in the field — things that we can’t offer them.”

The Broadway Dreams crew was at Montour High School in Pittsburgh the previous day, Wolodkin said, adding that the last-minute Steubenville stop was facilitated through a connection with Chris Roberts, who serves on Broadway Dreams’ board of directors. Roberts is the daughter of the late Bob Haskins, a former SHS teacher.

An SHS theater program alumnus, Julie Battistel is the program’s choreographer. Through the high school community, she got to know Roberts, who told her about Broadway Dreams. That led to Battistel’s daughter, Lydia, attending one of the organization’s weeklong intensive programs last summer.

Days were long and the content was difficult, Battistel recalled of the camp, which challenged participants to learn an entire cabaret routine in only one week. The program concluded with a performance in front of Broadway casting directors.

Prior to Friday’s roughly two-hour session, Battistel said her students would benefit from Broadway Dreams’ challenge and the professionals’ insights.

“It’ll really help them see what it takes to be in the industry from professionals who are doing it,” she said. “It’s always good to have that experience where you’re learning from someone who’s actually gone through the business.”

Participating were about 30 members of the SHS International Thespian Society Troupe No. 5393, a similar number of SHS Drama Club members and a portion of Harding’s Drama Club. While the Thespians were fresh off their production of “Newsies,” the Harding Drama Club is preparing for its production of “The Wizard of Oz Jr,” which will have 106 performers.

True to Battistel’s predictions, Franklin put students to work in a constructive, yet fast-paced, environment, leading them through the official audition routine for “Hamilton” — the same one he learned in only 10 minutes, during his audition about five years ago.

Lydia Battistel, a seventh grader at Harding, said she enjoyed Franklin’s lesson. It paralleled her experience at the weeklong intensive camp, which included acting exercises and rapid dance instruction.

“It really made me come out of my shell on stage,” she said of the camp. “It’s a lot, but I think it helped me build my stage confidence.”

Following the dance lesson, students were introduced to the Broadway Dreams faculty and staff, who told of their experiences in show business and provided advice and encouragement.

A 12-year football player, Franklin had to step away from the sport following an injury. While a student at Cleveland School of the Arts, he was dared by a friend to try out for the school musical, which he did, nabbing the lead role.

“I was like, wow, the feeling I get on stage is better than any touchdown ever,” he told the students. “And that just got me super interested in theater.”

Franklin studied music and musical theater at Baldwin Wallace University, and only a month after graduating, he booked “Hamilton” as a first replacement. Stepping into the role was difficult, requiring him to learn the entire musical in a week and a half before debuting in front of 3,000 people.

That was a lesson in persistence, Franklin said, adding he was better prepared for the task because of his time as a Broadway Dreams program participant.

“Broadway dreams is a great program. We do weeklong intensives, and you have to learn a show in a week. That got me ready to learn probably what is the hardest musical ever in a week and a half.”

Now Broadway Dreams’ youngest faculty member, Franklin has found a new niche in TV and film, sporting roles in the Disney+ series “Grown-ish,” “Diarra from Detroit” and “Aaron Hernandez: American Sports Story.”

Students also heard from Tanner, who recalled Broadway Dreams’ founding 20 years ago with the goal of bringing industry professionals across the country to connect with passionate, aspiring performers.

“We try and make sure to connect those who really want to do this with the right people because networking is what makes the doors open,” she said.

Broadway Dreams has 13 city partners for hosting its intensive programs, as well as a presence in seven different countries. Each city program is headed by a different director or choreographer, resulting in a variety of experiences. Those who are unable to pay for a program can have the cost covered by the organization.

Out of 32 running shows on Broadway, 19 of them have Broadway Dreams alumni performers in them, Tanner said.

“The goal is — now that we’ve been around 20 years — I want all the Dreamers, the students who are on the come-up now, to be coming back and giving back to the next generation, which is you guys.”

Lending his expertise from a Broadway public relations