Hamlin Takes the Stage in Public Radio's "Moth" GrandSlam
By Sean Melia
Sam Hamlin knows his way around a stage. In his 33 years at Shore he has been stalwart in building sets for the musical and sixth grade plays in the winter. He has been the writer, producer, and director of his 30 acclaimed and forever memorable third grade Egyptian Plays. It’s never a surprise to hear older students, even Shore graduates, reciting their lines from their version of the play.
Sam Hamlin knows his way around a stage. In his 33 years at Shore he has been stalwart in building sets for the musical and sixth grade plays in the winter. He has been the writer, producer, and director of his 30 acclaimed and forever memorable third grade Egyptian Plays. It’s never a surprise to hear older students, even Shore graduates, reciting their lines from their version of the play.
It’s also not strange to see Sam Hamlin on the stage teaching the lower school students about something near and dear to his heart. This past fall he took us on a journey to Armenia, where he visited his daughter over the summer. He showed us all the “old stuff” that he found: rock drawings, wall formations, even shoes! Last year, the day after Nelson Mandela died, Sam was on stage making sure all the lower school students understood how important Mandela was.
Many of Sam’s interests center on stories. He’s often telling tales that highlight his adventurous, tinkering character.
While Sam is blessed with many strengths, his greatest trait is his willingness to push the envelop and take risks. He’s never afraid to try a new technological tool or film a movie and make a slight fool of himself. It’s what draws kids to Sam, it’s what’s makes Sam a teacher that so many aluma/ae remember. I know this because I see them walk past my room on their way to the third grade hallway to see Mr. Hamlin.
Sam’s latest risk occurred on stage, but not not at Shore. Instead, Sam took the stage in Somerville at the Somerville Theater for the Moth GrandSlam. The Moth is a storytelling radio show that asks normal everyday people to come to their open mics and share a five minute story. The story must focus on the theme for the evening, and it must have a beginning, middle, and end. Sam decided this was an adventure he couldn’t pass up, so he stuck his name in a hat at a Moth open mic night. His name was pulled, he dazzled the judges, and he won an invitation to the GrandSlam with nine other people who had won their open mic night.
The Somerville Theater seats about 900 people, many more than Shore’s theater. Sam began his story by singing a few lines from “Blue Moon”, which was the theme for the stories. He told the story of meeting his wife; it had a distinct beginning, middle, and end. He wrapped up his story with a few more bars from “Blue Moon,” tying the entire thing together in a nice, neat, toneful bow.
Sam’s performance that night was Sam in a nutshell. There was a stage involved, he got to build a story, he sang a few chords, and he taught an entire crowd about love and taking risks.
At Shore, we want kids to take risks and put themselves out there. Shore offers students myriad opportunities to take different chances and try new things – whether they are trying out for the play, or a Varsity sport, or taking an art class for the first time, or simply trying to speak up more in class. Sam Hamlin decided to take a risk and tell a story. He connected with 900 people in the span of five minutes. That ability is the reason why students, even to this day, wander down to the far reaches of campus to say hi and reconnect with Sam Hamlin.
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Grade 3's Hamlin in his classroom
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Shore Country Day School’s mission is to provide an education that inspires a love of learning and encourages children to embrace academic challenge. We seek to build character, cultivate creativity, and value diversity as we help our children become healthy, compassionate citizens of the world.
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