TV: Christopher Jackson Inspires High School Students Through MSG NETWORKS SUMMER SPEAKER SERIES

MSG Networks and the Garden of Dreams Foundation recently collaborated around the launch of the "MSG Networks Summer Speaker Series," which was created to bring joy and inspire young students while giving them advice and guidance on how to pursue a career. The Garden of Dreams Foundation provides young people in our communities with life-changing access to educational and skills opportunities, mentoring programs and memorable experiences that enhance their lives, help shape their futures and create lasting joy.

As part of the weekly speaker series, about 30 high school students attend a Zoom session, hosted by former Knicks star Allan Houston, alongside a celebrity guest - most recently Christopher Jackson. During the insightful and inspiring chat, Jackson opened up about his journey to becoming an actor, the importance of collaboration and being able to express yourself. The students were blown away by the experience and expressed so much gratitude for being able to virtually connect with Jackson.

Check out the video!

On first learning about Hamilton, Jackson shared:

"I was actually on stage with Lin (Manuel Miranda) when he told me the idea. I was on stage doing another Broadway show In The Heights, which was in the same theater, The Richard Rogers. There was a point in the show where his character and my character would go upstage while another scene had come downstage and actors were doing another number. It was a three and half-minute song - and Lin is one of my best friends so we talk. We aren't in character, but we are there. We get right to the end of that song and he's like, " Oh by the way I've got my next thing." I was like 'great', in my mind I was like 'who am I going to play, because I'm an actor'. We had to go back on stage in that moment and he didn't get to finish telling me anything about what he was thinking. That was in 2009. That goes to show you that really good things take a long time, really good ideas can take years to cultivate."