"In The Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams," a documentary film telling Behind-The-Scenes Story of the 2008 Tony Award-Winning Musical, premieres on THIRTEEN's Great Performances, May 27 on PBS.
Making it in New York City is tough. Few get the chance to live out their dreams, and the cast and crew of In The Heights know this all too well. This young, diverse group of relatively unknown artists and performers have dreamed of making it on Broadway, but are well aware that a new original musical set outside a bodega in the Latino neighborhood of Washington Heights is a highly risky proposition. It took eight years in all, but they succeeded beyond their wildest expectations, winning four Tony Awards along the way, including Best Musical and Best Score for a Musical.
In The Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams chronicles the personal stories of composer/lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda and The Cast of In The Heights in the months leading up to opening night. The program premieres Wednesday, May 27 at 8 p.m. (ET) on THIRTEEN's Great Performances on PBS HD (check local listings).
For Miranda, bringing In The Heights to life began when he was a sophomore at Wesleyan College. Having grown up as a first generation American in one of the toughest neighborhoods in New York City, Miranda always struggled to find his identity and place in life. Writing about the stories, sacrifices and sounds of the people from his neighborhood was a way to share his experience. "When I saw Rent, it was the first time I'd seen a musical that took place now," recounted Miranda. "A light bulb went off and it was like 'oh, you can write a musical that's about you, about your life.' 'If you had told me it'd take eight years to finish [In The Heights] I probably would have been too scared to continue."
In The Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams is a @radical.media production for THIRTEEN in association with WNET.ORG. For Great Performances, Bill O'Donnell is Series Producer, Michael Kantor (Broadway: The American Musical, Make 'Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America) is consulting producer; David Horn is Executive Producer.
Great Performances is a production of THIRTEEN in association with WNET.ORG - one of America's most prolific and respected public media providers.
