Imagem Music, the Number #1 independent music publisher in the world, has acquired the worldwide stock and amateur rights to the 2008 Tony Award winning Best Musical, IN THE HEIGHTS, with a Tony Award winning score by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a Tony Award nominated book by Quiara Alegría Hudes.
The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization (RHO), a member of the Imagem Music Group, will represent IN THE HEIGHTS through its theatrical licensing division, R&H Theatricals. RHO has represented Miranda's score in its music publishing division since early 2008.
André de Raaff, CEO and co-founder of Imagem Music said: "We are delighted that Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes have chosen us for the worldwide stage and music exploitation of IN THE HEIGHTS. It also shows Imagem's commitment to acquire exciting new stage properties to flourish alongside the great classics by Rodgers and Hammerstein, and others, that are the foundation of R&H Theatricals. [RHO President] Ted Chapin asked me to see IN THE HEIGHTS a few months ago on Broadway, and I was completely knocked out by its quality and freshness. I am convinced that IN THE HEIGHTS is a perfect fit for our company as it looks towards the future."
Ted Chapin, President of RHO, said: "Lin has been an important part of our family since we began representing his score nearly two years ago. We are delighted that he and Quiara have entrusted us with IN THE HEIGHTS and we can hardly wait to begin making it available to our customers. The nice ‘problem,' of course, is that IN THE HEIGHTS is still enjoying a smash run on Broadway, and on US National Tour, but we promise to keep our customers updated as to when and how it will be made available. Until then," Chapin added, "we urge ‘Paciencia y Fe' (‘patience and faith'), to quote one of Lin's great songs from the score."
Founded in 2008 by ABP, one of the world's biggest pension funds, in conjunction with Dutch independent publisher/media company CP Masters BV, Imagem Music Group began by acquiring music publishing rights in a number of catalogs sold by Universal Publishing as a requirement of its acquisition of BMG Publishing ? Zomba UK, Rondor UK, 19 Music and 19 Songs, plus the greater part of the BBC Music catalogue and European rights to the Zomba US catalogue ? as the first step in becoming one of the most dynamic new players in music publishing.
The subsequent acquisition of Boosey & Hawkes in April 2008 ? with its rights to Copland, Stravinsky, Rachmaninoff and others and its established international publishing infrastructure B has provided Imagem Music with an administrative backbone as well as expanding the group's musical offering into classical and jazz.
In May 2009, Imagem Music acquired The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization (representing over 12,000 songs, 900 concert works, 200 writers and 100 musicals) as well as the joint copyrights of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, which contain rights to the world's most popular stage and film musicals, including OKLAHOMA!, SOUTH PACIFIC, THE KING AND I and THE SOUND OF MUSIC.
In October 2009, Imagem Music acquired 50% of the Phil Collins catalogue and concluded a long term exclusive worldwide administration agreement for his ownership share and future compositions, and for the existing catalogue, and future compositions of the other members of Genesis, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford (including Mike & The Mechanics).
R&H Theatricals represents the stock and amateur stage rights to over 100 musicals by more than 200 writers. These include works by Rodgers & Hammerstein (including OKLAHOMA!, SOUTH PACIFIC and THE SOUND OF MUSIC), Rodgers & Hart (PAL JOEY, BABES IN ARMS), and Kern & Hammerstein (SHOW BOAT), as well as musicals by Irving Berlin (ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, WHITE CHRISTMAS), Andrew Lloyd Webber (CATS, JOSEPH...), Adam Guettel (THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, FLOYD COLLINS), Kurt Weill (THE THREEPENNY OPERA, LADY IN THE DARK), such perennials as BIG RIVER, ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, and FOOTLOOSE, and the longest-running revues in the history of Broadway -- SMOKEY JOE'S CAFÉ -- and Off-Broadway -- I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE. Recently added titles include A CATERED AFFAIR, IT'S ONLY LIFE, [title of show], LOVE MUSIK, FACE THE MUSIC, REEFER MADNESS, ALTAR BOYZ, BERNARDA ALBA, MID-LIFE! THE CRISIS MUSICAL, and BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY. Website: www.rnhtheatricals.com.
IN THE HEIGHTS is about a vibrant and tight?knit community at the top of the island of Manhattan. The music pulses with the hopes and dreams of three generations as they struggle to forge an identity in a neighborhood on the brink of transition. Winner of four 2008 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Score (for Miranda), as well as the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Show Album, IN THE HEIGHTS is now in its second smash year at Broadway's Richard Rodgers Theater. Preceded by a six?month award?winning Off?Broadway engagement in 2007, IN THE HEIGHTS opened on Broadway in March of 2008, twice breaking the house record of the Rodgers, and recouping its entire $10 million investment within 10 months. In November, 2008, Universal Pictures acquired the rights to produce a feature film based on IN THE HEIGHTS. In October of this year, the first U.S. National Tour of IN THE HEIGHTS was launched in Tampa, Florida. Website: www.intheheightsthemusical.com.
LIN?MANUEL MIRANDA (Music and Lyrics; Original Concept) won the 2008 Tony Award for Best Original Score for IN THE HEIGHTS. He wrote the first incarnation of IN THE HEIGHTS during his sophomore year at Wesleyan University, CT. Off?Broadway: IN THE HEIGHTS: nine Drama Desk nominations, including Best Music, Best Lyrics and won the award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance; the Lucille Lortel Award and Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical; the Obie Award for Outstanding Music and Lyrics; a Theatre World Award for Outstanding Debut Performance and the Clarence Derwent Award, both for Mr. Miranda's performance. He is the recipient of the 2007 ASCAP Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award. TV/film: "House," "Sesame Street," "The Sopranos," "Sex and the City." A co?founding member of Freestyle Love Supreme, a hip?hop comedy group that tours comedy festivals all over the world. Love and gratitude to Luz, Luis, Lucecita y Mundi. He dedicates IN THE HEIGHTS to the memory of Abuela Eva. Lin's music publishing portfolio for IN THE HEIGHTS is represented by RHO.
QUIARA ALEGRÍA HUDES (Book) has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama two times: in 2007 for her play ELLIOT, A SOLDIER=S FUGUE, and in 2009 for IN THE HEIGHTS, for which she was also nominated for the Tony Award for Best Book. Her play 26 MILES recently opened at the Alliance Theatre, and her musical BARRIO GRRRL! opened at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Fall 2009. Her honors include a Joyce Foundation Award, a Lucille Lortel Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award, and a resolution from Philadelphia's City Council. She is a resident writer at New Dramatists. She dedicates HEIGHTS to Ray, Cecilia, and the loving memories of Abuela Yuya and Titi Ginny.
