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FLASH FRIDAY: Alabanza! Lin-Manuel Miranda Raps It Up On Broadway & Off - IN THE HEIGHTS, HAMILTON, Etc.

By: Feb. 06, 2015
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Today we are celebrating incredibly accomplished multi-award-winning performer, composer and lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda.

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The undisputed breakthrough theatrical voice of the new millennial generation, Lin-Manuel Miranda burst upon the theatre scene with much fireworks and fervor in 2007 when his self-penned stage piece all about contemporary life in modern-day Washington Heights arrived Off-Broadway, appropriately titled IN THE HEIGHTS. Besides composing the score, featuring a book by Quiara Alegria Hudes, Manuel also starred in the new musical, as well, personally presenting to a rapt audience his revolutionary mix of modern music - rap, R&B, dance music and more - with more traditional sounds of not only Broadway, but the barrio itself. Absorbingly and energetically telling the tale of a bright-eyed young man, Usnavi, and his colorful collection of friends, family and foes, the instant audience hit was soon met with critical hosannas once it premiered - with particular praise for Miranda's groundbreaking score, elegantly incorporating multiple rap passages overflowing with witty wordplay, humor, heart, dramatic and thematic heft, with many inventive internal rhymes; not unlike those that would be heard from the very best emcees themselves, many of whom are name-checked in the endlessly entertaining, pop culture-flecked songstack. Due credit was also given to director Thomas Kail, choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler and music director Alex Lacamoire, with the original Off-Broadway production eventually going on to receive 9 well-earned Drama Desk nominations. A Broadway production seemed inevitable for the hot property after that acclaimed arrival, and, on February 14, 2008, it came to be - with even more huzzahs for the accomplished cast, creative team and central mastermind.

Yet, it was a very long journey from its inception to the TONY AWARDS stage when Miranda took home TONY AWARDS for not only Best Original Score but also Best Musical for IN THE HEIGHTS later that year. What began as a college experiment ostensibly attempting to merge the worlds of musical theatre, rap and sounds from Latin music - copious salsa and beyond - with a story inspired by his own upbringing, all while Miranda was attending Wesleyan University in 1999, was painstakingly developed over the course of several years into the final show as it now stands - most notably, with a workshop production staged at the vaunted Eugene O'Neill Theater Center as part of the National Music Theatre Conference in 2005. Countless cuts, additions, changes and revisions occurred in the meantime, ultimately resulting in the show more or less as it is now known and loved as presented Off-Broadway, and, then, with further refinements, on the Great White Way itself. A labor of love - and a musical overflowing with life.

Since then, Miranda has contributed to a wide assortment of projects as both songwriter and performer, composing new Spanish-language lyrics for the bilingual Arthur Laurents-helmed revival of WEST SIDE STORY in 2009, appearing on the new 21st century revival of THE ELECTRIC COMPANY as well as racking up turns on HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, DO NO HARM and MODERN FAMILY, plus a prominent film role in Disney's THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN. Most notably, Miranda also co-composed BRING IT ON: THE MUSICAL alongside Tom Kitt and Amanda Green in 2011, while also creating an original mini-musical for the popular NPR series THIS AMERICAN LIFE in 2014. As a performer, Miranda has also starred in two major revivals - as Charley in Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG in 2012 as well as Jon in Jonathan Larson and David Auburn's TICK, TICK... BOOM! last year. In his spare time, Miranda also participates in live events and an ongoing TV series as part of improvisational group Freestyle Love Supreme, too. Plus, it would be difficult to forget his idiosyncratic and sterling specialty material for TONY AWARDS shows in recent years - especially his Neil Patrick Harris showstoppers in 2011 and 2013 (occasionally with some sassy Audra McDonald assistance). Clearly, the man is multi-talented - and as passionate an onstage performer as he is a self-professed Broadway baby as a theatrical composer, lyricist, bookwriter and uber fan (as his characteristically delectable social media posts continually confirm; such as this week's sweet tweet about Stephen Sondheim himself attending a preview of HAMILTON: "The God MC Sondheezy was here tonight. I heard him cackle on the 'bursar' line. I wish I could bottle that laugh.").

Now, Miranda is poised to open a brand new musical experiment at the hallowed Public Theater on almost the exact same date that IN THE HEIGHTS was welcomed to the world on an Off-Broadway mainstage earlier this century - HAMILTON. Based on the eminently fascinating, influential and complex life of one of the founding fathers of the United States, Alexander Hamilton, Miranda therefore embodies the titular political revolutionary and right-hand man to George Washington onstage. As history would have it, besides being considered the foremost authority on the US Constitution, Hamilton also enjoyed top-flight governmental positions throughout his career including Secretary of the Treasury, a Senior Officer of the US Army and Delegate to the Congress of the Confederation. In a note of incredible historical poetic irony, Miranda world premiered a significant section of the show for President Obama himself as part of the WHITE HOUSE EVENING OF POETRY, MUSIC AND THE SPOKEN WORD back in 2009. In the 6 years since, THE HAMILTON MIXTAPE - as it was once billed - has been renamed HAMILTON and the story of American's first Federalist is currently being met with the same sort of vociferous praise once afforded to IN THE HEIGHTS. A new era, a new Miranda musical waiting to be birthed on Broadway. So, when exactly when will it hit The Street? With a recent extension through May announced earlier this week, it seems unlikely that HAMILTON will make the TONY AWARDS deadline for this Broadway season, but any chance we lucky theatergoers have to witness one of the most important voices of the modern musical tackling such a historically rich and impossibly pertinent topic such as this is one worth taking - certainly, Miranda is more than merely worthy of the praise, or, if your prefer: alabanza.

The Miranda Mixtape

So, now, let's take a look at some highlights from the career of Lin-Manuel Miranda as we look ahead to HAMILTON.

First up, IN THE HEIGHTS sets the TONY AWARDS alight with "96,000".

Witness Lin-Manuel Miranda take home his first Tony Award.

See history being made with this inspired IN THE HEIGHTS closing speech.

Next, hear the iconic "Tonight (Quintet)" from WEST SIDE STORY bilingual-style.

Peruse the new edition of THE ELECTRIC COMPANY with this rap-tastic clip.

Get a look at BRING IT ON: THE MUSICAL at the 2013 Tony Awards.

Now, go inside rehearsals for Encores! MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG.

Also, peer behind the scenes of City Center's TICK, TICK... BOOM!

Sample a moment from THIS AMERICAN LIFE's 21 CHUMP STREET: THE MUSICAL.

Revisit the 2011 TONY AWARDS closing number, backstage.

Miranda re-teams with NPH for the 2013 Tony Awards. Bonus: Audra.

Miranda joins with frequent collaborator Karen Olivo for a Jay Z & Alicia Keys Empire State-sized hit.


Don't miss this "Run This Town"-themed promo video for the IN THE HEIGHTS tour.


Check out this electric IN THE HEIGHTS flash mob.

An active member of Freestyle Love Supreme, Miranda and co. impressively improvise with panache.

Lin-Manuel drops trou with The Skivvies for a rousing mash-up of tunes.

Plus, view Miranda performing a preview of HAMILTON for President Obama.

As a special bonus, see Miranda's highly theatrical wedding day surprise.

So, what is your absolute favorite Lin-Manuel Miranda musical of all? Furthermore, what is your choice for his best performance to date? What about your top pick for Miranda jam you just can't resist? With so much talent and so many examples of his artistry already available to savor and enjoy time and time again, the future surely looks blazingly bright for one of Broadway's best 21st century artists. The real question that rises above all the others now, though, particularly after HAMILTON: what will he do next? Whatever it is, we will all be waiting with bated breath - along with open eyes, ears, minds and hearts.

Photo Credits: CBS, The Public Theater/Joan Marcus, etc.







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