Video: Celebrate 15 Years of IN THE HEIGHTS

15 years ago today, on March 9, 2008, In the Heights opened on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre.

In the Heights is a musical with concept, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. The story is set over the course of three days, involving characters in the largely Dominican American neighborhood of Washington Heights in Upper Manhattan, New York City.

Long before it landed on Broadway in 2008, Miranda began writing the msuical while he was a student at Wesleyan University. The earliest version was a one-act show that ran at the college's student theater company in 2000. It was later presented at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in 2005, directed by Thomas Kail and with music director Alex Lacamoire.

The musical went on to play off-Broadway at the 37 Arts Theater in 2007, earning nine Drama Desk Awards, winning two, as well as winning the Outer Critics' Circle Award for Outstanding Musical.

After moving to Broadway in 2008, In the Heights was was nominated for thirteen Tony Awards and won four, including Best Musical. The original Broadway cast featured Miranda, Mandy Gonzalez, Christopher Jackson, Karen Olivo, Olga Merediz, Carlos Gomez, Priscilla Lopez, Robin de Jesús, Andréa Burns, Janet Dacal, Seth Stewart and Eliseo Román.

Since then, notable productions have opened in cities all around the world, including London, Manila, Tokyo, Melbourne, Seoul, Panama City, São Paulo, Lima, Lohne, and Vancouver.

Filming began on a movie version of In the Heights on 2019, in New York. The film was originally scheduled to be released in June 2020, but was delayed to June 10, 2021, due to the pandemic. Directed by Jon M. Chu from a screenplay by Quiara Alegría Hudes, it stars Anthony Ramos, Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera, Olga Merediz, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Gregory Diaz IV, and Jimmy Smits.