In the Heights

Like most people in the world I watched In the Heights this past weekend. Watched it from the comfort of my home, which I guess at this point says more about me than about the state of the world.

In the Heights has one of those incredible Hollywood backstories–a movie two decades in the making. Its author, Lin-Manuel Miranda (that’s the Hamilton guy), wrote the first draft of what would become the stage musical when he was a sophomore at Wesleyan University. This was 1999. The following year a Wesleyan student theatre group put on the show, a one-act version that was, according to reviews of the time, “a hip-hop version of Rent.” Obviously no one had seen Hamilton yet and didn’t know this would be the style 20 years later. Reworked for trials in Connecticut in 2005, then produced off-Broadway in 2007 before making it to the Great White Way in 2008. Then there was Hamilton, so now Miranda can do whatever he wants. If that includes dusting off an old show I say go for it, because damn this one is good too. If you liked Hamilton you’ll like In the Heights. Which is like saying if you enjoy breathing you’ll like In the Heights.

Lin-Manuel, you got any more old shows lying around?

Please?

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About moc

My name is Mike O'Connell. I am 41 years old and live in Northern Virginia. I am a teacher, a musician, and an enthusiast of all things American.

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