Before the public came to know Lin-Manuel Miranda as Alexander Hamilton, the actor was best known for the 2007 Broadway hit musical In the Heights. The film adaptation of that production is set to arrive this summer, but before In the Heights premieres, fans of the Broadway hit will get a peek into its journey from idea to the big screen. Miranda is set to deliver a dive deep into his pre-Hamilton hit.
A pre-order listing from Random House revealed Lin-Manuel Miranda will focus on the making of the In the Heights stage musical in the book In the Heights: Finding Home. This will a celebration of the musical’s 20-year journey from a Broadway smash to a cinematic offering. The book’s release reunites Miranda with the musical’s book writer and screenwriter, Quiara Alegría Hudes. Along with Hudes, the actor/composer is reuniting with Hamilton: The Revolution co-author Jeremy McCarter.
Upon Random House putting up pre-orders for the book, Lin-Manuel Miranda took to Twitter to make the announcement. Like many of his tweets, Miranda was really excited over this moment. Check out his grand tweet announcement below:
As a trip down memory lane, In the Height: Finding Home will feature untold stories from Lin-Manuel Miranda, Quiara Alegría Hudes and others, along with essays from Hudes. It will feature Miranda’s lyrics to the musical along with some funny, heartfelt annotations. In addition to lyrics and essays, there will be also portraits and unseen photos from various stage productions and the set of the upcoming film adaptation. According to The Hollywood Reporter, there will also be an audiobook released simultaneously.
Much like Hamilton, In the Heights was a notable change for Broadway. It was able to spice up traditional theatre musicals by incorporating Latin music and hip-hop. At the time, it was a shot in the arm Broadway needed in highlighting voices and views outside the mainstream. And like Hamilton, it became one of Broadway’s signature hits. So, having a book chronicle the stage musical’s journey could be an eye-opening experience for In the Heights fans – new and old.
Much like last year’s release of Hamilton, In the Heights seems poised to take over the internet and become the musical film event of 2021. Just days ago, the film’s trailer dropped, eliciting a huge response on social media. Much like the book, the trailer has a few Hamilton connections, including cameos from Christopher Jackson and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Another Hamilton connection is lead Anthony Ramos (a.k.a. Philip Hamilton) replacing Miranda as protagonist Usnavi da la Vega.
With the hype building day-by-day, In the Heights has become one of 2021’s most anticipated releases. The film will arrive on June 18 in theaters and on HBO Max, while In the Heights: Finding Home will be released in bookstores and online on June 22.
