Attributes
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Latino heritage and upbringing is clearly a large influence on many of his works. In the Heights, Hamilton, and even his translations of the West Side Story revival (2009) all can attest to this. His use of salsa in In the Heights, along with it being a bilingual show in a predominantly Latinx community, shows the profound inspiration Lin-Manuel’s culture has in his writing. His position as a minority in society has been reflected in many of his shows, especially as he creates musicals that give roles to people of color who aren’t normally seen on a Broadway stage.
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Another important attribute that has deeply impacted his theatre would be his love for hip-hop and rap. From a young age, he listened to these genres of music and in high
school, he became a rapper himself (Murray). He loved (still loves) the story telling aspect of the genre (Binelli) which is why he chose to pair it with musicals – another form of artistic storytelling.
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Lastly, his father’s position as a political figure was highly influential in his writing of Hamilton: An American Musical. According to Miranda, he spent many days in government meetings with his father, coloring with crayons in the background (Gioia). This 1) sparked his interest in politics and thus, Alexander Hamilton but also, 2) his days sitting in his father’s office inspired the song “The Room Where It Happens” (Gioia).
Works Cited:
Binelli, Mark. “Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Rolling Stone Interview.” Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone, 10 June 2016.
Gioia, Michael. “Where It All Began - A Conversation With Lin-Manuel Miranda and His Father.” Playbill, Playbill Inc., 8 July 2016.
Murray, Lorraine. “Lin-Manuel Miranda.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 22 May 2018.