Alabanza! Lin-Manuel Miranda & Twitter Followers Showcase High School Productions of IN THE HEIGHTS

By: Dec. 26, 2013
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On Christmas Eve, IN THE HEIGHTS creator and original cast member Lin-Manuel Miranda took to Twitter to share what he's thankful for this year: all of 2013's nationwide high school productions of 'HEIGHTS'. What started as a simple tweet grew into something much more by the end of the day, with Miranda sharing a multitude of photos and videos shared by the productions' performers.

Below, BWW showcases the high school and regional shows sent in - and in the comments below, feel free to share photos, videos, or just let us know which ones you took part in!

Manuel's tweet and video that kicked it all off was: "Good morning! Y'know what I'm grateful for? The 70+ school productions of Heights this year. Whattup Aspen High!"

From that first video, the submissions started rolling in - check out the photos below!

@captainkarly: "@Lin_Manuel Our HS's production of ITH.. Try to guess which character is which lol #imissthis"


@vinneezy: "@Lin_Manuel gave me the opportunity to perform as my dream role! #thankyou"

‏@veraclaythorne: "@Lin_Manuel Benny serenading Usnavi on the LES."

@stephanie7916: "@Lin_Manuel your amazing writing has changed the lives of my entire cast! THANK YOU #intheheights"


@PhoenixMKenzie: "@Lin_Manuel Canadian in the heights! We all love your show, sending northern love"

@helloitsmo: "@Lin_Manuel we were so proud to do In the Heights at Appleton East this year! It was a life changing experience."


@Mick_Man51: "@Lin_Manuel Still have this gem from when my high school did In The Heights last year"

‏@MoxFerlo24: "@Lin_Manuel Our production of ITH last spring... One of my best memories."


@mynamesmarissa: "@Lin_Manuel one of our set moms actually painted our Abuelas face on the grate"

@MariaPaula_Go: "@Lin_Manuel at a showcase in Miami with Karen and Janet singing No Me Diga!"

@maddiebonahue: "@Lin_Manuel From our family, to yours. Alabanza and Merry Christmas. Love, Pk Yonge in Gainesville Florida"

@luigicue: "Sending our love all the way from the Philippines! @Lin_Manuel The bunch of Filipino kids who tweeted you last May."


@LiamGonzalez97: "@Lin_Manuel I can't thank you enough for creating this amazing role, it was life changing and incredible!"

‏@ohboyitslauren: "thanks for making this possible @Lin_Manuel #intheheights"

@berto1029: "#Timetraveltuesday #intheheights @Lin_Manuel"

‏@jayteehermz: "Thank you @Lin_Manuel for creating a show that would be one of the greatest experiences in my life. Alabanza."

@jessibalter: "@Lin_Manuel, thank you for writing your amazing show of In The Heights, it is absolutely brilliant. Alabanza"

@_StateFarm_Jake: "@Lin_Manuel Our high school performed In the Heights this past year and it was absolutely amazing. We owe it to you!"

@HestinHestout: "@Lin_Manuel completely student produced Heights! April 2013, Hun School of Princeton"

‏@hannahjaydenwho: "One of my highlights of 2013. Special thanks to @Lin_Manuel for creating this journey for us to go on."

@belltreemaster: "While we're at it, thank you @Lin_Manuel for letting us perform your amazing show. Love, the pit band. :)"

‏@emilymw587: "@Lin_Manuel just our little family in the barrio trying to do your brilliant show justice #intheheights"

‏@itssafi_okay: "@Lin_Manuel thank you so much for writing a show that exemplifies family and community BIG LOVE TO YOU FROM MCT"

@BabyKnowles4: "@Lin_Manuel such a salon ladies moment ..we just closed two night ago..it was a magical run!"

@brandonjlopez: "@Lin_Manuel Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for ITH. We did the CO premiere and it changed our lives."

@BarrettMardee: "@Lin_Manuel Our cast of In The heights at the end of Carnaval. Stevenson High School w/ touring set!!! We love you!"

@AshleyWiedbusch: ""Alabanza" from our ITH?? thank you @Lin_Manuel for the wonderful show!"

@amaandaapleasee: "@Lin_Manuel me as Vanessa and my real life Usnavi"

‏@ANauseef1210: "@Lin_Manuel shout-out for helping make 2013 the best year yet. Thanks for creating the most real, beautiful show."

@amanlamp: "@Lin_Manuel thanks for writing such an amazing musical. it was so much fun to perform."

‏@AWalk_: "@Lin_Manuel Sonny, Usnavi, & Benny."

@alvmar5: "@Lin_Manuel my high school theatre company is performing your show! Thank you so much for writing it!"

@alexalynn555: "@Lin_Manuel out set and my wonderful cast members mid performance of our school Toms River Easts production of ITH"


Miranda also shared a slew of videos, showing off high school students' musical chops in 'HEIGHTS' highlights - check them out below!

@Lin_Manuel: "The kids at Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club WENT IN. I saw this one, it was amazing. I still get this stuck in my head."

@Lin_Manuel: "Utterly charmed by the Benny & Nina at Hillcrest High School. Whuttup Hillcrest!"

@Lin_Manuel: "Thanks to the Santa Barbara Teen News Network for bringing us this Dos Pueblos HS exclusive! Whattup Dos Pueblos!"

@Lin_Manuel: "I really like Usnavi's Lebowski T-shirt here. Whattup Cedar Ridge High School!"

‏@Lin_Manuel: "The Susan E. Wagner high school video was so emotional I feel like I graduated from there. Whattup kids!"

‏@Lin_Manuel: "I didn't make it to Gateway High School's production, but watch young Chris Alebeda kicking butt here:"

‏@Lin_Manuel: "I kicked a lil freestyle for the cast of Heights at Bronx Prep:"

@Lin_Manuel: "We had a little concert uptown earlier this year: We practiced real hard!"

@Lin_Manuel: "This is from a local uptown production starring a lady in a tutu...@Karenolivo"

@Lin_Manuel: "Oh my goodness look at this talented lil' Benny/Nina pair from Long Island. THE AUDIENCE IS SO CLOSE!"

@Lin_Manuel: "I legit teared up at this Usnavi/Vanessa duo from Cultural Arts Playhouse. And does it say HENS FOR SALE back there??"



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