BWW Exclusive: Patrick Hinds Gets a Follow Up with Lin-Manuel Miranda 11 Years Later

Even the most casual of listeners to the wonderful "Theater People Podcast" know that host Patrick Hinds has been dying to book Emmy, Grammy, and Tony-winner Lin-Manuel Miranda on the show since day one. After badgering former guests (and IN THE HEIGHTS STARS) Karen Olivo and Robin De Jesus, Patrick finally got his way, and what resulted was a fascinating hour of musical theatre conversation.

As he did after booking another dream-guest, Olivio, Patrick wrote a touching column about his connection to Miranda that began with an interview 11 years ago about an unknown show currently being workshopped called IN THE HEIGHTS.

---

I first met the Genius Lin-Manuel Miranda (I will never stop calling him that) back in 2003 when I was trying to get some traction as a freelance writer. My friend Tommy Kail asked me if I wanted to interview a young writer/composer he was working with on a new hip hop musical called IN THE HEIGHTS. It was just a one-act being workshopped in the basement theater of the Drama Bookshop, but the show's main character was gay (obviously a lot has changed over the years) and he thought that would interest me. It did, so we set up an interview.

Lin and I met at the Xando Cosi on 78th and Broadway. I arrived before him, and when he came in I went to shake his hand, instead he leaned in and gave me a hug. To hear his friends-the people I've interviewed who actually know him-tell it, that simple gesture, a hug over a handshake, is a solid example of the way Lin approaches the world. I have two other memories from that interview 11 years ago: first, how animated he was as he talked about IN THE HEIGHTS-that even in its most bare bones state, and with Broadway nowhere on the horizon, he had no doubt of the show's potential to further the dialogue that had begun with WEST SIDE STORY and THE CAPE MAN-up to that point the only two Broadway musicals to explore the "Nuyorican" experience. And second, the funny story he later told me about his father's good natured chuckle upon reading his son's first-ever interview in a paper called Gay City News.

I often tell people that I saw IN THE HEIGHTS not just before it transferred to Broadway, but also in its original workshop phase-before it even transferred to Off-Broadway. It's my one claim to theater fame, but it isn't really true. Lin and Tommy invited me to one rehearsal in that basement theater where I watched Kerry Washington (yes, that Kerry Washington) as Nina bobbing her head and snapping her fingers to Lin's music while Lin taught a particularly complicated stretch of music to the actor playing Usnavi at the time. It was mind blowing. The sound was completely original for musical theater (this was 2003 after all-the year of HAIRSPRAY, MOVIN' OUT, and A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD). "This thing could really go somewhere," I remember thinking. But what did I know? I mean how often does a new musical go from a basement to Broadway?

IN THE HEIGHTS had legs right from the start. And I got to see it in its pre Off-Broadway run once again-sort of-when I was hired to bartend a fund raising investor's reading. It wasn't glamorous, but I was there for another step of the show's climb to greatness AND I got to pour champagne for former NYC Mayor, Ed Koch.

I saw IN THE HEIGHTS Off-Broadway as a paying customer, and loved it, of course. But I think my favorite memory of the show, in the many incarnations that I saw, was during previews on Broadway--my husband Steve and I had won front row lottery tickets. Towards the end of the finale, as Lin walked to the foot of the stage rapping the show's final lyrics 'Take the train to the top of the world and I'm there, I'm home,' I could see the tears in his eyes. I can't speak for Lin, but I would imagine that 'home' was a lot of things for him in that moment. It was a beautiful thing to watch him take that in, in fact it's one of the most powerful things I've seen in a Broadway house.

After the black out, when the lights came up for curtain call and Lin stepped forward for his bow, I was tempted to wave-I mean, I was standing less than three feet from him. I didn't, and I grudgingly admit it wasn't because it would have been supremely uncool, but rather, I just had no expectation that Lin would remember me. But then, as he was scanning the crowd and nodding his thank yous, my eye caught his. He smiled, and gave me a little point with his finger that said, "Hey, I know you from somewhere!" and that was good enough for me.

Catching up with the Genius Lin-Manuel Miranda for this episode of the Theater People Podcast was a total blast. I'd seen him in passing a few times over the years-once on the street outside the Richard Rogers Theater, and again at intermission during a preview performance of BRING IT ON: THE MUSICAL (for which he co-wrote the music and lyrics), but this was our first chance to really talk about all that he has accomplished.

When he walked into the room to record our interview, I jumped up to shake his hand, instead, he leaned in and gave me a hug. I should have known. And on his way out, when we asked him to sign our guest book, he wrote: "To Patrick, who knew me when."

Like a true theater nerd, I will treasure that forever. Thanks for making my day, Genius. Let's do this again sometime soon.

---

Find Patrick's conversation with Lin-Manuel, and all previous episodes, at www.theaterppl.com. You can follow the show on Twitter and Instagram, and "Like" it on Facebook. You can also subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and get the each new episode a day early. To see Patrick and The Theater People Podcast in person, get tickets to their LIVE show as part of the 2015 NYC PodFest on January 11th, 2015 at 5:30pm here.