First published 2021
Lin-Manuel Miranda chronicles the creative journey of In the Heights from its 2008 Broadway debut to its film adaptation. The musical captured the Latino community of Washington Heights in upper Manhattan through Latin music and hip-hop, earning four Tony Awards and international acclaim. Miranda collaborates with Jeremy McCarter and Pulitzer Prize winner Quiara Alegría Hudes to reveal the decades-long development process behind both the stage production and Jon M. Chu's movie version. The book presents behind-the-scenes stories, analytical essays, and Miranda's complete lyrics with his personal annotations. Newly commissioned portraits accompany rare photographs from backstage moments, film sets, and global productions. The authors explore how characters like Usnavi and Nina search for belonging while examining the artists' own quest to create a theatrical home for their community's stories.
Genres: drama, contemporary
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, lyrical
Tropes: found-family, search-for-belonging
Setting: Washington Heights, Manhattan
Period: 2008, Decades
270 pages · Hardcover · Random House