Mr. Miranda, welcome home.
Lin-Manuel Miranda has announced that he will be returning to star in the title role of his Tony and Pulitzer-prize winning musical Hamilton that will play in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The performance will be held at the University of Puerto Rico’s Teatro UPR and run from Jan. 8 through Jan. 27 of 2019. Miranda, whose parents were both born in Puerto Rico, made the announcement on Nov. 8, after the stage — and entire island — suffered massive damage from Hurricane Maria in September.
The stage will undergo repairs prior to Hamilton’s return. Additional casting for the roles will be announced at a later time.
“Bringing [Hamilton] to Puerto Rico is a dream that I’ve had since we first opened at The Public Theater in 2015,” said Miranda in a statement via Playbill. “When I last visited the island, a few weeks before Hurricane Maria, I had a commitment to not only bring the show to Puerto Rico, but also return again to the title role. In the aftermath of Maria we decided to expedite the announcement of the project to send a bold message that Puerto Rico will recover and be back in business, stronger than ever.”
“In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria,” Hamilton producer Jeffrey Seller added via Playbill, “we hope Hamilton can play a positive role in bringing the artistic pulse of the community back to life. Arts and culture are pillars for economic development, cultural tourism, community empowerment and growth.”
Miranda has been well involved with the aftermath clean-up in Puerto Rico due to Hurricane Maria. In addition to the Hamilton news, he also recently announced a partnership with a non-profit group aimed to help with recovery for $2.5 million.
“The road to recovery in Puerto Rico is not a simple one,” Miranda said via Gulf News, “nor is it one that relies solely on aid from the American government on the mainland. Together, we will cultivate, fund and execute practical and actionable solutions to kick-start and continue the island’s road to recovery for years to come.”
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Hamilton earned a total of 11 Tony Awards during its run in 2016. Miranda, however, hasn’t performed as the American Forefather since the show ended its Broadway production in July 2016.
He may not have any control over who lives, who dies and who tells his story, but surely Miranda is doing great work in Puerto Rico.