Wesleyan-Spawned Musical Going To Broadway

'In The Heights' Was Written When Lin-Manuel Miranda Was Student In Middletown

By FRANK RIZZO | Courant Staff Writer

May 31, 2007

Broadway show 'In The Heights', starring Robin DeJesus, Karen Olivo and Lin-Manuel Miranda. (HANDOUT / March 5, 2008)

"In the Heights,'' the feel-good, hip-hop-meets-Broadway musical which began at Wesleyan University, is moving to the big street.

The show, which had its origins seven years ago when composer-actor Lin-Manuel Miranda was a student at the Middletown college, will close its current run off-Broadway July 15 in preparation for its transfer to Broadway, aimed at the '07-08 season. The show follows a few days in the life of a largely Hispanic neighborhood in Washington Heights in New York, centering on a bodega operated by a sweet-natured owner (Miranda).

The show, which opened off-Broadway in January, received favorable reviews and an armful of recent awards from the Outer Critics Circle, the Lucille Lortel Foundation and the Drama Desk. Miranda won an Obie Award for his music and lyrics.

The show stars the 27-year-old composer and is directed by Thomas Kail, another Wesleyan alum. Variety reports that the Broadway production will be capitalized at ``under $10 million,'' according to one of the show's producers.

But how rare is it for a composer to star in his own Broadway musical?

We asked that question to several notable composers, who had to scratch their heads for a while before coming up with an answer. "Noel Coward is the only one I can think of,'' says John Kander ("Cabaret,'' "Chicago''). But Coward starred in many of his plays and his revues, not a book musical. Jerry Herman ("Hello, Dolly!'', "Mame'') points to Irving Berlin, but Berlin's appearance was in a revue and not a book musical, 1942' s "This Is the Army.'' So Miranda appears to be a notable exception.