BWW TV: When Lin-Manuel Met Nicholas 'IN THE HEIGHTS'

[Craig]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 10:19am

https://www.broadwayworld.com/l.cfm?id=229536

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 10:35am

Thanks so much for posting that! What a wonderful thing for Nicholas!

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 10:55am

OK, not only did the video bring tears to my eyes, but reading the story behind it as well.

[jennafan]

Posted: 12/6/08 at 1:15am

I have deleted my post. I didn't mean to offend anyone. Just stating opinions. Updated On: 12/6/08 at 01:15 AM

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 12/6/08 at 1:31am

I think you're being far too cynical. ITH has been doing good business, especially considering the current economic climate, and even if all they wanted was to stage an elaborate PR stunt, there is a myriad of other possibilities they could've pursued. It's not like someone's going to watch that video and suddenly decide to go see In The Heights. Most of the people who know about this video are well aware of the show, and are probably fans already.

There is no doubt in my mind that the cast of ITH genuinely wanted to do something nice for Nicholas. And why post it on You Tube? Because it's through You Tube that they met him. The point isn't just to allow him to have his moment on the stage, but for him to have a broader audience. I really doubt there's some ulterior motive at play here.

[binau]

Posted: 12/6/08 at 1:58am

Well I think they wanted it to be known that they did it (hence the filming). But I don't think the *sole* reason was just PR.

[jennafan]

Posted: 12/6/08 at 2:09am

Happy Holidays Updated On: 12/6/08 at 02:09 AM

[Anakela]

Posted: 12/6/08 at 2:19am

four months ago- August 08- that was the first time I posted anything about Nicholas' youtube channel on here, and that was in reply to someone else's post, so we've been taking about him since at least then, maybe earlier...

And is the cast performing in street clothes while volunteering their time a concern for equity (you AEA types are gonna have to help here- now that it's been mentioned I'm curious)? I could understand having to get it ok'd to use the set, the music, the choreography, but would equity have to have ok'd the cast appearance?

And, honestly, it didn't feel like the BWW press about this video was planned (apologies BWW staff if it was), rather BWW news 'covering' the story of the creation of this video all felt like it came abouts after the fact, ie: oh, people are posting/talking about it, maybe we should do a story on it. Otherwise why the video interview w/ Lin after it all happened, why no BWW footage of it while it was happening? (Hey, y'all have your cynicism, I'll have mine. :))

link to Aug 2008 chat about Nicholas' youtube channel

[jennafan]

Posted: 12/6/08 at 2:52am

I have deleted my posts. I didn't mean to offend anyone. Just stating opinions. Updated On: 12/6/08 at 02:52 AM

[jennafan]

Posted: 12/6/08 at 3:06am

I understand.

Updated On: 12/6/08 at 03:06 AM

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 12/6/08 at 6:50am

I think it only reinforced the idea of Nicholas expressing himself and meeting the cast through the YouTube channel.

[Craig]

Posted: 12/6/08 at 10:56am

I can say it was 100 percent not planned but a very last minute interview. In fact, I was doing something else (video wise) entirely when we shot his little video about Nicholas. Lin had noticed all the chatter on BroadwayWorld's message board and we decided to ask him about it when (as I said) we were shooting something else with him.

I CAN tell you that in speaking to Lin with no cameras rolling how excited he was to talk about Nicholas and the whole experience. This wasn't a PR stunt in the slightest. This was Lin identifying with a kid not unlike himself with a passion inside to perform.

Performers can never win it seems. If they reach out to their fans, they get accused of doing it for alterior motives. If they ignore their fans, they get ridiculed for being snobs. It's a tough position to be in as to WHERE that line is.

I've seen it with several performers both here on BWW and "off line".

[Usnavi]

Posted: 12/6/08 at 11:37am

thanks craig for shooting and sharing the video with us.
as a puerto rican i can say that i am proud of lin-manuel miranda's success. that he and his fellow cast members reached out to this kid in orleans and made a dream come true was so generous.

i'm glad nicholas was given this experience and that he cherishes it forever.

[uncageg]

Posted: 12/6/08 at 8:26pm

I read the story, watched Nicholas' videos and then watched the video he did with the cast and the interview with Lin-Manuel. I am sitting here at my computer STILL in tears.

Kudo's to the Cast of In The Heights! Wonderful, wonderful! Just lifts the heart!

Craig, thank you for sharing that!

And who cares what clearances had to be made for this to happen! It happened!! Whoever cleared what, it is evident that ALL involved wanted this to happen! So don't worry about that stuff and just enjoy that this kids dream came true beacause of some wonderful people!

Updated On: 12/6/08 at 08:26 PM

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 12/6/08 at 8:34pm

I CAN tell you that in speaking to Lin with no cameras rolling how excited he was to talk about Nicholas and the whole experience.

Right. I mentioned to him today how great I thought the whole thing was, and you could tell just by listening to him that there was no "alterior motive," he did it because he wanted to.

[Square Peg2]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 1:10am

I know we're all having deep discussions about the impetus behind the video and the ethics of the situation, but I'm still giggling about the fact that this kid brought his own homemade costume! Seriously, even if it was a PR stunt (and it doesn't seem that it was), who gives a ****? It was a beautiful thing and I would have committed murder to have the opportunity that kid had when I was his age!

[jennafan]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 1:39am

Um... I deleted all my posts last night so this wouldn't get out of hand. I'm not sure who everyone is replying to.

I did not say anything bad about Lin-Manuel or Nicholas. I just stated opinions after seeing how much attention the video has gotten.

That being said, I do think it was wonderful what the cast did for Nicholas. I'm sure he will remember that moment for the rest of his life.
Updated On: 12/7/08 at 01:39 AM

[uncageg]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 1:43am

jennafan, I did not get to read the posts that you deleted so I am not responding to you.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 1:52am

I was responding to Craig.

[jennafan]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 1:53am

ok, no worries.