Lin-Manuel Miranda To Leave IN THE HEIGHTS In February 2009

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 11:29am

"Miranda, who revealed he will leave the Tony-winning show in February 2009, said he hoped the musical would live on beyond his departure..."

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/122138.html

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 11:35am

It's going to be really hard to replace him, I'm sure. Wonder who they're looking at.
Now...an IN THE HEIGHTS movie? Not sure that'd go over well especially if Jennifer Lopez is behind the project.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 11:39am

IMO, is the material strong enough to support his leaving? The recent numbers haven't been all that spectacular.

[LotteTBS138]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 11:41am

MARIO LOPEZ!!!!!












ok, j/k....

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 11:43am

I honestly don't think people are going to the show to see him.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 12:06pm

I think there is something neat about the fact that the guy who wrote the score stars in the show, but I don't think his departing will have any sort of major impact on the BO... unless his replacement is awful or something to that effect.
The show might be playing to an avg of 75% capacity in the past couple of weeks but it's still bringing in over $700'000 each week so it's probably making money either way.

[winston89]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 12:22pm

ray-andallthatjazz86, I agree with you that although it is cool to see the composer star in the show that his departure won't damage the show. I originally thought that this show wouldn't be the same without Lin as Usnavi. However, I saw the show with an understudy in the role and my views changed. I think that the show can go on strongly without Lin in the role and I don't think his leaving the show will cause the show to do so bad at the box office that it shuts down.

I mean look at Drowsy for a good example. People thought that the show was going to close the day after Bob Martin left to do the show in London. Yet, it was still successful without him in the show. I think In The Heights will be the same thing.

[coolkid11776]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 1:57pm

Does anyone know what date he is leaving? I want to get tickets to his last show as an X-mas gift.

[winston89]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 1:59pm

Coolkid, I find it sad that you have a closing night fetish.

That being said, the date that he is leaving has yet to be announced. It was only said that he is leaving the show in February.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 2:05pm

I saw his understudy and he's almost as good as Lin.

[blaxx]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 2:06pm

People thought that the show was going to close the day after Bob Martin left to do the show in London. Yet, it was still successful without him in the show.

It was?

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 2:13pm

Don't get me wrong, I'd like to see an ITH movie. But is the book strong enough for a movie?

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 2:42pm

I've also seen his understudy Javier and thought he was fantastic! I'm hoping he will step in and replace him.

[bythesword84]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 2:57pm

Considering BOTH times I saw In the Heights (several months apart) Lin was out and Javier was in, I can say that however wonderful Lin is, he is not indispensable as a stage presence.

[EnWashingtonHeights]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 3:00pm

I would also like to know the exact date. This is my favorite musical EVER. So unlike Coolkid who won't go unless it's his last I want to go because I love the show and he is the reason the show got on Broadway.

[toanythingtaboo 2]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 3:06pm

I think ITH would actually make an excellent film.

It lends itself perfectly and it would make an interesting change from the recent tweeny bopping musical movies we've had.

It could easily have famous actor/singers in the parts and make a huge box office success.

[EnWashingtonHeights]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 3:08pm

I would love "The Hot Ticket" or something like that to tape it and screen it in theaters once the show closes.

[ythcbroadway]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 3:17pm

I would love to see The Hot Ticket record In the Heights. They did an amazing job on RENT and Delirium and I think they should definetly continue producing new shows.

[zepka102]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 5:11pm

All I've been thinking the past few months while listening to the CR is how great of a movie it would make. Just listen to the title song... it's so cinematic with people walking in and out of the store and the way they all interact. And of course, Usnavi needs to narrate to the audience, but it would totally work with him going back and forth.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 5:27pm

I'm not sure about the rest of the company, but I know Karen Olivo will be departing the show in February as well.

[dlass727]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 5:51pm

I saw ITH with Lin-Manuel's understudy and he was fabulous! I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything. I think the show will be fine. Of course, that's just my opinion.

[winston89]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 6:18pm

I think that this doesn't have so much to do with Lin writing the show as it does for the fact that he is an original cast member. When a show opens people think that the original cast is the best just because they started the show. And, that no one could be as good as they are. But, when they leave and replacements take over people realize that the replacements are pretty good themselves.

Usnavi is the heart of In The Heights. If you get a good actor playing the role then the shows message would come across very well. It isn't like the heart and the message of the show are lost just because the composer isn't playing the role. I have seen Javier in the role and I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything. Whereas Drowsy wasn't the same without Bob as Man In Chair, I don't think that the same could be said for In The Heights.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 6:20pm

This show will do fine. It's still riding on the "Best Musical" Tony, and it's been making good bank, and I'm sure it will do even better once the tourists are back. Plus, I'm sure it will live on on tour just fine.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 6:42pm

I think there is something neat about the fact that the guy who wrote the score stars in the show, but I don't think his departing will have any sort of major impact on the BO

I have to agree. I don't think the average tourist realizes the star of the show is also the composer, they just know it's a popular show.


You all do realize that Rent being filmed by Hot Ticket was a rare exception, right? You can count on one hand the number of shows that have been filmed for public consumption in the past 5 years- if not longer. It's a bit naive for people to bring up it up for every single show.

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 12/14/08 at 12:26am

Does anyone know the exact date? I just got tickets to see the show February, 17th. While I'll see it either way, I wanted to see Lin.