Quiara Alegría Hudes

Lin-Manuel Miranda

Jeremy McCarter

Details the decades-long creative life of the Broadway hit musical, In the Heights.

Finding Home

In the Heights

Kimberly

I won this in a Goodreads giveway and I am so grateful for the book. 

It was informative and emotional. I love the journey of the show in the book. It really showcased all the sweat, tears, and time put into the Broadway show as well as the film. It showed how it touched lives and left lasting impressions. 

The recuerdos were a treat. They were insights from some of the actors and the production crew. They were the perfect compliment to the story chapters. Another treat was Lin-Manuel's notes on songs. You have the lyrics and then Lin's breakdown. The book includes pictures from the show's storyline: photos from the beginning and inception of the show to the musical being performed to shots from the film. 

I know this book is probably similar to Hamilton: The Revolution and I'm itching to get my hands on that one.

"In the Heights is an exciting musical about life in Washington Heights, a tight-knit community where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open, and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. During its acclaimed Off-Broadway and Broadway runs, In the Heights became an audience phenomenon and a critical success. It's easy to see why: with an amazing cast, a gripping story, and incredible dancing, In the Heights is an authentic and exhilarating journey into one of Manhattan's most vibrant communities. And with its universal themes of family, community, and self-discovery, In the Heights can be enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds. Among the musical's many accolades are two Drama Desk Awards, a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album, and a nomination for the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Drama." -- Publisher's description.

The Complete Book and Lyrics of the Broadway Musical

Erin 

I seriously love In the Heights. Just when I couldn't get enough of Hamilton, here there was a whole other musical that Lin had written, starred in, and was just as beloved. It took me awhile to actually get around to listening to it, but when I did, I fell in love, just as I had fallen in love with Hamilton. The difference between these two shows however, is that with Hamilton, you generally get the whole story, as it is sung the whole way through and simply by listening to the soundtrack, you basically hear the whole musical. But with In the Heights, there is dialogue. If you only listen to the songs, you are going to miss some plot points. Sure, you can look up the Wikipedia entry, but it is still not the same reading the summary as actually knowing what is said in between songs. That's why I love scripts - even if you don't see it being performed, you still can experience the show.

I bought this book at the Drama Book Shop in New York City. Since I would be spending three months there during the summer, I knew that I wanted to visit Lin's favorite book store. I went inside and the place was magical - the theatre kid inside of me was beaming. I knew I wanted to buy something to support the store, but what? The logical answer would be something Hamilton-related, but I figured that a lot of people would be coming in there just because of that connection, and even though I was one of those people, I didn't want to make it appear that way. So I decided to buy the book for In the Heights (I basically owned all the Hamilton-related books anyhow). In the Heights is a fantastic musical, and I hope that one day by sheer luck I can see it performed on stage. For now, the script will do just fine and I can revel in the beauty and genius that is the writing of Lin-Manuel Miranda.

In the Heights Finding Home

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