Lin-Manuel Miranda Starred in ‘Hamilton’ 6 Years Ago, Here Are the Awards He’s Won Since Then
He’s done a million things, but just you wait for more—Lin-Manuel Miranda became a household name since Hamilton debuted. The Emmys 2021 nominee composed the music, wrote the play, and starred in the titular role. Since then, theatre has changed. The playwright contributed to an industrial musical revolution in 2015. But when exactly did Lin-Manuel Miranda star in Hamilton?
Disney+ enriched subscribers with Hamilton in 2020, but Miranda starred in it six years ago. He’s still receiving award nominations several years later.
How did Lin-Manuel Miranda create ‘Hamilton’?
Miranda’s other famous musical, In The Heights, gained traction in the early 2000s. Not many viewers ever watched a song-and-rap play at the time. But the artist sought to reinvent the stage. While on a break from In The Heights, Miranda read Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton. He then created The Hamilton Mixtape project.
In 2009, the composer performed at the White House for President Obama. He was supposed to sing music from In The Heights. Instead, he introduced an original song: “Alexander Hamilton.”
Miranda said he thought the historical figure embodied hip-hop. The crowd laughed, but the artist stood his ground.
The Emmys 2021 nominee delved into the personal aspects of Alexander’s life. The opening lyrics of the now-infamous song raised a few eyebrows. But Miranda got his point across.
The musical personalizes Alexander. He made significant contributions to America’s birth. However, he personally differed from other founding fathers. Miranda emphasizes this throughout the musical.
The composer took several phrases from historical documents, including the “Reynolds Pamphlet.”
When did Lin-Manuel Miranda star in ‘Hamilton’ first?
After performing at the White House, Miranda composed “My Shot” and the other songs. He did not perform the finished musical until its 2015 Broadway run at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. The playwright workshopped his play beforehand.
The artist aimed for a diverse cast. According to Miranda, the cast represents modern America per The New York Times: “It’s a way of pulling you into the story and allowing you to leave whatever cultural baggage you have about the founding fathers at the door.”
Miranda performed the early musical alongside Daveed Diggs and Christopher Jackson in 2013. Diggs portrayed Thomas Jefferson and Marquis de Lafayette; Jackson was George Washington. While under the title The Hamilton Mixtape, the play was a workshop production. They later performed at Vassar College and the New York Stage and Film Powerhouse Theater.
Two years later, Hamilton made its off-Broadway debut at The Public Theater on Feb. 17, 2015. It reached Broadway on Aug. 6, 2015.
The ‘Hamilton’ actor has won multiple awards before the 2021 Emmys
From its successful Broadway run, Miranda took his production to the big screen. Countless fans couldn’t score the expensive Broadway tickets in 2015. So fans were ecstatic to watch the play in theaters.
The film is a 2016 taping of three performances with the original cast. Walt Disney Studios acquired the film and scheduled it to release on Oct. 15, 2021. When the pandemic impacted its release, Disney took the opportunity to stream it on Disney+. Now, Miranda is nominated for a 2021 Emmy for Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
Miranda has received numerous accolades for his play. For Hamilton, he’s earned a Pulitzer Prize, two Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Original Score, and a Grammy. The celebrity has won three Tonys in total, two Oliviers for In The Heights and one Emmy for the song “Bigger!”
After a year and a half, Hamilton reopened its Broadway curtains on Sept. 14, 2021.
