Lin-Manuel Miranda
The Education of an Artist
-
-
4.5 • 4 Ratings
-
-
- $14.99
Publisher Description
An intimate and captivating exploration of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s artistic journey, revealing how the creator of the Broadway musicals Hamilton and In the Heights found his unique voice through bold collaborations, redefining the world of musical theater.
How did Lin-Manuel Miranda, the sweet, sensitive son of Puerto Rican parents from an immigrant neighborhood in Manhattan, rise to become the preeminent musical storyteller of the 21st century? Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Education of an Artist is his incredible story as never told before, tracing Miranda’s path from an often isolated child to the winner of multiple Tonys and Grammys for his Broadway hits Hamilton and In the Heights; a global chart-topping sensation for his songs in Disney’s Moana and Encanto; and the recipient of a Pulitzer Prize and a MacArthur Genius Grant.
Miranda’s journey is a testament to the power of creativity, collaboration, and cultural synthesis. He was not a musical prodigy, but an insatiable drive to create art and learn from those around him propelled him to fuse his Latino heritage with pop, hip-hop, and the musical styles of Broadway. His was a new way of telling American stories, and of speaking to new audiences.
Drawing on interviews with Miranda’s family, friends, and mentors—and many conversations with Miranda himself—Daniel Pollack-Pelzner delves into the formative experiences that shaped Miranda as an artist, from his early musicals in high school and college to the creation of his Broadway and Hollywood triumphs. With full access to Miranda’s inner circle, this behind-the-scenes origin story is sure to captivate his legions of fans and beyond.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this comprehensive debut biography, Portland State University theater professor Pollack-Pelzner pulls back the curtain on songwriter, filmmaker, and composer Lin-Manuel Miranda's star-studded career. The author traces Miranda's musical roots to his childhood in Upper Manhattan's Inwood neighborhood, where he took piano lessons (though he "didn't like to practice") and was influenced by such Broadway musicals as Rent. Miranda began writing musicals in high school and started working on what would become In the Heights in college. Alongside director Tommy Kail, Miranda began producing the show in the basement of Manhattan's Drama Book Shop, playing the role of the narrator, Usnavi; the show opened off-Broadway in 2005 and went on to win several Tony awards. Pollack-Pelzner also recaps the origins of Miranda's most famous project, Hamilton, which was inspired by Ron Chernow's biography of Alexander Hamilton. When Miranda read it, he drew parallels to "a hip-hop narrative," since Hamilton "wrote his way into feuds" and was "gunned down in his prime." The play took shape with the help of musical director Alex Lacamoire, opened in 2015 on Broadway, and became a cultural phenomenon. Drawing on extensive conversations with Miranda's friends, collaborators, and peers, the author depicts his subject as less a "born genius" than an artist driven by an "insatiable" need to create, "limitless curiosity," and a "childlike" desire to entertain ("I think a part of my brain is always just trying to make the best school play," Miranda once said). This affectionate portrait brings the house down.
