Chicago Tonight | Lin-Manuel Miranda on the Return of "Hamilton" in Chicago | Season 2023

>>> LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA MADE A STOP IN THE WINDY CITY TO COMMEMORATE THE RETURN OF HAMILTON TO THE STAGE.

WE SAT DOWN WITH HIM TO GET THE HIS TAKE ON WHY THE RETURN TO CHICAGO IS SO SPECIAL.

>> WE HAVE A SPECIAL CHARACTER ON SESAME STREET NAMED AFTER YOU.

>> ALSO, MY FIRST JOB WAS AN INTERNSHIP AT CHANNEL 13, THE PBS AFFILIATE IN NEW YORK CITY.

I WORKED IN EDUCATIONAL SERVICES.

I GOT EVERYONE COFFEE, ALPHABETIZED READING RAINBOW.

>> HOW OLD WERE YOU THEN?

>> ABOUT 14.

>> WAS THAT WHEN YOU REALIZED YOU WERE INTERESTED IN THEATER?

>> I WAS INTERESTED WAY BEFORE THAT.

IT WAS A SUMMER GIG.

IT WAS A GREAT PLACE TO WORK.

IT WAS A GREAT ENVIRONMENT.

WE LOVE THE PBS LABS.

>> WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE, BEFORE WE GET INTO THE SHOW, I KNOW YOU HAD A LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OBAMAS.

THEY ARE KIND OF A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN THE EVOLUTION WHEN THE WORLD WAS FIRST INTRODUCING HAMILTON.

>> THE IDEA THAT YOU HAD THAT WASN'T MAKING SENSE IN THE ELEVATOR PITCH BUT IN THE END IT CAPTIVATED EVERYONE.

>> THAT IS A GOOD WAY TO PUT IT.

WE WERE VERY EARLY IN THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION.

THIS WAS MAY OF 2009.

THEY WERE DOING THE FIRST READING OF POETRY AND SPOKEN WORD IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO SOMETHING FOR MIDNIGHT, THE SHOW THAT WAS RUNNING ON BROADWAY AT THE TIME.

THEY SAID UNLESS YOU HAVE SOMETHING ABOUT THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, AND THE ONE SONG I HAD WRITTEN FOR HAMILTON, I HADN'T REALLY WRITTEN ANYTHING ELSE.

I HAD BIG PLANS BUT I FIGURED, IF IT DOESN'T WORK IN THIS ROOM, WHERE IS IT GOING TO WORK?

SO I JUST FIGURED THIS WAS KIND OF THE PERFECT TEST AUDIENCES.

I LAUGH NOW AT HOW BRAVE I WAS TO SING THIS PIECE THAT ONLY MY WIFE AND ALEX LACKMER HAD HEARD IN THE EAST WING OF THE WHITE HOUSE BUT THERE WE WERE.

YOU CAN TELL HOW NERVOUS I AM IF YOU WATCH THE VIDEO.

AND I WAS FREAKING OUT.

I WAS DEBUTING A SONG IN FRONT OF THE LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD.

I REMEMBER LOOKING AT HIM RIGHT IN THE EYES WHEN IT STARTED.

AND I LOOKED AND LOOKED AT MICHELLE, AND THEN I CAN'T LOOK THERE EITHER.

AND IT WAS MICHELLE'S MOM WHO BECAME MY ANCHOR.

>> HOW DOES THAT FEEL TO HAVE HAMILTON BACK ON STAGE IN CHICAGO, AT A LOCAL THEATER?

THIS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST STOPS WHEN HAMILTON REALLY REACHED ITS PEAK.

AND IT SEEMS GREAT THAT IT IS BACK HERE.

>> I WOULD GO FURTHER IN THAT IT WAEBT JUST THE FIRST STOP.

IT WAS THE CHICAGO COMPANY.

IT WAS THE SECOND COMPANY WE HAD SET UP, THE FIRST TIME AFTER THE ORIGINAL COMPANY.

THEY WERE ALL STARS.

IT WAS SUCH A THRILL TO WATCH CHICAGO EMPRAS THE SHOW AND THE ACTORS IN THE SHOW.

YOU WOULD SEE JOSH HAMILTON, JOHN SEAT CLUB CUB GAMES.

THIS IS A TALENTED GROUP THAT IS COMING FROM ALASKA.

THEY HAVE BEEN ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

I'M EXCITED FOR CHICAGO TO EMBRACE THEM THE WAY THEY EMBRACED THE ORIGINAL CHICAGO COMPANY.

I'M EXCITED FOR THEM TO SIT DOWN FOR A FEW MONTHS.

THEY HAVE BEEN RUNNING AROUND.

I'M REALLY EXCITED TO ALSO JUST SUPPORT LIVE THEATER IN CHICAGO AGAIN BECAUSE IT IS STRUGGLING HERE, STRUGGLING IN NEW YORK AND I'M REALLY PROUD TO BE HERE.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO VIEWERS WHO ARE NOT TAPPED INTO LOCAL THEATER OR UNDERSTAND THE NECESSITY OF IT SPECIFICALLY IN CHICAGO?

WHY SHOULD THEY COME SEE THE SHOW?

>> I THINK THE TWO GREATEST THEATER AMBASSADORS THIS SUMMER HAVE BEEN TAYLOR SWIFT AND BEYONCE.

YOU KNOW YOU HAVE GOTTEN -- YOU HAVE TAKEN THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE TO HEAR THE MUSIC YOU LOVE.

IT WASN'T MUSIC YOU HADN'T HEARD BEFORE.

YOU HAVE HEARD EVERY ALPM IN THE ERAS TOUR.

BUT TO EXPERIENCE THAT IN A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE WHO LOVE WHAT YOU LOVE, AND WITH YOUR LOVED ONES, WHETHER IT IS A FIRST DATE OR WITH YOUR MOM, IT IS REALLY SPECIAL AND NOTHING THAT DUPLICATES IT.

THE SAME IS TRUE WITH HAMILTON.

THERE WAS A WHOLE GENERATION THAT FELL IN LOVE WITH HAMILTON WHEN IT WAS STREAMING.

I'M EXCITED FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO MAYBE DIDN'T SEE THE FIRST CHICAGO RUN TO COME SEE IT PAUSE THERE IS NOTHING LIKE SEEING IT LIVE.

>> I'M ONE OF THOSE.

I'M WAITING FOR IT TO COME BACK.

I'M EXCITED TO SEE IT AGAIN.

>> THAT MAKES ME SO HAPPY.

>> WORTH THE TRIP TO SEE IT.

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