Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Tuesday 28 January 2020
At Sundance, Lin-Manuel

Miranda shares the spotlight

By JAKE COYLE sure that everyone who who originated the role of
AP Film Writer did something important to George Washington. But
PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Lin- him and accomplish that some of those who were
Manuel Miranda knows next goal gets accounted part of "Freestyle Love Su-
that, for some, the story of for and acknowledged. I preme," for various reasons,
his life is already written. understand why. I have a didn't come along on the
"If I can put it absolutely wonderful wife of 42 years "Hamilton" journey. Utkarsh
morbidly, I know that 'Ham- who is exactly like that. It's Ambudkar was then at
Lin-Manuel Miranda, left, and Luis Miranda attend the premiere ilton' is the first line in my part of his DNA." a low point, dealing with
of "Siempre, Luis" at the Temple Theatre during the 2020 Sun- obituary," Miranda says "Siempre, Luis," directed by drug addiction.
dance Film Festival on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020, in Park City, Utah. with an unusually chipper John James, is a profile of "Some people were on
Associated Press tone for someone contem- Luis Miranda, the longtime this rocket ship and some
plating their death. "Like, New York political player. weren't," says Lin-Manuel.
good! Done! I know noth- It took some time for Luis "It' lovely to be on the other
ing will ever be 'Hamilton' to get accustomed to the side of it because I think
again and I'm fine with cameras being focused on we're closer for it."
that. I think artists start to him. As seen in the film, the
go off the rails when they "I've spent all my life pro- members "Freestyle Love
try to chase that again and moting a cause, an orga- Supreme" reunited for a
again." nization, elected officials, successful Broadway run
A pair of new documen- Lin-Manuel Miranda. So to of the show they used to
taries premiering at the all of a sudden be promot- perform in the basement
Sundance Film Festival this ing myself is not a role I've of New York's Drama Book-
week capture a wider view had all my life. I was always shop.
of Miranda's life through pushing something, never "It's been our go-to. It's
some of the people who being the center of atten- been a part of all our lives,"
have been most founda- tion. But I'll tell you, though, says Lin-Manuel. "For me,
tional to him. "Siempre, Luis" it feels good! It's like a nar- creatively it's the muscle
is a profile of his father, the cissist's dream." groups that make every-
tireless Puerto Rico advo- The film also depicts when thing I like stronger. You
cate Luis Miranda. "We Are son and father a year ago can't indulge in writer's
Freestyle Love Supreme" mounted "Hamilton" in block if you're also get-
documents the impro- Puerto Rico. For Lin-Manu- ting on stage and creating
vised hip-hop show that el, Alexander Hamilton re- a 90-minute musical with
Miranda and several of his minded him of his father, your friends."
"Hamilton" collaborators both immigrants who set- Miranda, who also appears
regularly put on before "In tled in New York. in another Sundance doc-
the Heights" altered Miran- "Anyone who's seen 'Ham- umentary ("Mucho Mucho
da's trajectory, and which ilton' and wonders 'How Amour," about famed
they recently reformed on much is this like its author' Puerto Rican psychic Wal-
Broadway. will see my dad and go, ter Mercado), will this sum-
"Life's not a linear narrative. 'Oh, I get it now. He's play- mer see the big-screen ad-
It's not this and this and this ing his dad," says Lin-Man- aptation of "In the Heights"
ascent. It's all these side uel. "I saw in the sheer ton- in movie theaters. And
journeys," Miranda says in nage of what Hamilton ac- he still presides over the
"We Are Freestyle Love Su- complished in his lifetime vast empire of "Hamilton."
preme." "Life gets compli- — he pushed through the Rather than devote him-
cated and you keep go- Federalist Papers while also self to trying to write an-
ing. There's no end point. running a law practice -- other mammoth musical,
What's that Orson Wells' and it reminded me of my he has largely followed his
quote? If you want to tell a father. When I'm playing passions. Among them:
story with a happy ending, Hamilton, I'm playing my composing the music for
it depends on where you dad." Disney's live-action remake
end the story." Sometimes, Luis reminds of "The Little Mermaid" with
Both films are, in a way, ori- his son almost too much of Alan Menken.
gin stories for the 40-year- the fiery founding father. "I only say yes to things that
old Miranda. But they are "I've had moments with him I would learn from and that
also stories that take some where he's about to very I would kick myself forever
of the megawatt spotlight curtly respond to an email if I didn't say yes to," says
trust on him by "Hamilton" and I go, 'Dad, don't go Miranda. "If you're going
and deflects it onto those Hamilton on them,'" says to ask me if I want to write
around him. Lin-Manuel. with Alan Menken on my
"My son is the most collab- Andrew Fried's "We Are favorite movie from my
orative human being that Freestyle Love Supreme" childhood, I'm going to say
I know," says the elder Mi- traces the roots of many of yes to that.
randa. the primary forces involved You can look at the stuff
"From sharing the Kennedy in "Hamilton," including di- from 'Hamilton' as burden-
Center award with his oth- rector Thomas Kail and ac- some or freeing, and I try to
er collaborators to making tor Christopher Jackson, choose freeing."q