As bummed as we are about the In the Heights movie being indefinitely postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have to admit that these shelter in place orders have had some silver linings. Case in point, Lin-Manuel Miranda — when he’s not showing off funny videos of his kids on Twitter — has been implausibly finding time to reunite with the OG cast members of his two Tony-winning Broadway shows. Last month, as part of a #StarsInTheHouse fundraiser hosted by SiriusXM Broadway host Seth Rudetsky and his husband, producer James Wesley, Miranda joined Andréa Burns, Mandy Gonzalez and Chris Jackson (aka the OG In the Heights cast) to sing “When You’re Home.” It was a lovely tribute to health care workers in New York City, which has been hit hard by the Coronavirus, and which both song and musical celebrate in equal measure.
And as if that wasn’t enough of a star-studded reunion, Miranda and the entire Broadway cast of Hamilton dropped by (via Zoom) to John Krasinski’s DIY homebound talkshow Some Good News. Intent on becoming a feel good presence amidst this crisis the A Quiet Place actor and director has been sharing good news from his desk and for his second episode he surprised a young girl who had plans to catch Hamilton in Jacksonville and obviously was distraught about missing out. Krasinski surprised her with a call and was soon joined by the likes of Chris Jackson, Anthony Ramos, Leslie Odom Jr. and Daveed Diggs to sing — what else? — “Alexander Hamilton.”
In both cases, the musical performances were equally impressive given the lo-tech trappings, reminders that even as we’re all quarantined, there are bright spots to help us get through the day. So, if you’re wanting an In the Heights or Hamilton hit before they each get their own big screen releases sometime in the near future, now’s your chance. Watch both videos below: