PLEASE WELCOME, LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) ♪ ♪ ♪
( CHEERS ).
>> Stephen: WOW.
>> OH, THANK YOU FOR MAKING ME FEEL WELCOME WITH MUSIC OF MY
PEOPLE.
>> Stephen: ABSOLUTELY.
THEY MAKE EVERYBODY FEEL WELCOME.
>> IT'S JUST LIKE I'M IN WASHINGTON HEIGHT.
THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: YOU'RE MOST WELCOME.
ME THEATER ES TINGS TU THEATER.
THAT'S THE EXTENT OF MY SPANISH.
IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO HAVE YOU ON.
"HAMILTON--" AND THIS IS NO SURPRISE TO YOU-- COMPLETELY
BLEW ME AWAY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> Stephen: HAVE ANY OF YOU SEEN IT?
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ).
>> Stephen: IT'S HARD TO GET TICKETS.
YOU MIGHT BE A GOOD GUY TO ASK.
COULD YOU GET US 400 TICKETS TO "HAMILTON"?
>> LOOK UNDER YOUR CHAIRS!
IF I HAD THAT OPRAH POWER, I WOULD DO IT.
>> Stephen: YOU GREW UP AS, LIKE, A THEATER KID.
YOU LOVED MUSICALS GROWING UP, RIGHT?
>> YES, YES.
>> Stephen: FOR ME I WENT AND SAW IT AND I WENT EYE DIDN'T
REALLY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.
I HEARD GOOD THINGS.
MY FIRST REACTION WAS THIS IS VERY GOOD.
THIS IS VERY INTERESTING.
I WONDER HOW LONG THEY CAN SUSTAIN THIS.
AND THEN YOU GO OH, THIS IS ACTUALLY QUITE MAGNIFICENT.
AND THEN TWO HOURS LATER, I'M GOING, "WHY AM I CRYING OVER
ALEXANDER HAMILTON?" IS THAT A COMMON REACTION?
>> IT IS A COMMON REACTION.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IT'S GOING TO BE SORT OF VERY
CLEVER, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOTS OF KNOWING WINKS, BUT
ALEXANDER HAMILTON HAD THIS REALLY FULL AND TRAGIC AMERICAN
LIFE.
>> Stephen: HERE IN NEW YORK.
>> HERE IN NEW YORK CITY.
AND HE'S KIND OF THE NEW YORK FOUNDING FATHER.
>> Stephen: HOW DO YOU FEEL NOW THAT HAMILTON'S GOING TO
COME OFF THE 10 DOLLAR BILL?
>> I DON'T THINK HE IS.
>> Stephen: REALLY?
THE PLAN WAS TO TAKE HIM OFF BY 2017.
DO YOU THINK YOU SINGLEHANDEDLY HAVE KEPT HIM ON THE BILL?
>> I DON'T THINK I HAVE.
>> Stephen: I THINK YOU HAVE.
HONEST TO GOD, UP UNTIL YOUR MUSIC, WHO TALKED ABOUT
ALEXANDER HAMILTON?
PEOPLE THOUGHT HE WAS A PRESIDENT, BUT HE WAS NEVER A
PRESIDENT.
>> NO, HE WAS JUST A GUY ON THE 10.
BUT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS UNDERESTIMATED ALEXANDER
HAMILTON.
I PICTURE THE GHOST OF HAMILTON BEING LIKE, "I'M NOT COMING OFF
THAT MONEY.
I HAVE MORE THINGS TO SAY."
>> Stephen: HE INVENTED THE MONEY.
>> HE CREATED OUR FINANCIAL SYSTEM.
LIKE, ONE GUY CREATED OUR FINANCIAL SYSTEM.
>> Stephen: IT'S NOT JUST LEARNING ABOUT HAMILTON, BUT
YOU'RE SEEING NEW YORK HAS THIS AMAZING COLONIAL HISTORY.
YOU DON'T THINK WE'RE LIVING IN A COLONIAL TOWN.
I GREW UP IN CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, WHICH IS LIKE COLONIAL
UNDER GLASS.
YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO CHANGE ANYTHING.
BUT NEW YORK IS ALWAYS MAKING HISTORY BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE
HAMILTON.
>> TOTALLY.
WHAT WAS AMAZING ABOUT WRITE IT IT, YOU KNOW, I'M A BORN AND
BRED NEW YORKER AND I LOVE NEW YORK BUT I DIDN'T HAVE TO GO
VERY FAR.
MY FIRST MUSICAL WAS ABOUT WASHINGTON HEIGHTS-- HEY!
AND THERE'S LOTS OF STUFF-- I MEAN, FORT TYRON PARK WHERE
WHERE SHE MADE HIS LAST STANCE BEFORE HE BOUNCED WITH HIS
TROOPS IS RIGHT UPTOWN.
HIS FIRST HEADQUARTERS IS ON 162nd STREET, WHERE AARON
BURR LIVED FAIR YEAR.
HE MARRIED THE OWNER OF THAT HOUSE, ELIJAH JAMLE, WHEN HE WAS
LIKE, 60.
HE TOOK ALL HER MONEY AND BOUNCED.
>> >> Stephen: HE WAS A GIGOLO?
>> SHE WAS A VERY NOTORIOUS LADY.
SHE MARRIED HIM FOR HIS NOTORIETY.
HE WAS FAMOUS FOR HAVING SHOT HOME BOY.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: AS HIS FRIENDS CALLED HIM.
>> AS HIS FRIENDS CALLED THIM.
HE USED TO WALK AROUND AND SAY, "MY FRIEND ALEXANDER HAMILTON,
WHO I SHOT."
>> Stephen: DID IT BOTHER HIM FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE?
>> YEAH, HE WAS SORT OF A HAUNTED DUDE FOR THE REST OF HIS
LIFE.
HE MAY HAVE TRIED TO GO ANNEX MEXICO AND DECLARE HIMSELF
EMPEROR.
THERE MIGHT BE A SEQUEL IN THE WORKS.
I MEAN, HE HAS THIS WHOLE CRAZY OTHER LIFE.
BUT, YEAH, HE MARRIED THIS LADY ON 162nd, LIKE, SORT OF
BILKED HER FOR ALL HER MONEY AND THEN, LIKE, FLED TO EUROPE.
>> Stephen: ONE OF THE AMAZING SONGS TO ME IS THE ROOM WHERE IT
HAPPENED.
AND THAT'S BURR, WANTING TO BE IN THE ROOM WHERE A DEAL IS
BEING CUT BETWEEN HAMILTON AND JEFFERSON AND MADISON, RIGHT?
I DO HAVE THAT RIGHT?
>> YES, WHICH SOUNDS SO BORING, DOESN'T IT?
BUT-- >> Stephen: THEY'RE TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT WHERE THE BANKS GO AND THE CAPITOL GOES.
>> HAMILTON BASICALLY SAID WE CAN TRADE AWAY THE CAPITAL OF
THE UNITED STATES TO BE DOWN NEAR YOU GUYS IN VIRGINIA IF YOU
PASS MY DEBT PLAN, IF YOU FIND THE DOATS VOETS TO PASS MY
FINANCIAL PLAN.
WHICH SOUNDS SUPER DRY -- >> YOU WROTE A BROADWAY SHOW
ABOUT CREATING A FINANCIAL PLAN FOR THE UNITED STATES.
>> YEAH.
YEAH.
AND IT SWINGS, BABY, IT SWINGS.
>> Stephen: IT DOES!
I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU, SIR, HAVE GOT SOME HUEVOS RANCHEROS.
IT TAKES BALLS TO WRITE THIS KIND OF MUSICAL.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS IS LAFAYETTE, AND ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT'S AMAZING, HITS YOU IN THE FACE WITH THE HISTORY OF NEW
YORK, YOU STARTED THIS THING IN THE PUBLIC THEATER SO YOU GO IN
AND SEE SOMEONE PLAYING LAFAYETTE AND HOW IMPORTANT HE
WAS TO THE REVOLUTIONARY CAUSE AND YOU WALK OUT ON TO LAFAYETTE
STREET IN NEW YORK CITY.
>> AND YOU CAN'T HELP BUT SING IT--
♪ LAFAYETTE ♪ THE FUN THING WE DID DONETSK
WITH LAFAYETTE IS HE KIND OF STRUGGLING WITH THE LANGUAGE AT
THE BEGINNING OF ACT ONE AND AT THE END OF ACT ONE HE'S A
COMMANDER AND HAS THE FASTEST RAP IN THE SHOW.
I CALL IT THE "POLICE ACADEMY RULED."
REMEMBER THE LITTLE LADY IN THE, "POLICE ACADEMY" MOVIES.
SHE'D SAY, "PLEASE GO."
AND THEN, "FREEZE CIRC."
THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE DID WITH LAFAYETTE.
HE GOES, "I DON'T SPEAK YOUR LANGUAGE."
AND THEN, "I'M TAKING THIS HORSE WITH THE RED COATS AND BLOOD
STAINS!" I'M JUST STEALING FROM "POLICE
ACADEMY."
>> Stephen: THE SAME ACTOR WHO PLACE LAFAYETTE PLAYS JEFFERSON.
WHAT'S HIS NAME.
>> DAVEED DIGGS, A FORCE OF NATURE.
>> Stephen: THERE IS RAP BATTLES BETWEEN HAMILTON AND
JEFFERSON IN FRONT OF WASHINGTON TRYING TO DETERMINE THINGS LIKE
DO THEY SUPPORT PARIS?
DO THEY PASS A DEBT PLAN?
WE HAVE A LITTLE CLIP AIR, SMALL CLIP OF WHAT THAT'S LIKE TO
WATCH THESE RAP BATTLES ?EET IN VIRGINIA WE PLANT SEEDS IN THE
GROUND.
WE CREATE.
YOU JUST WANT TO MOVE OUR MONEY AROUND.
THIS FINANCIAL PLAN IS AN OUTRAGEOUS DEMAND AND THERE ARE
TOO MANY DAMN PAGES FOR ANY MAN TO UNDERSTAND.
>> THOMAS, THAT WAS A REAL NICE DECLARATION.
WELCOME TO THE PRESENT.
WE'RE RUNNING A REAL NATION.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN US OR STAY MAD DOING WHATEVER THE HELL
IT IS YOU DO IN MONTICELLO.
A CIVICS LESSON FROM SLAVER.
HEY, NEIGHBOR, YOUR DEBTS ARE PAID BECAUSE YOU DON'T PAY FOR
LABOR.
WE PLANT SEEDS IN THE SOUTH.
WE CREATE.
KEEP RANTING.
WE KNOW WHO'S REALLY DOING THE PLANTING.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> HIS SLAVES.
HIS SLAVES.
>> Stephen: YOU TALK ABOUT SLAVES, EXACTLY.
NOW, AGAIN, THIS IS, LIKE, NOTHING I HAVE EVER SEEN.
AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND IT'S REALLY MOVING.
DID YOU HAVE THIS KIND OF EXPERIENCE?
WHAT WAS THE THING THAT YOU SAW WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER THAT
COMPLETELY BLEW YOU AWAY AND YOU SAID, "I HAVE TO DO THAT."
>> IT WAS A COUPLE OF THINGS.
THE FIRST MUSICAL I EVER SAW ON BROADWAY-- WE DEPARTMENT HAVE
MONEY FOR A TON OF MUSICALS.
I WAS A CAST ALBUM GUY.
MY MOM USED TO BLAST "MAN OF LA MANCHA" AND "CAMELOT."
SO.
♪ THEY FOUND GENOVERE ♪ >> Stephen: I AM DON QUIXOTE,
THE LORD OFULA MAWRCHA.
>> MY DESTINY CALLS, AND I GO.
YES I'M SARCHLE.
I FOLLOW MY MASTER TILL THE END.
>> Stephen: WE SHOULD TAKE IT ON THE ROAD.
>> LET'S GO.
THIS THING IS READY TO GO.
THEN "LES MIS" WAS THE FIRST ONE I EVER SAW AND I REMEMBER THE
EFFECT IT HAD ON MY PARENTS, ACTUALLY.
THEY BROUGHT HOME THAT CAST ALBUM AND EVERY TIME THEY PLAYED
"BRING HIM HOME" MY MOM STARTED CRYING AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT
WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ME WRITING MUSICALS IS THE EFFECT IT HAD ON
MY FAMILY.
"PHANTOM" WAS THE SECOND MUSICAL ABOUT AN UGLY SONGWRITER WHO
WANTS TO GET GIRLS TO NOTICE HIM.
AND I WAS LIKE, "I KNOW ALL ABOUT THAT.
I'M ON THE CUMS OF PUBERTY.
THIS PHANTOM'S GOT SOME GOOD IDEAS."
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: IF YOU COULD STICK AROUND FAIR LITTLE BIT MORE?
>> YES.
>> Stephen: STICK AROUND.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA.