Watch Lin-Manuel Miranda Celebrate the Return of Broadway on ‘Fallon’

Lin-Manuel Miranda paid a visit to The Tonight Show to herald the return of Broadway by performing a song about all of his favorite musicals with host Jimmy Fallon.

The pair were joined by Jimmy Smits, Olga Merediz, Phylicia Rashad, Kristin Chenoweth, Christopher Jackson and Laura Benanti as they referenced a slew of musicals, and performed a parody of Hamilton’s “You’ll Be Back.” The duo paid tribute to everything from Aladdin to Wicked to The Book of Mormon.

Miranda also sat down with Fallon for a lengthy interview about what it means to him to see theater return to New York City, as well as his new film In the Heights, out Friday.

“I am going to go to every Broadway show,” Miranda confirmed to Fallon. “I cannot wait. I will pay full price just to see ‘Circle of Life’ from The Lion King. I was eight when Phantom premiered on Broadway. I want to go to premiere number two. I want to see Six. I want to see the new shows that didn’t get a chance.”

Miranda, who co-wrote In the Heights, discussed how he decided to take a role in the film adaptation, which opens both in theaters and on HBO Max.

In the Heights was originally scheduled to premiere last June 2020, but the debut was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The film is based on the Broadway musical by Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes, with a score by Miranda, Alex Lacamoire, and Bill Sherman. 

After over a year of closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic, blockbuster musicals and other live shows are returning to Broadway in New York City from September 14th. Numerous shows have announced their re-openings, including  Hamilton, Wicked, and The Lion King.