Lin-Manuel Miranda Quotes And Lesson Ideas

Inside: A list of Lin-Manuel Miranda quotes, along with lesson resources and a biography.

When talking about Lin-Manuel Miranda’s career, how do you sum it up concisely?

With someone this multi-talented, it’s probably easiest just to make a list when describing all he does and has done:

• actor
• composer
• producer
• rapper
• singer
• songwriter
• teacher

Of all his successes so far, Miranda is most well-known and beloved for In the Heights and Hamilton, two broadway musicals that experienced runaway success– especially the genre-bending Hamilton that won him a Pulitzer.

In this post, we’ll take a look at his life, career, and quotes, as well as a collection of resources for learning more with kids.

If you are here specifically looking for Lin-Manuel Miranda quotes, click here to jump to that section!

“Doubts may grow as shadows loom,
when you’re alone with your thoughts.
Plant music, art, pics of the ones you love
in the darkest corners.
Harvest the fruits of your daydreams and rest.
Water and sunlight to the best in you.”

– Lin-Manuel Miranda

Related: Famous Latinos & Hispanic Americans Home Page

Here’s an index of what’s included in the post. You can click on any link to jump straight to that section:

• Lin-Manuel Miranda Biography
• Links and Printables to Learn More
• Lin-Manuel Miranda Books
• YouTube Videos
• Quotes from Lin-Manuel Miranda

Lin-Manuel Miranda Biography

Fast Facts about Lin-Manuel Miranda

Birth: January 16, 1980
Birthplace: New York City, U.S. 
Family: Vanessa (spouse), 2 children
Education: Wesleyan University (B.A)
Career: Playwright, Performer, Singer-songwriter
Famous For: Musical in the Heights, Pulitzer Prize for Hamilton, Work with Disney

Lin-Manuel Miranda was born on January 16, 1980, in New York City, to parents of Puerto Rican descent. Miranda began acting and writing at a young age, in school productions. He attended Wesleyan College and graduated in 2002.

Manuel’s first show, In the Heights, premiered on Broadway in 2008 and Miranda himself starred in the leading role. It won four Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Musical Score.

Hamilton came to Broadway in 2015, and was an immediate hit. It won 11 Tonys, a Grammy, and a Pulitzer Prize. It blends both traditional Broadway sounds with hip-hop. This fusion comes naturally to Miranda, for whom– according to the New York Times— “He deeply loves musical theater and Broadway, and has since he was a child, and he deeply loves hip-hop and pop music as a whole, and has since he was a child.”

And from the Chicago Critic, “This ingenious work dares to take the Broadway musical into new, uncharted territory that combines history with contemporary language, current musical styles to make history come alive in a most engaging manner…. (it) grabs us and keeps us flowing with spectacular movements and dances with provocative rhymed vernacular and haunting, emotionally-charged music.“

Between the two musicals, Miranda has participated in many other projects. He has contributed to other Broadway shows, worked with Disney as a composer, singer, and actor, and even worked as an English teacher for a time.

Miranda continues to perform and write, and he currently lives in New York with his wife and two sons.

Awards:

• Pulitzer Prize
• 3 Tony Awards
• 3 Grammys
• Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
• Genius Grant from the MacArthurs Fellows Program

Printables and links to learn more

Free Elementary Resources:

• Free printable Lin-Manuel Miranda coloring page.
• One page Lin-Manuel Miranda printable bio from Iowa City Schools.

Free Middle – High School Resources:

• Download with questions to accompany Hamilton songs.
• Extensive PDF packed with Lesson Plans for In the Heights from StageNotes
• PDF of resources for In the Heights, including Lesson Plans.
• Another Study Guide for In the Heights

You also might be interested in my sets of biography slides and project templates for learning about Latinx and Spanish-Speaking leaders, plus a free guessing game.

Lin-Manuel Miranda Books

These links are affiliate links.

Videos About Lin-Manuel Miranda

A fast-paced bio of Lin-Manuel Miranda from 2019 (if using in school, preview for some words like “moron”). (5min 46s).

Short Spanish biography (1min 41s):

Biography of Miranda that is more extensive, though all the text is not narrated (8min 41s):

Alexander Hamilton song:

Song in Spanish from Encanto:

10 Lin-Manuel Miranda Quotes

1. “Give your time, give your heart, give your service, give someone something you made.

It feels incredible.”

– Lin-Manuel Miranda

2. “Destiny is calling you
Open up your eager eyes”

– Lin-Manuel Miranda

3. “I wish you clarity today. Clarity of thought, clarity of expression, a direct line between what you feel and what to do about it.”

– Lin-Manuel Miranda

4. “I think a lot about trying to meet the moment as honestly as possible, because I don’t pretend to have any answers. In fact, I have infinitely more questions than answers.”

– Lin-Manuel Miranda

5. “Because of phones, we always have the ability to jump out of ourselves. But unless you learn how to be in your head, you’ll never learn how to create.”

– Lin-Manuel Miranda

6. “Love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love and love cannot be killed or swept aside.”

– Lin-Manuel Miranda, 2016 Tony Awards

7. “Free up that heart of yours
Make room for new mistakes
Newfound hurts
Newfound wisdom
There are life-changing moments
just waiting for you to make a path,
to move beyond your comfort zone,
new moments,
longing to share the stage with that heart of yours.”

– Lin-Manuel Miranda

8. “Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life.”

– Lin-Manuel Miranda

9- “Across centuries and continents, via twin strands of coincidence and providence, generations and generations
got it on
to create the inimitable recipe
that is you.
The gift of being alive, that’s all yours.
What do you wanna do with it?”

– Lin-Manuel Miranda

10. “I am the one thing in life I can control. I am inimitable. I am an original.”

– Lin-Manuel Miranda

I hope these ideas and resources were helpful to you! If you have more ideas for resources or lessons, let me know in the comments below!

Image Sources:

Image 2: “In the Heights” (CC BY-NC 2.0) by Portland Center Stage at The Armory

Image 3: “Lin-Manuel Miranda” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Gage Skidmore

Image 4: “Lin-Manuel Miranda Walk of Fame ceremony” (Public Domain) by lukeharold