I’ve liked Lin-Manuel Miranda for a good while now. I say that because I first saw him way before his Hamilton acclaim but definitely not too early in his career. I first saw him when he played a mental patient in the show House, and I thought he was excellent. But I can’t help think of one person when I admire all the accolades Miranda is getting right now: Roberto Benigni. Remember when Roberto was the “it” guy after winning his Oscar for Life is Beautiful? No one could stop talking about Benigni for at least a year. But what has Benigni done in the last decade? I’m not saying he doesn’t work. I’m simply saying I don’t think he’ll ever reach the status he did that one magical year. And I’m also not saying that’s a bad thing. It just is what it is.
What Lin-Manuel Miranda has done is almost unheard of. The man’s success in the last 365 days is nearly impossible to match so to expect him to ever catch fire like that again is unrealistic. But here’s what I’m wondering. After his role in the new Mary Poppins, is he going to fade away in similar fashion that Benigni has? Is his role in Mary Poppins because of the momentum he still has from Hamilton?
It would be perfectly acceptable of Miranda faded away into obscurity but I’m curious if that’s the path he’ll actually take. Or can Miranda stay on top as being one of the most talented men in show business? It’s a completely legitimate argument and I’m very curious to see what you guys think about it.
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You cannot be serious. Do you realize how ignorant this article makes you sound?
One-hit wonder… Hamilton was his THIRD musical nominated for Best Musical and the second to WIN. He was a Pulitzer finalist for In the Heights and won it for Hamilton. He’s a MacArthur Genius Grant recipient. He won the Grammy for In the Heights and again for Hamilton. He won an Emmy for writing for the Tony Awards prior to Hamilton. He delighted in Tick Tick Boom Off-Broadway. He wrote music for the latest West Side Story revival and for Star Wars. Then there is Moana, and an Oscar nomination. And Mary Poppins is coming. He’s 37 years old. It takes six to seven years to create a musical. Do the freaking math. He is likely to have another show on the boards in a decade. One hit wonder? Whatever you’re smoking, it’s bad for you; put it down.