Lin-Manuel Miranda

Ed Koch once said that New York City is where immigrants come to audition for America. That's what happened to my parents; that's what happened to me. Show less «

[re favorite episode of The Twilight Zone (1959)] Pretty much anything William Shatner is in is great. He's great at playing that "I'm the only one sane in the world" character. What "Twilight Zone" did was show we all have a great capacity for good and evil. In the best works of fiction, there's no mustache-twirling villain. I try to write shows where even the bad guy's got his reasons. Show less «

[Miranda's June 15, 2008, acceptance speech (in the form of a freestyle rap) after winning a Best Score Tony Award for "In the Heights." The speech contained a reference to an earlier piece of musical theater, Stephen Sondheim's 1984 show Sunday in the Park with George--specifically, its song "Finishing the Hat," in which an artist relates the difficulties of creating art and balancing his personal life to the act of painting a hat.]I used to dream about this moment, now I'm in it. Tell the conductor to hold the baton a minute. I'll start with Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman; Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller, and Jill Furman. Quiara, for keeping the pages turning. Tommy Kail for keeping the engine burning. For being so discerning through every all-nighter. Dr. Herbert for telling me, "You're a writer." I have to thank Andy Blank for every spank. Matter of fact, thank John Buzzetti for every drink. Thank the cast and crew for having each other's backs, son. I don't know about God but I believe in Chris Jackson. I don't know what else I got, I'm off the dome. I know I wrote a little show about home. Mr. Sondheim, look, I made a hat! Where there never was a hat! It's a Latin hat at that! Mom, Dad, and Cita, I wrote a play! Y'all came to every play. Thanks for being here today. Vanessa, who still leaves me breathless; thanks for loving me when I was broke and making breakfast And with that, I want to thank all my Latino people: this is for Abuelo Wisin and Puerto Rico! Thank you! Show less «

[Miranda's June 12, 2016, acceptance speech (in the form of a sonnet) after winning a Best Score Tony Award for "Hamilton: An American Musical." The speech was a tribute to the almost fifty people who had been murdered earlier that day in an attack on a gay club in Orlando, Florida.]My wife's the reason anything gets done. She nudges me towards promise by degrees. She is a perfect symphony of one. Our son is her most beautiful reprise. We chase the melodies that seem to find us / Until they're finished songs and start to play When senseless acts of tragedy remind us / That nothing here is promised, not one day. This show is proof that history remembers / We lived through times when hate and fear seemed stronger; We rise and fall and light from dying embers, remembrances that hope and love last longer. And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love cannot be killed or swept aside. I sing Vanessa's symphony, Eliza tells her story. Now fill the world with music, love and pride. Show less «

[Miranda's February 15, 2016, acceptance speech (in the form of a freestyle rap) after winning a a Grammy for Best Musical Theater album for "Hamilton: An American Musical]We write music, we write songs to tell the story. Whether you're King, Kendrick, or Jeanine Tesori. I'm sorry if I start screaming these thanks hysterically: John Buzzetti, Tim Latham, Tom Coyne and Derek Lee. Tommy Kail set the stage to kick our boots through. Bill Sherman, Quest, and Tariq, the whole Roots crew. Sean at Warner Chapel, Riggs and Craig at Atlantic. Lacamoire my right-hand man. This frantic Hispanic is non-stop. The best idea goes in the pot. The cast unstoppable; the band is unbeatable; inimitable, inevitable, always inspiring me to pull through. Vanessa, Angie, Illie, Ellie, we adore you. Sebastian, daddy's bringing home a Grammy for you! Show less «

The way I hold a ten-dollar bill is different now, because, like, that's my dude.

[at a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood] Women are 50% of the world's population. Men can't sit idle if half the people around them don't have access to the care they need to lead healthy and productive lives. Show less «