Lin-Manuel Miranda Wants to Bring 'Hamilton' to Puerto Rico
*By Britt Terrell*
Oprah Winfrey is a rain maker ー she can make almost any interview subject cry. It didn't take long for the tears to start flowing during [her conversation with Lin-Manuel Miranda](http://www.oprah.com/inspiration/oprahs-interview-with-lin-manuel-miranda-may-2018#ixzz5EY3hJFF8) for this month's issue of O Magazine.
Oprah asked the Tony-winning writer and star of Broadway's "Hamilton" about his efforts to help Puerto Rico rebuild after Hurricane Maria. Cue waterworks.
"It's impossible to talk about this without crying, so I'll just cry while I talk," said Miranda, adding that he plans to take his hip-hop theatrical mega-hit to the island next year and donate all proceeds to help arts programs in Puerto Rico.
"You can see what a huge and central priority this is for him and he knows that this story will resonate with the people of Puerto Rico," said Lucy Kaylin, editor-in-chief of O Magazine, in an interview Friday with Cheddar.
The same sense of purpose that informs Miranda's commitment to Puerto Rico, his parents' homeland, motivated him to tell Alexander Hamilton's story as he did.
Alexander Hamilton was an immigrant from the Caribbean who became one of America's founding fathers, and the creator of the new country's early financial system.
"When he found out Alexander Hamilton was an immigrant, that was his 'ah-ha' moment and that made him think about this family's journey," said Kaylin. Coming from Puerto Rico, Miranda's father had the same ambition as Hamilton to do everything he could for his family and his community.
Oprah's interview with Miranda was part of O Magazine's 2018 project to ask ー and try to answer ー a different question every month. The May issue asks, "What Can We Agree On?"
Miranda answered that question by harkening back to Hamilton's time, noting that early in U.S. history, times were even more divisive than today. We can agree, Miranda told Oprah, that the country's differences help it move forward.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/o-magizine-features-lin-manuel-miranda-in-may-issue).
Ashleigh Hinde, Founder and CEO of WALDO, joins Cheddar Innovates to discuss why now is a good time to make eyecare a priority, and how they are democratizing access to eyecare for all.
On this episode of Cheddar Innovates: WALDO CEO breaks down why now is a good time to make eyecare a priority, and how they are democratizing access to eyecare for all; COO at PetDx explains how next-generation sequencing technology is being used to detect cancer in pets early; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'Inside The Mind of a Con Artist.'
Plans to add affordable housing to a development in Yellow Springs, Ohio, were squashed after comedian Dave Chappelle and other community members spoke out against the project. Chappelle threatened to pull the plug on his local comedy club and restaurant projects if the development had been approved.
Jason Moser, Senior Analyst at The Motley Fool, joined Wake Up With Cheddar to talk about the big takeaways from Disney's Q1 report, which showed the company nearing 130 million Disney+ subscribers as parks revenue ticks up.
Shares of Canadian cannabis giant Canopy Growth surged after the company reported Q3 earnings Wednesday morning, with shares up more than 15 percent at the close of the day's trading session. Despite net revenue declining year-over-year, Canopy beat analyst expectations and has ramped up efforts to develop a "THC ecosystem' in the U.S. Canopy Growth's CEO, David Klein, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss the report. He noted that its brands Storz & Bickel vaporizers and BioSteel beverages showed record growth.
Florists are dreading weekend pickups for this year's Valentine's Day, which lands on a Monday. Christina Stembel, founder and CEO of Farmgirl Flowers joined Cheddar News to discuss the challenges presented by shortages caused by supply chain issues, lack of labor, and climate change and how her company is preparing for this year's holiday. “A Monday delivery is just really hard for small businesses like us," said Stembel. "Larger companies have the scale that some of the large transportation carriers will provide a Sunday pick up for Monday delivery, but for small companies like us, that's not an option. So we have to try to convince people to order early."
PLAY, a low-cost airline headquartered in Iceland, is expanding service to New York Stewart International Airport, marking its third destination in the United States. PLAY is the latest affordable carrier to fly onto the scene, debuting its first flights a little more than six months ago. Birgir Jonsson, CEO of PLAY, joined Cheddar to discuss what this expansion means for the airline and what it's been like to lead a new airline during a pandemic. "For us to get into the market now, have the availability of great, brand new aircraft at historically low prices, and basically being able to secure a low operating cost base for the future is a completely rare opportunity," Jonsson said. "We can get into the market now when our competitors are also weak."
The Winter Olympics showcase our favorite and most picturesque winter sports: from ski jumping, to figure skating, to ice hockey. But don't forget about doubles luge, the internet's favorite Olympic sport. Join us as we explore the history of this intimate display and reveal why doubles luge is so much more than a meme.
