As Lin-Manuel Miranda traverses the U.S. Capitol today to advocate for endangered arts and humanities funding, riders on the “secret Congress train” got a glimpse of Hamilton channeling Judy Garland.
Secret Congress train w @EspaillatNY & @Vegalteno pic.twitter.com/CsZI4I5Tx8
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) September 13, 2017
Showtunes on Secret Congress Trains Pt 2 pic.twitter.com/GShwzjafld
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) September 13, 2017
Secret Congress Train Showtunes Pt. 3 pic.twitter.com/EMbC5STJm6
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) September 13, 2017
Miranda was in town to receive the 2017 Freedom Award from the U.S. Capitol Historical Society on Tuesday night.
“We give him this award because of his unique ability to engage new audiences with our history and his dedication to inspiring informed civic participation,” said Don Carlson, the chair of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society in a release.
The success of Hamilton has reverberated far beyond Broadway. The musical’s wild popularity, for example, is credited with changing the Treasury’s plans to replace Alexander Hamilton on the $10 bill, and the Library of Congress recently digitized more than 12,000 papers belonging to the nation’s first treasury secretary. Miranda himself has become a pop-culture icon.
“Without humanities and arts programs, I wouldn’t be standing here,” Miranda said as he accepted the award in the U.S. Capitol’s Statuary Hall. “And without Alexander Hamilton and the countless other immigrants who built this country, it’s very probable that very few of us would be here either.”
Today, he’s bringing that message about arts funding to lawmakers in conjunction with the National Humanities Alliance. And tonight, he’ll be honored at the the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s 40th anniversary gala dinner.
Amidst all that, though, Miranda appears to be having a grand old time in D.C. Besides belting out showtunes on the Senate subway, he been enjoying the view from the balcony of Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy’s office, taking selfies with lawmakers, and hamming it up with Hamilton’s statue.
I realized something today.
Chernow’s just ticking off the statues in the Capitol for his biography subjects.
Wash, Ham & Grant! pic.twitter.com/KvbhdTXHKZ— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) September 12, 2017
He’s right behind me isn’t he pic.twitter.com/CktnvorWjo
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) September 13, 2017
Here with the real life Leslie Knope @SenGillibrand #TreatYoSelf2017 pic.twitter.com/gJiRqVDIHD
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) September 13, 2017
Miranda, Leahy, Murkowski…in a new political thriller this fall, only on USA #CharactersWelcome pic.twitter.com/l82eTYaW74
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) September 13, 2017
These two came from ?? together as teenagers. They did okay. pic.twitter.com/XUqQZomWVT
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) September 13, 2017
So @SenatorLeahy has a bit a view from his office balcony…and he generously allowed me to do Evita arms on it pic.twitter.com/3YgHnf80gT
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) September 13, 2017
Hey @chrislhayes from your friends pic.twitter.com/k5C6sCu5W7
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) September 13, 2017
It was wonderful to see @SenWarren and @Lin_Manuel discuss the importance of the arts & humanities! Many thanks for your continued support! pic.twitter.com/7E1mktaZh1
— HumanitiesAlliance (@HumanitiesAll) September 13, 2017
Rachel Sadon