‘Hamilton’ Creator Lin-Manuel Miranda Marks Time in DC With Show Tunes, Selfies

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of the popular award-winning musical “Hamilton,” was in D.C. this week to accept an award and meet lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Along the way, he also had time to take a lot of selfies and sing on the “secret Congress train.”

On Tuesday, Miranda accepted the 2017 Freedom Award from the U.S. Capitol Historical Society. Then, he was on Capitol Hill Wednesday, joining the National Humanities Alliance in pushing to preserve $150 million annually in funding for the national endowments for the arts and humanities, money that is on the chopping block in President Donald Trump’s initial budget proposal.

But it wasn’t all work and no play for Miranda: He posted videos of himself on Twitter singing on the Capitol subway system.

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

Secret Congress Subway
Hip-Hop Tunes w @Vegalteno! pic.twitter.com/bGhhrN6YcX
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) September 13, 2017

And now the Secret Congress Train Showtunes Grand Finale! Feat. @slesin and everyone on the train! pic.twitter.com/ZJhaC7XlJr
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) September 13, 2017

For Tuesday night’s award, Miranda was being honored for sparking interest in American history, especially among young people.

“With the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit ‘Hamilton,‘ he energized America’s understanding of our own history,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in introducing Miranda.

“The world’s reaction, and the renewed engagement with the founding era as a result, has changed all of our lives,” Miranda said at the ceremony. “My life in particular.”

He also joked about how long it took him to complete “Hamilton.”

“You know how sometimes you hear a tune from ‘Hamilton’ and it gets stuck in your head? Imagine what I felt like,” he said.

“They were in my head first, and it took six, seven years to get them out of my head.”

But Miranda also had messages he wanted to get across — about the importance of the arts, and about immigration.

“Without humanities and arts programs, I wouldn’t be standing here; 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,” Manuel said in accepting the award.

Pelosi echoed Miranda’s comments, saying, “Lin-Manuel, I am truly, truly convinced that the arts are what will bring our country together, and you have been a force in that regard.”