Get ready, Chicago. You may be the site of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s return to “Hamilton.”
Miranda, who left the cast of his Tony-winning musical last July, expressed he was overjoyed by the news that President Obama commuted the sentence of Puerto Rican activist Oscar Rivera — who was in the midst of serving a 70-year sentence in a Chicago prison.
Rivera was convicted of seditious conspiracy to overthrow the U.S. government in 1981 as a member of the FALN, a paramilitary organization that pushed for Puerto Rico’s independence from the United States and made headlines in the 1970s for bombing buildings. Though there was no evidence that connected Rivera to any of the FALN’s bombings, he has remained in prison even as all other convicted FALN members were pardoned or received commuted sentences from past presidents.
The campaign for Rivera’s release has been picked up by many political and religious figures, including former President Jimmy Carter, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Pope Francis. Rivera will be released May 17.
Miranda, whose parents are Puerto Rican, tweeted that he was “sobbing with gratitude” upon hearing of Obama’s decision on Tuesday. He followed that up with a tweet asking NYC councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito, who frequently visits Rivera in prison, that he is invited to come see “Hamilton” in Chicago and that “It’ll be my honor to play Hamilton the night he goes.”
Sobbing with gratitude here in London.
OSCAR LOPEZ RIVERA IS COMING HOME.
THANK YOU, @POTUS.
???????? https://t.co/IEdaEvsVcG– Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) January 17, 2017
Y @MMViverito, when you talk to Don Oscar, díle I’ve got a show for him in Chicago. It’ll be my honor to play Hamilton the night he goes.
????????– Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) January 17, 2017
If and when Miranda performs, he will likely be joined by “Let’s Make A Deal” host Wayne Brady, who is set to play Aaron Burr in the Chicago production later this year. In addition to ongoing shows on Broadway and in Chicago, “Hamilton” has a national tour that’s set to begin this March at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco. The tour will then move to the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood for a five-month engagement starting in August.
A West End production is also being planned for 2017.