Lin-Manuel Miranda welcomes Hamilton back to Broadway for the first time since March 2020

Last year, on March 12, Broadway announced it was shutting down – initially suspending plays and musicals for 32 days, but ultimately spanning the duration of the global pandemic. In recent months, however, the conditions have been right for Broadway to make a triumphant return.

More recently, that meant the return of colossal and Broadway favorite, Hamilton, which is officially back at the Richard Rodgers Theater in New York after a year and a half of limbo. And who else should welcome him back onto the stage besides the creator and initiator of the role himself: Lin-Manuel Miranda.

In a taped introduction to Hamilton’s first screening since reopening Broadway, Miranda told audiences that while the cast rehearsed and practiced throughout the pandemic in their apartments and homes, they were missing one key element: the public.

“I never want to take live theater for granted again,” he said.

He expressed his gratitude for the support and work it took to revive the show. “I want to thank the front line workers,” he said. “I want to thank the Actors Fund who kept our community together for a year and a half as we tried to keep us together… It took six years to get this for the first time, I’m so glad it did not took six years to come back. “

Broadway announced in July that show attendees would be required to show proof of vaccination and wear masks, something Miranda also referenced in her acknowledgments. “Thank you for getting the vaccine and wearing a mask… and supporting the live theater,” he said.

“I am very grateful to you and I hope you get to see as many shows as possible,” he said.