LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The cast of the new production of Freestyle Love Supreme, and the group’s co-creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, dropped in on a group of lucky students Thursday at Las Vegas Academy of the Arts.
“He’s such a trailblazer in the theatre community,” said Marissa McCoy, Las Vegas Academy of the Arts. “He’s written so many things that have just been incredible. And things that have changed the way that students look at theatre.”
As a surprise special guest, Miranda arrived onstage to a raucous, minutes-long standing ovation from the academy students, eventually transforming into a chant of “Lin — Lin — Lin.”
“So obviously I’ve been lying to you all week,” McCoy told the students.
“It was everything — thank you,” Miranda said of the students’ welcome.
“We’ve got to get started which means you’ve got to stop screaming for just a second,” McCoy told the boisterous crowd.
The cast of Freestyle Love Supreme took questions from the students, giving advice and guidance to the students on how to break into professional theater.
“Ya’ll have to show up. It’s your only job, show up,” said co-creator Anthony Veneziale to the academy students. “Be you, do the best version of you, and that goes out into the world.”
Miranda described the Freestyle Love Supreme as a completely improvised 90-minute hip-hop show that is never the same twice.
“The show is completely different every night because the audience is completely different every night,” Miranda said. “We’re the cooks, you guys bring the ingredients, and then we all make a meal together.”
Freestyle Love Supreme runs until April. Tickets are available at the Venetian Las Vegas website.
