Introducing Sunday Movies at the Palace with Lin-Manuel Miranda

Posted on January 10, 2014

In The Heights - Lin-Manuel Miranda - Washington Heights - United Palace

(Photo: Paul Lomax)

This Sunday, January 12, The United Palace of Cultural Arts (UPCA) kicks off its new “Sunday Movies at the Palace with Lin-Manuel Miranda” series with a screening of the beloved children’s classic “The Muppets Take Manhattan.”

Miranda, the Tony Award-winning creator of the musical “In the Heights,” has recruited special guests to help introduce “The Muppets,” including the Broadway actor/writer/director Lonny Price, who played the producer Ronnie Crawford in the movie, and the Broadway actor/writer/director/Muppeteer and Tony nominee for “Avenue Q” John Tartaglia.

The “Sunday Movies at the Palace with Lin-Manuel Miranda” series was conceived after the 5-year anniversary concert of “In the Heights” nearly sold out the Palace in February 2013. After the performance Miranda met with UPCA Executive Director Mike Fitelson to talk about future plans. Miranda said his dream was to present films in his community, where the last movie theatre closed in 2011. He will introduce each movie and recruit guest speakers and performers to enhance the audience’s experience and reflect the Palace’s origins as a vaudeville house.

The series features a monthly classic NYC film, including:

Feb. 23, “West Side Story” 1961, 152 min
Mar. 23, “Manhattan” 1979, 96 min
Apr. 27, “King Kong” 1933, 100 min
May 18, “The Warriors” 1979, 92 min
June 22, “Ghostbusters” 1984, 105 min

“I picked six movies that embody and define the secret New York in our hearts,” Miranda said. “I’ve made Kermit’s breathless ‘I’m gonna make it!’ declaration at the Empire State Building. I’ve also imagined the vertigo of Fay Wray and King Kong up there. I hear ‘Rhapsody In Blue’ when I see our skyline, thanks to Woody Allen’s ‘Manhattan.’ I’ve plotted escape routes from the Bronx to Brooklyn like ‘The Warriors.’ I’ve snapped my way through a playground, thanks to ‘West Side Story.’ And who doesn’t think of the ‘Ghostbusters’ when passing the New York Public Library?”

Doors open for “The Muppets Take Manhattan” at 3pm with the stage show starting at 3:30pm. The movie will start at 4pm. Tickets are $10 online at www.unitedpalacearts.org and $15 at the door. Children under 12 are only $5. All movies will be projected from Blu Ray disks in English with Spanish subtitles.

Guests wearing tuxedos or gowns get a free bag of popcorn.