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[0:01] Robert Peterpaul: Hello, beautiful people. Welcome to The Art of Kindness, where we have compassionate conversations with artists from all areas of the entertainment industry who are using their voice to spread joy and make this big, spinning planet in the sky a better place to be. I'm Robert Peterpaul, and I'm so glad you're here!

[0:30] Robert Peterpaul: Happy 80th episode, friends! Holy Oprah! I can't believe we have been together in this kindness space 80 times! When I started The Art of Kindness podcast back in the pandemic, I had no idea what I was doing, and I still don't sometimes, but I know that I want to put out positivity into the world. I could never have dreamed up this journey that led me to forming such a beautiful community with you all. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support. This journey has also led me to working on some of Broadway's biggest red carpets recently, which is wild! The last one I worked was truly bustling. It was for opening night of New York, New York on Broadway at the St. James Theatre, and let me tell you, it was classic NYC.

NYC! As the VIP guests began to waltz down the carpet, something extraordinary happened. I looked at the theatre across the street and saw the Phantom of the Opera set being struck. For those of you who don't know, strike is a theatre term for when sets are deconstructed at the end of a run. The iconic Angel set piece from the show was being loaded out of the majestic theatre and into a truck! So I hijacked the truck and I drove away and I stole it! No, I'm just kidding. All of us had to take a moment on the carpet to acknowledge this truly magical New York City happening. As one show opened, another closed. It was majestic, and I think a symbol for life. Speaking of majestic, meeting today's guest truly was that!

Now, I don't often get starstruck. I usually just get overexcited. In fact, I feel like overexcited is my resting state. I do, however, sometimes fully leave my body, and I did that when I saw THE Lin-Manuel Miranda walk up to me on the carpet. The creator of Hamilton and In the Heights and so many more iconic properties worked on New York, New York! I mean, he needs no introduction. I'll be sharing our full chat along with some others from that night soon, but I couldn't wait to get this particular snippet out to all of you! You can actually watch video from this moment and more on our social media pages, at Art of Kindness Pod and at Rob Peterpaul. You can also follow us by subscribing wherever you listen to this podcast if you have not already!

Another wonderful way to celebrate this 80th milestone episode with me is to please leave us a review! Five stars, what?! It really helps get the show out there and would mean so much to me. I can't think of anything better to be our 80th episode than to hear such a luminary give advice for dreamers. Dreamers like you and me. So without further ado, please enjoy the lovely Lin-Manuel Miranda.

[3:37] Lin-Manuel Miranda: Hi, I'm Lin-Manuel Miranda, the additional lyricist of New York, New York. Tonight you're realizing yet another dream. You're such a wonderful example of a dreamer, but there are so many people out there who feel like they can't achieve their dreams. I would love to know from you, the master of words, if you have any advice for people on picking yourself up when you're feeling down and following your dream.

[3:56] Lin-Manuel Miranda: Yeah, I mean, the thing is like there is no substitute for just doing it. Like writing, even if no one is asking you to write it, write it. Dance it, even if no one is asking you to dance it, dance it. You have to make space for it. Opportunity maybe knocks and maybe doesn't. A lot of this is luck, but when luck knocks, like you've got to be ready. And so just be doing the work. Just be doing the work for yourself.

[4:19] Lin-Manuel Miranda: Yeah, I love that.