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Lin-Manuel Miranda musical on The Muny stage
“In the Heights” Has Found Its Home
at The Muny Now Through Aug. 15
by Pat Lindsey
In the shadow of Manhattan’s George Washington Bridge is a Hispanic neighborhood that embraces the daily struggles of people living in a place they call “home.” Fighting with guns and knives does not exist. The immigrants and their American-born children live and work to support one another and celebrate the life they have created for themselves in their tightly-knit community, The Heights.
With music and lyrics by the immensely talented Lin-Manuel Miranda, this show opens with an explosion of colorful and electrifying Latin-American dancing, and then blends hip-hop, rap, pop, jazz, salsa and merengue rhythms intermittently throughout the entire production. It’s the universal language that keeps us engaged in this pulsating musical that won the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical.
This story begins as any ordinary day in The Heights. Usnavi (Benji Santiago) is opening his bodega and making coffee for the residents who are on their way to work. His young cousin, Sonny (Miguel Gil), is his one and only employee. Usnavi is in love with Vanessa (Alysia Velez), who works in the nearby beauty salon. They both have dreams of owning bigger and better businesses somewhere else. But life is not easy. They are barely getting by day to day.
The lovable matriarch of the Washington Heights community is Abuela Claudia (Nancy Ticotin), who has helped raise Usnavi and Sonny. She plays the lottery in hopes of fulfilling her dreams for a better life. Every time she sings, the audience rewards her with well-deserved, enthusiastic applause. She might look old and frail, but there is nothing weak about her beautiful voice when she sings, “Paciencia y Fe” and “Hundreds of Stories.”
Nina (Ariana Burks) is the daughter of Kevin (Martin Sola) and Camila (Karmine Alers) Rosario, who own a cab and limousine company. Benny (Alex Joseph Grayson) is the dispatcher for their company. Nina has just returned home from her first year at Stanford. Her mother has planned a welcome-home celebration for her, the first in the community to go to college, because everyone has had their hopes and dreams pinned on her success. Nina, however, has spent the last four months trying to figure out a way to tell her parents that she has lost her scholarship and has dropped out of school. To make matters worse, she is falling for Benny, who is not Latino.
As we witness the budding romances of Usnavi and Vanessa and Nina and Benny, we also learn about the struggles of other community members and the winner of a $96,000 lottery ticket. It all unfolds during a heatwave around the 4th of July, when the actors unfurl the flags of their countries of origin and reminisce about “home.”
Director & Choreographer William Carlos Angulo has triumphed in recreating this Tony Award-winner for The Muny stage. He has given each cast member, as well as the entire company, an opportunity to shine. Nina (Burks) introduces us to her gorgeous vocals in “Breathe” and teams up with Benny (Grayson) in stirring duets of “Sunrise” and “When You’re Home.” Camila (Alers) nearly brings the house down with “Enough.” Daniela (Darilyn Castillo) and company give a powerful vocal performance with “Carnaval del Barrio.” Usnavi (Santiago) and Vanessa (Velez) celebrate their romance with “Champagne.” Of course, all of these songs are even better when accompanied by The Muny Orchestra.
The revolving set design by Arnel Sancianco is decorated with grafitti and perfectly captures the feel of the barrio. Open fire hydrants drenching the stage and fireworks lighting the sky above are a couple of the reasons why The Muny remains in a class of its own.
The Muny is also in a class of its own when it comes to introducing audiences to new and superb talent. “In the Heights” is the perfect show to introduce us to rising star Benji Santiago, who does a fantastic job portraying Usnavi. Watching him perform is almost like seeing Lin-Manuel Miranda in the flesh.
In the Heights is a feel-good musical that’s hotter than July. It celebrates love, friendship, and home and turns dreams into reality. See it by Aug. 15 at The Muny in Forest Park. For tickets, go to muny.org or call 314-534-1111.
