Review by Ron Fassler . . .
In 2007, a new musical called In the Heights opened off-Broadway and introduced audiences to Lin-Manuel Miranda, a twenty-seven-year-old Broadway baby who grew up in the Inwood section of Upper Manhattan. His parents instilled in him a strong sense of his island heritage by sending him to visit his grandparents in Puerto Rico every summer. It was the consciousness of his legacy that infused that show, currently in revival at City Center for a two-and-a-half-week engagement. Hamilton, his masterwork, grew from the same impulse, as he saw his own family’s experience as a way into the immigrant story of Alexander Hamilton. Told in a different vein, In the Heights is a less mature work that wears its heart on its sleeve. After moving to Broadway in 2008, it had a sensational three-year run. Welcoming the show back enthusiastically, the crowd at my performance was buzzing with excitement before the orchestra’s first downbeat.
The show’s story is heavy on charm, if somewhat light on reality (who keeps $96,000 in lottery winnings in a cash-filled bag?). It would be one thing if the story were presented as a fable, which the 2021 film somewhat did by framing it as a tale that its leading character, Usnavi, tells to a group of children. Perhaps it’s what led the show’s book writer Quiara Alegría Hudes to add that structural wrap-around when she adapted it as a screenplay.
In the Heights centers on Usnavi (Matte Martinez), a young man named for the words his parents saw on a ship when they arrived from the Dominican Republic: “US Navy.” His mother and father died when he was young, leaving him a small, struggling bodega. Looking out for him is Abuela Claudia (Natalie Venetia Belcon), the neighborhood matriarch who “practically raised him.” As our guide, he introduces us to the colorful characters who frequent his store and whom we will come to know. First and foremost are two exceptional young women: Vanessa (Ashley De La Rosa), for whom Usnavi pines and who is forever angling to get out of the hood, and Nina (Jaci Calderon), recently returned from her freshman year at Stanford University, where she struggled to juggle her grades alongside the jobs she so desperately needed. Her parents, Kevin (Ivan Hernandez) and Camila (Veronica Vazquez-Jackson), who adore her, are conflicted over how best to help. Meanwhile, Benny (Aaron James McKenzie), one of the employees at Kevin’s taxicab service, sees Nina’s return as a chance to act on a longstanding crush. Add to all this the breaking news that Abuela Claudia is ill and that another prominent neighborhood establishment (the beauty salon) is being imperiled by rising rents. If staying in business means moving to the dreaded Bronx, the unsinkable Daniela (Linedy Genao) is ready to go.
With additional characters and subplots, there’s a lot to follow. If it becomes difficult, there’s always a song to take your mind something that’s hard to track. As in most musicals, Hudes’s book leaves gaps for songs to fill, and Miranda’s music and lyrics, with their hip-hop and Latin rhythms and Broadway tropes, fills up the time pleasurably. He rhymes cleverly, writes smartly and cleanly, and his hat tip references are delightful. How can you not love it when Usnavi sings “I’ve never been north above 96th Street . . . well, you must take the A train,” and beneath it are the familiar strains of Duke Ellington’s “Take the A Train”? There are soaring ballads that thankfully don’t go full-blast with American Idol-style excess and pyrotechnics, and the group numbers, particularly the show-stopping “Carvaval del Barrio” in Act Two, are wonderful.
Loaded with vitality, the show has been staged immaculately by director David Mendizabal, with a predominantly youthful cast. As Usnavi, Matte Martinez is adorable and sings so much like Miranda that if you close your eyes, you might think it’s 2008 (though he’s a far more skilled dancer, so keep your eyes open for that). Both female leads, Ashley De La Rosa and Jaci Calderon, are lovely actresses and beautiful singers, and Aaron James McKenzie has the sturdy build, good looks, and great voice for this and future leading-man roles. Linedy Genao, funny with a big voice, simply kills it as Daniela. The first-rate elders in the cast also get their moments in the spotlight, led by Tony Award winner Natalie Venetia Belcon (Abuela Claudia), Ivan Hernandez (Kevin), and Veronica Vazquez-Jackson (Camila). A shout-out as well to Ishmael Gonzalez, Ilia Isorelýs Paulino, Cedric Leiba Jr. and Cristian “Chino” Rodriguez, who wisely resist the temptation to do too much with their outsized characters.
Perhaps the real star of the evening is choreographer Matye Natalio, of Dominican American heritage, who creates an array of dazzling dances. Alejandro Senior’s musical direction has the more than a dozen musicians onstage bringing out all the love and joy they can squeeze from this top-notch score. Though done on a modest budget, Riw Rakkulchon’s unit set, which depicts parts of the George Washington Bridge, does the job efficiently, and Dede Ayite’s witty costumes are fun without going over the top. Justin Townsend’s lighting design, particularly its use of warm yellows, oranges, and reds, is eye candy. Sound designer Alex Neuman, who has handled the often-challenging City Center space on multiple occasions, has it down pat this time.
There is tremendous fun to be had at In the Heights, a superior offering out of the many musicals produced for limited runs at City Center. Since this one ends on November 15th, I suggest you get your tickets now.
At City Center, 131 W 55th Street, NYC, now through November 15th. For further information, please visit In the Heights.
Photos by Valerie Terranova.
Headline photo: Full company of In the Heights.
