‘IN THE HEIGHTS’ NOW IN THE ‘BURGH
By Pat Septak
Broadway’s newest sensation about the upper Manhattan Dominican-American neighborhood of Washington Heights has finally made it to Pittsburgh. The plot of IN THE HEIGHTS takes place over three days at the neighborhood bodega, through the use of Latin beats, pop tunes and rap. Kyle Beltran, a Carnegie Mellon graduate, leads the cast as Usavni, the bodega owner, who inherits his late grandmother’s lottery winnings, closes down his store and dreams of returning to his parents’ homeland in the Dominican Republic. But he soon discovers that saying goodbye to the characters who live on the block isn’t as easy as he thought. He becomes torn about leaving after realizing that his neighbors are his real family, especially Vanessa (Sabrina Sloan), the object of his affections.
All of the action takes place within an urban setting in which a giant silhouette of the George Washington Bridge looms in the background. The neighborhood is occupied by several businesses, including a deli, a hair salon and Rosario’s Car Service, which is run by Kevin and Camila (Daniel Bolero and Natalie Toro, respectively), who spend most of their time pondering the future of their daughter, college freshman Nina (Arielle Jacobs).
The score features hip-hop, salsa, merengue, and soul music. This variety of beats is the driving force behind the Tony-winning choreography. But one really has to pay close attention to everything that’s happening on stage or else they may miss some of the best dance moves of the show. That’s because while the main characters are shaking things up in the spotlight during the club/carnival scenes, there may be some dance movements by the ensemble happening simultaneously somewhere in the corner of the stage. In one particular scene, towards the end of Act 1, emotions sizzle when Usnavi and Vanessa heat things up at a dance club. Tension escalates as the stage lights up with fireworks, followed by a citywide blackout. The scene is particularly memorable for its visual and emotional intensity, serving as a metaphor for the situation at hand.
After a 15-minute intermission, the second act becomes a turning point for several characters in the show, particularly for Nina’s mother (Camila) who expresses her devotion as a wife and mother with “Enough”, and Natalie Toro delivers the song with passion. Overall the musical numbers are rich in culture but they may not be to everyone’s liking. Many of the songs, as is common in modern musicals, are more like sung conversations than they are celebrated ideas, which means one is less likely to remember the tunes once they leave the theater.
IN THE HEIGHTS boasts a youthful and energetic cast. At times, though, it feels as if the Latin rhythms overshadow the characters emotions, giving the impression that the story lacks heart, as opposed to a “West Side Story” or “Wicked”. Whether it’s destined to become a classic remains to be seen. The fact that the musical’s 2008 Broadway production was nominated for 13 Tony Awards and won the Tony Award for Best Musical at the 62nd Tony Awards, is certainly a good sign. If you’re looking for pulse-racing excitement, infectious characters and a culturally diverse musical score, you’ll enjoy IN THE HEIGHTS. (Playing at the Benedum Center in Downtown Pittsburgh as part of the PNC Broadway Across America series through Sunday. Call 412-456-6666 for tickets.)
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