By Emilia Benton
If there's one thing Broadway musicals have rarely touched upon is life in New York City and the Latino culture that surrounds much of Manhattan's uptown region. The 2008 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, "In the Heights," first seen off-Broadway, is complete with a melodic score of salsa and Latin pop rhythms-styles virtually new to Broadway-and Andy Blankenbuehler's eye-catching choreography, which sets the stage for the brightly-accessorized and animated cast.
Quiara Alegria Hudes wrote the script, while Lin-Manuel Miranda (who also stars), wrote all of the jubilant songs for this vivid depiction of the Manhattan neighborhood of Washington Heights. Miranda plays Usnavi, the owner of a neighborhood bodega next to the ever-present A train whose personality is always present as he distributes cup after cup of café con leche.
The play's opening song is a rap that consists of Usnavi giving the audience a detailed tour of the neighborhood and the trials and tribulations that its inhabitants face.
The piece portrays the neighborhood as full of Spanish-speaking (or Spanglish in a few instances), optimistic dreamers who are evidently anxious about their personal futures in an ever-changing New York City. Usnavi hopes to one day return to the Dominican Republic with his "abuela," Claudia (Olga Merediz.) In the meantime, he turns to his teenage cousin, Sonny (Robin de Jesus) for advice on winning the affection of his crush, beautician Vanessa (Krysta Rodriguez, filling in for Karen Olivo, who recently departed the company) who in turn longs to move out the barrio once she rids herself of her financial problems.
Meanwhile, the gifted college coed, Nina (Mandy Gonzalez) is in crisis-mode as she searches for a way to find the money and strength to return to Stanford University after a tumultuous first year in which she lost her scholarship.
Her parents, Kevin and Camila, (Carlos Gomez and Priscilla Lopez), grapple with the prospect of selling their car service company in an effort to get Nina back on her feet and are eager to dismiss Benny (Christopher Jackson), the hardworking-but not Hispanic-company worker who happens to be Nina's boyfriend.
In many instances, the way these storylines are resolved comes off as a bit predictable, but the upbeat music, complete with trumpets and steel drums to accentuate the ebullient dance numbers, keeps viewers enthused. Even if rap isn't your personal taste, you're still likely to appreciate Miranda's excitement-filled and personified verses and steps.