This jubilant celebration of life in the barrio has been hailed as groundbreaking in the same way Rent was so honored a decade ago. Winning a handful of 2008 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, the show is a tribute to the work of newcomer Lin-Manuel Miranda. Not only did Miranda come up with the concept and write the music and lyrics, he also stars as the show's central character, Usnavi (pronounced oos-NAAHV-ee).
Usnavi is the young, easygoing shopkeeper of a corner general store. The store is a hangout where everyone stops before starting their work day. Usnavi grew up with these people, and he knows what everyone wants at a glance.
Through Usnavi's near-constant rapping, the audience learns that the store is the only thing left to him by his now-deceased immigrant parents. An older woman, Abuela Claudia (Olga Merediz), raised Usnavi and still brings him his lunch. The emotional connection between them and Usnavi is palpable. There's also a hint of romance, as Usnavi yearns to ask a local hairdresser, Vanessa, for a date.
In the Heights reminds us that's it's tough for romance to bloom when every day is a struggle for survival. The locals look out for each other when facing everything from a heat wave to a blackout. Crime and poverty surround them. Many express their longing to get out.
One who manages to break free is Nina, the bright student who was accepted to Stanford University. She has returned home for the summer after her first year of school. However, she's afraid to tell her hard-working folks the truth she couldn't juggle the demands of school and the part-time jobs she needed to pay her bills. She has come home in disgrace, certain that disappointment will trail her for the rest of her life.
The show's main strengths are its contemporary sound and choreography, which seem transported from an MTV-style music video. On the other hand, the characters are well-drawn but never completely fleshed out. Also, the narrative is a bit far-fetched. Why, for instance, doesn't Nina tell her sympathetic parents that she's in financial trouble? And why does a winning lottery ticket go to precisely the right person, causing a literal life-and-death situation?
Aside from its faults, the show boasts some mesmerizing performances. As Usnavi, Lin-Manuel Miranda strikes exactly the right notes (and not just when he's rappin'). He's un-hip in a boyish, endearing way. Vanessa (played brilliantly by understudy Krysta Rodriguez) seems sophisticated by comparison. She's got all the right moves and knows all the right retorts to keep others from seeing her vulnerability. Usnavi's younger brother, Kevin, has a white-hot temper that eventually leads to trouble. As played by Carlos Gomez, Kevin is a scene-stealer who yearns to be accepted by his elders (meaning those in their early twenties) and voices the typical frustrations.
Another standout is Christopher Jackson as Benny, who longs to become Nina's boyfriend. When paired with Mandy Gonzalez as Nina, the two show definite chemistry.
The show is set against a realistically depressing backdrop, far removed from Damon Runyon's Guys and Dolls or even West Side Story. Lighting and sound must be up to snuff for this show to work. Thankfully, they are.
