I'm getting nostalgic for 2008. Remember 2008? That was the year when two great new musicals with original scores, In the Heights and Passing Strange, led the Tony Award nominations, along with another show, Cry Baby, that wasn't quite at the same overall level of quality but did boast a fine score. This may not exactly sound like a cornucopia; but when you consider the shows that were in competition for Tonys this year, and what won Best Musical and Best Score, it's only natural to look back fondly on the good ol' days of two years ago.
These musings are prompted by my having revisited In the Heights on the occasion of its 1,000th performance. What a wonderfully funny and heartfelt show, and what an excellent score! Lin-Manuel Miranda displays a real talent for writing songs in specific, strictly-defined styles without having them come out sounding hopelessly derivative -- a talent that some other Broadway composers clearly fail to possess. As for his lyrics, Miranda is a genius. His work has the bracing feel of authenticity, and he's adept at using colloquialisms and false-rhymes (e.g., "Cole Porter" / "cold water") in such a way that they sound smart rather than lame.
Corbin Bleu has been playing the central role of bodega owner Usnavi (created by Miranda) for some time now and is soon to leave the show. His performance is notable for its utter sincerity and low-key charisma, so I'm glad I got to see him in the part.
Holdovers from the original cast include the dynamic Christopher Jackson as Benny, the lovable Eliseo Roman as the Piragua Guy, and the astonishing Olga Merediz as Abuela Claudia. Among the super-talented folks new to the company are Janet Dacal as Nina, Marcy Harriell as Vanessa, Bianca Marroquin as Daniela, and Shaun Taylor-Corbett as Sonny.
For the past few years, whenever someone has asked me to name my favorite musical of those currently running on Broadway, I've usually replied, "Well, that's a very hard question to answer, they're all so different, blah blah blah. " But when pressed, I almost always say, In the Heights. If you haven't yet seen the show, I strongly urge you to remedy that situation. If you have seen it and are thinking about a return trip to El Barrio, I'm thrilled to tell you that the production is in phenomenal shape. Enjoy!
