When it opened on Broadway in 2008, In the Heights was embraced by New Yorkers in much the same way that they did years earlier with Rent. Although much lighter in tone than the latter show, In the Heights is similar in that it creates the same sense of community among young people in a New York neighborhood. Heightsis set in Washington Heights, a run-down neighborhood populated mostly by Hispanics.
This is Milwaukee’s first chance to see In the Heights, thanks to a local production by Skylight Music Theater. As Skylight proved with past productions of Les Miserables, Sunday In the Park with George and Porgy & Bess, it can handle the demands of a full-fledged, large-cast Broadway musical.
The only quibble with this production is the show’s vibrant dancing, which needed to be slightly scaled down to fit the dimensions of the set and the skill level of the dancers. No back flips or extensive break-dancing sequences are found at the Skylight show, which is somewhat disappointing after seeing Broadway’s incredibly gymnastic dance corps. Also, only a few of the Skylight dancers/singers demonstrate the ability to give flight to Claudia Sol Morgan’s impressive choreography. Otherwise, Skylight’s production sizzles. There’s the ever-present beat of drums and percussion, as the musical score is a unique blend of rap, salsa, hip hop and Broadway.
As one might guess, there are only a handful of Milwaukee-based Hispanic actors. Skylight has supplemented their ranks with some top-notch Chicago talent to make this show soar. One of these Illinois imports, Tommy Rivera-Vega, basically carries the show as the main character, Usnavi. Rivera-Vega is a dead-ringer for the show’s creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, who also appeared on Broadway as Usnavi. Not only does Skylight’s actor look like the original, he can claim a similar cultural background (Rivera-Vega was raised in Puerto Rico). His Usnavi is a colorful, carefree young guy who operates a corner grocery store.
Much like the bar in TV’s “Cheers,” the store is a place where everyone knows your name. Usnavi also knows every customer’s coffee preference. His tiny store is a staple on this dilapidated street and the only thing left to Usnavi by his immigrant parents, who died when their son was a young boy. The good-natured Usnavi is a natural storyteller. Aside from a thug-like graffiti tagger, Usnavi has kind words to say about nearly everyone who works and lives here – especially Vanessa, a hair stylist on whom he has a crush. As played by Katherine Brady, Vanessa is a leggy beauty who has no trouble attracting attention from the neighborhood guys. Everyone in the Heights has a dream, and Vanessa’s is to leave the apartment where she lives with her alcoholic mother. She yearns to live on her own in a safer neighborhood.
When Vanessa walks by, the tongue-tied Usnavi cannot find the words to ask her for a date. So his 15-year-old cousin, Sonny, steps in and brokers the deal. The smart-aleck Sonny has a lot of the funnier lines, and actor Marcus Cunningham makes the most of this opportunity.
Meanwhile, in one of several subplots, Nina (Rana Roman) has just arrived home from her freshman year at Stanford University. She admits that her scholarship was taken away, but she was afraid to tell her proud parents (David Flores and Ericka Wade). She confesses that working two jobs while trying to go to class and study was just too difficult, driving her to the point of exhaustion. Nina realizes that getting money from her parents was not possible for the cash-strapped business owner and his wife. The parents are crushed by the news, as are her well-meaning friends.
All three members of Nina’s family are well-known Milwaukee actors, and they create a touching portrait of a struggling family that wants the best for their daughter. David Flores is especially impressive in communicating the father’s frustration with this situation; he feels helpless as the provider who cannot come up with the cash to further his daughter’s future.
Yet this dilemma, among others, is what makes In the Heights more than a buoyant display of Latin-flavored music and dancing. The residents realize that in order to improve their lives, they must depend on each other for strength and support.
Skylight director Ragnar Conde and music director Jeff Schaetzke understand this theme well. With a wonderful live orchestra, excellent sound and lighting effects, and a strong cast, they have created a musical that barely keeps the audience from dancing in their seats.
