Millennial Notes

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Manhattan Musical Springs to Life 

by Isa S. Chu

The lights dim, and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Manhattan Latin barrio comes alive in front of our eyes. “In the Heights” sweeps us into the struggles, grief, and triumphs of Washington Heights, a neighborhood known for its Dominican pride, vibrant Latinx culture, and close-knit community.

The dynamic stage shows a New York stoop, busy shops, and clotheslines against a silhouette of the George Washington Bridge. Bright signs read “Rosario’s Car and Limousine” and “De la Vega Deli • Grocery.” Hustling street vendors, proud shop owners, and mischievous residents bustle about.

Chunky heels, an Aaliyah baseball jersey, and signature hairstyles anchor the show in the early 2000’s, bringing a wave of nostalgia as memories of that era flash across my mind.

“In The Heights” tells the story of Dominican, Puerto Rican, Colombian, and other Caribbean and Afro-Latin immigrants with some Spanish dialogue. With familiar characters––grandparents who’ve endured hardships, the first-generation student carrying the family’s hopes––you don’t need to speak Spanish to understand their immigrant experience.

Cj Molloy plays ambitious but frustrated Usnavi, who runs a small bodega and yearns to return to the Dominican Republic. Usnavi introduces us to his neighborhood with the title song “In the Heights.” Rapping in Miranda’s familiar timbre, he smoothly navigates fast-paced lyrics, connecting us to the show’s roots.

In “No Me Diga” (You Don’t Say), the beauty salon trio—Carla (spunky Gioconda Mirra), Daniela (sassy Liliana Marcoida), and Vanessa (determined Kamilah Cole)—deliver harmonies sweet as cotton candy while they gossip and banter.

Nina (sweet Erika Cospin) joins in until the spotlight turns to her as the first to attend college. The pressure of high expectations from family drives her to blurt out that she has quit Stanford. She wants to spare her parents the high cost of college.

Sidney Matthew Román is effortlessly charming as hardworking Benny, who wants to see Nina succeed at her studies. My seatmate chuckled as Román’s smooth tenor has me swooning when the duo hits the final harmony of “When You’re Home.”

The Piragua Guy (lively Rachel Rivera) sells Puerto Rican snow cones and comes across as downright delicious. Rivera swaggers across the stage with a bright, soaring voice, their playful energy glowing with fun and charisma.

Abeula Claudia (regal Gloria Garcia Stanley) embodies the strength and stability of the barrio with a voice to match. When she passes away, we feel momentarily untethered at the loss of the great matriarch.

The ensemble’s chemistry reflects director Thomas Times’ energetic, funny, and positive vibes. He cements each character with visceral harmonies in big numbers like “96,000” and “Carnaval del Barrio.”

In “Blackout,” Miranda’s genius with wordplay shines, as the cast sings, “We are powerless,” referring to both the real-life power outage and their powerlessness as immigrants. Amid the chaos of the blackout, fireworks light up the sky, revealing reveal unexpected brilliance and hope.

“In The Heights” captures the emotion and grit of immigrants’ experiences, paired with their uplifting, shoot-for-the-stars spirit. It’s time for a new look at Miranda’s exhilarating musical!

“In the Heights” –music & lyrics by Lin Manuel Miranda, book by Quiara Alegría Hudes, directed by Thomas Times, music direction by Tony Gaitan, choreographed by Kristen Soriano & Morgan Spoolstra, set designed by R. Dutch Fritz, at Sunnyvale Players, Sunnyvale, California.

Info: sunnyvaleplayers.org – to September 29, 2024.

Cast: Cj Molloy, Gloria C. Stanley, Sidney Matthew Roman, Ashton Prestosa, Erika Cospin, Evalina Maas-Espinoza, Gia Mirra, Liliana Marcoida, Kamilah Cole, Rachel Rivera, Daniel Rios, Joey-Jhan Curameng.

Ensemble: Aishy Panwar, Alejandra Ruiz, Ali Wallace, América Bautista Barcenas, Anthony Castillon, Emma Blickenstaff, Hannah Burroughs, Ivann Gelico, Anatole Babaeff, Jowy-Jhan Curameng, Katelin Foley, Kristen Soriano, Liliana Marcoida, Osvaldo Mora, Samyukta Venkat, and Nicole Cariño.

Banner photo: Kamilah Cole, Liliana Marcoida, & Gia Mirra. Photos Evelyn Huynh