Powered by Lin-Manuel Miranda’s music and lyrics, In the Heights opened on Broadway in 2008, winning four Tony Awards. Seven years later Miranda won the Pulitzer Prize for Hamilton. The rest is history.
The current Cabrillo Stage production of In the Heights unleashes enough energy to light up Manhattan, with the action opening in the tenements of Washington Heights, long a landing place for newcomers from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
Miranda delivers an unbeatable storyline—eager, hard-working immigrants celebrating family and the ache of young love, while reaching for a better life—and the Cabrillo Stage players supply the high-wattage energy.
The show delivers a contact high, thanks to the sizzling choreography, head-spinning rap delivery and incredible performances that rock Cabrillo’s Crocker Theater for two-and-a-half hours.
First off, major kudos to Music Director Michael J. McGushin, who leads his ace band through the irresistible rhythms of the Caribbean and Latin America. Terrific horns!
Heights is a gem of collaboration, from the slick dance moves choreographed by Chris “Boogy” Marcos to the righteous hip hop direction of RJ Wayne. Pumped up with seamless design and tech, there’s not an inch of flab on this Broadway-quality production. Fast as lightning, every word and song bristles with Miranda’s genius.
In true Broadway musical style, everybody on the stage has their moment, their musical confession, a solo that moves the story forward and reveals the depth of yearning for future success—the chicas who hang out and gossip at Daniela’s salon; Sonny and Usnavi, who run the neighborhood bodega; the Rosarios, who own the taxi dispatch service; and the front stoop of Abuela Claudia, where the young ones pour out their hearts.
In the Heights is above all a celebration of heritage, and some of the tightest, hottest numbers are devoted to memories of home.
It’s a hot afternoon in July when Nina Rosario (Sofia Rosas) returns from college in California, afraid to tell her parents that she has lost her scholarship. Sparks begin to fly as Nina meets her dad’s employee Benny (Trevor Miller).
Meanwhile Vanessa (Karriyma Pekary) is frantic to make the rent on her apartment, and the bodega guys fantasize about making money.
One thing leads to another and Nina’s parents find out about her college disaster, Usnavi and Vanessa connect, someone in the hood wins the lottery, and suddenly the power goes out. What a terrific excuse for throwing a DIY party—Carnaval del Barrio—that shows off more throbbing music and rising hormones.
Threaded throughout the plot—O’Henry meets West Side Story—are delicious moments of song and dance with clusters of women, the badass hip hop of the guys, and some aching solos and duets in which the past is remembered and the future blossoms.
The opening-weekend audience couldn’t get enough of Ivan Dario Vielma’s Piragua Guy, gracefully shimmying his push-cart throughout the neighborhood. What a voice! Graced with a wicked laugh and stadium-sized vocals is Melissa Martinez as salonista Daniela. The outrageous rap moves of Michael Navarro as Sonny.
The incandescent presence of Lori Rivera as Sonny’s beloved Abuela. As Vanessa, Karriyma Pekary simply can do it all. Terrific acting, timing, singing. And the perfection of Sofia Rosas’ vocals, especially in her opening number, “Breathe,” had me and half the audience in tears. Hers is a rare voice paired with heartbreaking beauty.
But the soul of In the Heights belongs to Edie Flores as Usnavi. The role of the Heights mover and shaker could have been made for Flores’ compelling abilities. Stunning rap, stunning smile, flat out dazzling performance.
Heights runs on extraordinary focus, music and moves, and Miranda’s cagey slant rhymes: “plastic cups” and “packed the cups” or “Hudson” and “floats in”—and on and on. Delicious writing. Another triumph for Cabrillo Stage, fueled by the smart direction of Estrella Esparza-Johnson.
You’ll be pushed to keep up with its racing lyrics and high-decibel delivery. Hang on for an unforgettable ride.
In the Heights runs through Aug. 4 at Cabrillo Crocker Theater, 6500 Soquel Dr., Aptos, 831-479-6154. cabrillostage.com.
