Review by Tim Garratt
With Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda became a globally recognised Broadway wunderkind. Since its New York premiere in 2015, this chronicle of the life of one of the US’s Founding Fathers has become one of the most successful and culturally significant theatrical works of the 21st century.
But it was a full decade before Hamilton when Miranda began making his mark on musical theatre. This was when his first show, In the Heights, debuted in Connecticut. With music and lyrics by Miranda, and a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes, this was a show he began to create six years earlier while attending university. In the Heights went to Broadway in 2008, winning four Tony Awards including ‘Best Musical’. In 2018, Hayes Theatre Co. hosted the New South Wales professional premiere of In the Heights, playing a sold-out season before transferring to the Opera House’s Concert Hall, as part of the 2019 Sydney Festival.
Five years on, the same production (directed by Luke Joslin) is back at the Opera House for a limited season in the Drama Theatre.
Set in Washington Heights in Upper Manhattan, In the Heights focuses on a tight-knit Latin American community. The show is narrated by Usnavi (Ryan Gonzalez), a bodega owner who is entrenched in the neighbourhood but is adamant that he will ultimately return to his native Dominican Republic. He lives with Abuela Claudia (Lena Cruz), a Cuban woman who raised him, and he’s in love with Vanessa (Olivia Vásquez), who works in the local salon and has her own dreams of life beyond Washington Heights.
Other residents we meet include Nina (Olivia Dacal), who’s just returned from Stanford University, where she’s been studying on a scholarship. She has a secret to share with her parents (Alexander Palacio and Angela Rosero) and is anxious as to how they’ll respond.
Several stories are woven into the two-and-a-half-hour show, and we’re gifted a piece that strongly champions the importance of community, delivering that message in a vibrant and dynamic presentation. In telling the stories of the residents, In the Heights touches on a number of timely issues highlighting the immigrant experience, including gentrification, classism and racism. And like Miranda’s virtuosic Hamilton, it’s underscored by hip-hop, fused with more traditional Broadway faire and an irresistible Latin rhythm.
I attended opening night of the 2018 season at Hayes Theatre Co. and thoroughly enjoyed Joslin’s electric adaptation of In the Heights for the snug 110-seat auditorium. In 2024, in the 550-seat Drama Theatre, the production remains strong, losing none of its charm nor the exuberance that characterised its premiere season.
The success of the production owes in no small part to Gonzalez, who returns to the central role. A talented and versatile performer, Gonzalez has an unyielding energy, and articulates every syllable of Miranda’s wordy numbers with crystal clarity – no easy feat on its own. While their performance takes inspiration from Miranda’s own take on the bodega owner, they’ve put their own stamp all over Usnavi, the result being a character we easily believe would be beloved by his neighbours. Gonzalez handles Amy Campbell’s terrific choreography with ease, effortlessly moving around the space and leading this cast in tremendous fashion.
Making her professional debut, Olivia Dacal is well cast as Nina, the bright and tenacious 19-year-old, determined to live up to her parents’ expectations. Dacal’s voice is excellent; from the opening notes of ‘Breathe’, she’s a joy to listen to, and gives the standout vocal performance in this production.
Janet Dacal (Olivia’s real-life aunt) is also among the most memorable performers, showcasing first-class comedic skills and vocals as the sassy salon owner, Daniela, while Cruz is wonderful in her portrayal of the neighbourhood’s adopted grandmother. Vásquez, meanwhile, returns to the role she originated in 2018, and is just as impressive in this return season. All principal cast members (including Palacio, Rosero, Barry Conrad, Richard Valdez and Jervis Livelo) are assets to this production.
Mason Browne’s set is effective in dropping us in the centre of the bustling Latin American community, and Keethi Subramanyam’s costumes befit the residents spotlighted throughout.
While there is much to laud, the production is likely to become slicker and more powerful as the run progresses. On opening night, the loud volume means performers must push themselves to be heard over the music, occasionally compromising the notes. Lighting often lacks the movement and vibrancy demanded by both the up-tempo score and the show’s colourful characters. And with a few more performances under their belts, the cast will no doubt be as cohesive as necessary.
While it’s Miranda’s sophomore musical that gets most of the attention, In the Heights was a remarkable debut; it stands on its own as a well-written and well-constructed 21st century piece, and in this jubilant production, it has plenty to offer local theatregoers.
For more information on In the Heights at the Sydney Opera House and to purchase tickets, click here.
Photo credit: Daniel Boud
