In
1957 Jerome Robbins, along with Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein and
Stephen Sondhein, brought a new concept of dance and ignited the
Broadway musical along with a story of immigrants from Puerto Rico in
New York wanting to do better in a show called "West Side Story". In
2008 after work shops, and an off-Broadway run, Lin-Manuel Miranda,
along with Quiara Alegria and Andy Blankenbuehler, brought hip-hop, rap,
soul and salsa about immigrants in New York who want to do better and,
once again, the Broadway musical was ignited in a show called "In The
Heights".

This season we saw the recent
revival of "West Side Story" at the Broward Performing Arts Center and
last night the touring company of "In The Heights" opened in Miami at
the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. Though both shows
have some similar things in common, the 'Romeo and Juliet' aspect, a
very high energy cast, riveting dancing, an in your face saucy female
lead, to mention a few things,  "West Side Story" deals with gangs, a
grittier side of a new life in the city, while the "Heights" is seen
through rose colored glasses, with very little crime, no knives and guns
seen.

"In The Heights" refers to a
section in Manhattan just North of Harlem where Latin immigrants from
Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Central and South
America. Everyone is a good neighbor except for a misunderstood graffiti
artist and , one night during a blackout, a store is looted.

During
the opening number, the title song, we meet Usnavi, played brilliantly
by Joseph Morales, who raps us through the neighbood and some of the
people who inhabit it. There is Nina, Ginny Lis Padilla, the  first on
the block to go to college, her parents Kevin, Daniel Bolero, and
Camila, Natalie Toro, who have worked hard running a car service so they
could give their beloved daughter  what she needs and wants, most
important that college education. Benny, Nicholas Christopher, is an
African American who loves Nina and works for her father. Daniela, April
Ortez, who sings the roof off the house in "Carnival del Bario" in the
second act, owns the local beauty shop where Carla, Ana Nogueira, and
Vanessa, Lexi Lawson work. Usnavi is in love with Vanessa and she wants
to move out of the heights to Greenwich Village while he dreams of going
back to the Dominican Republic.

We meet
'Abuela', Elise Santora, the neighborhood 'mother' and 'grandmother' to
all, especially to Usnavi whom she raised after his parents died.
Graffiti Pete, Jose-Luis Lopez, is a good artist and a friend of
Sonny's, Chris Chatman, Usnavi's cousin. Oscar Cheda is an older man who
sells ices and water from a rolling cart and then there are the
'nameless people' the ensemble. who sing and act up a storm, constantly
in motion doing amazing things with their bodies.

The
musical takes place over the 4th of July 3 day weekend where, due to
the heat of the city, there is a blackout and fireworks lighting up the
stage, dancing, people falling in love, Usnavi pursuing Vanessa, Daniela
closing her shop and moving to Queens, Kevin not accepting Benny as he
is not Latin and more telenovela moments to move the plot along. Oh,
yes, let's not forget that winning lotto ticket which helps people land
their dreams.

The cast is uniformly
excellent, their voices getting the most out of each song, ably backed
by a 9 member band but it is the dancing that is riveting and each
member, especially the ensemble, that makes your jaw drop time after
time. Some of the songs should have become standards by now but, alas,
the music scene has changed.

It is
really unfair to point out any one member but it must be said that
Joseph Morales in every way meets the standard that Lin-Manuel Miranda
brought to the original role of Usnavi. I also defy anyone to deny that
they could keep there eyes off Lexi Lawson no matter where she was on
stage and when she makes those sassy walks across the stage every member
of the audience is watching her no matter what else is going on.

I
am sorry that I didn't retain any of the Spanish I learned those 3
years of lessons in high school because there were many times I didn't
understand what was being said or sung. I will admit that I find the rap
done by Morales interesting and easy to listen to.

"In
The Heights" will never reach the status of "West Side Story" but it is
not to be missed for what it does bring to the musical stage.

1st act 1 hour and 15 minutes  Intermission 16 minutes  2nd act 57 minutes  Total Time 2 hours and 48 minutes

Strobe lights, 'fireworks'

Playing at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami until Sunday April 3

Future
shows: "Hair" May 31-June 6,   "The Addams family" October 25-30  
"Shrek" December 8-11  Nillion Gollar Quartet Dec. 27-Jan.1   "Come Fly
Away"  March 20-25, 2012  "The Lion King" May 15-June 10, 2012