In The Heights

There is a show on Broadway right now called In The Heights. I've wanted to see this show since it was just a baby production off-Broadway. It's set in my 'hood, you see. Washington Heights. It was nominated for 13 Tony Awards in 2008 and actually won 4 awards: Best Musical, Best Choreography, Best Original Score, and Best Orchestrations. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the show & also stars in it. He was born and raised in the Heights (technically Inwood, but whatever). It is a wonderful story about a block of neighbors during one summer weekend and explores life in the Dominican-American neighborhood- their hopes and dreams and trials and joys and sorrows. I enjoyed seeing and feeling the things most of my neighbors must see and feel as they live their entire lives here in this corner of Manhattan and make sacrifices for their children to have a better life. The score features hip-hop, salsa, merengue and soul music and the singing and dancing were incredible. There are lots of little Spanish sentences thrown into the dialogue, too, which I loved!

And my friend Morgan was able to get us affordable tickets, so she and I had a girls night at the theatre.

Here's a photo of the set- that's the beloved George Washington Bridge in the background- and the obligatory Heights' businesses: on the left, a car service, and on the right a bodega & a hair salon. And if you look closely in the lower right corner you'll even see the entrance for the A train at 181st Street. (this photo from the show's website)