'In the Heights' Revival Opens at City Center
By @sharedot · · 6 pages
- Theater
- Broadway
- In The Heights
- Lin Manuel Miranda
- Revivals
In the Heights' revival opened at City Center, directed by David Mendizábal.
The First Major Revival Opens at City Center
New York City Center opened a limited three-week revival of Lin-Manuel Miranda's 'In the Heights' on Oct. 28, running through Nov.
15, according to the Associated Press. Directed by David Mendizábal, whose own introduction to theater was the original 2008 production, the revival features a new cast of Latino artists: Matte Martinez as Usnavi, Ashley De La Rosa as Vanessa, and Natalie Venetia Belcon as Abuela Claudia.
Miranda, who starred in the original, told the AP on the opening-night red carpet that 'this generation is picking up the mantle is incredibly meaningful.'
A 'Balm for These Times'
What makes the revival striking is its timing and framing. City Center's artistic director Jenny Gersten recalled asking 'what would be a good balm for these times?' when choosing the gala musical, per the AP, and Mendizábal told the AP the moment calls for 'a great balm of joy.'
The staging arrives amid federal immigration enforcement operations affecting Dominican and Cuban families like those portrayed in the show, and Mendizábal says it is vital to 'show people the depth and breadth' of Latino communities.
Sonny's Rap 'More Relevant Than Ever,' Say Cast and Miranda
Both the AP and syndicated coverage note Miranda's verdict that the show 'still holds up' eighteen years after its debut: 'The songs still hit. Sonny's rap is more relevant than ever.'
Ishmael Gonzalez, who plays Sonny in the revival, told the AP that the '96,000' number touches gentrification, immigration and racism in politics, calling it 'the most present part of the show.'
Original Benny actor Christopher Jackson, whose wife Veronica Vazquez-Jackson plays Camilla in the revival, described a 'full circle moment.'
Opening Night at the Annual Gala
The revival opened during New York City Center's Annual Gala, with Miranda photographed on the red carpet alongside original castmate Christopher Jackson, per AP photos run by KSAT. Performance shots by Valerie Terranova captured the company on stage at the Oct.
27 preview. The original production won four Tony Awards including best musical and best original score, and this staging marks its first major revival, ending with a short run that closes Nov.
15.