In the Heights

August 9 – 15

Before Hamilton, the visionary Lin-Manuel Miranda made a splash on Broadway with In the Heights. Set against the beats of salsa and hip-hop, the acclaimed musical tells the story of Usnavi, who longs to pick up his roots and move away from Washington Heights, the tight-knit New York City neighborhood that shaped him. This vibrant show will fill your heart with its spellbinding choreography and infectious energy. A Muny premiere.

Book by QUIARA ALEGRíA HUDES  • Music and Lyrics by LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA • Conceived by LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA 

Performance time 8:15 p.m. nightly • Running time 2:26 including intermission

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About the Show

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s acclaimed snapshot of the diverse Latinx community in New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood tells the story of bodega owner Usnavi and his beloved abuela, who welcome Nina home from a challenging first year at Stanford University. Meanwhile, the ambitious hairstylist Vanessa sings of her desire to move far away. They are part of an eclectic ensemble longing for a fair shot at the American dream and nostalgia for the worlds they’ve left behind.

Ratings and age restrictions are not issued for The Muny’s professionally licensed shows, but we offer the following notes regarding content that may have a bearing on patron comfort.

Language • The words ass, bastard, bitch, damn, hell and shit are each used several times. Frickin’, screw and skank are each used once.

Sexual Innuendo • Several song lyrics and lines of dialogue reference sexual situations.

Drugs and Alcohol • Alcohol is referenced several times. A club scene depicts drinking and at least one intoxicated character. Two characters celebrate with Champagne.

Violence • A character punches another in the face. References are made to looting and shooting during a power outage.

Mature Content • None.

Special Effects • Includes fireworks, pyro and strobe effects.

William Carlos Angulo

Director / Choreographer
Roberto Sinha

Music Director / Conductor
Shani Talmor

Associate Choreographer
Matthew Rivera

Assistant Choreographer
Arnel Sancianco

Scenic Design
Leon Dobkowski

Costume Design
Rob Denton

Lighting Design
John Shivers

Co-Sound Design
David Patridge

Co-Sound Design
Caite Hevner

Video Design
Kelley Jordan

Wig Design
Jhanaë Bonnick

Production Stage Manager

Artist Spotlight: Benji Santiago

As part of the 106th Muny season, we’re excited to debut a feature we’re calling Artist Spotlight. Meet Benji Santiago, our Usnavi in In the Heights!

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Cast

BENJI SANTIAGO

Usnavi

Born in Puerto Rico, Benji is an actor/singer/dancer based in New York City. Previous credits include Spring Awakening (Melchior, Vanguard Theater Company) and El Otro Oz (Scarecrow, The Forestburgh Playhouse). Santiago trained at Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama.

ARIANA BURKS

Nina

Stage credits: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Paramount Theatre, Marriott Theatre), Antigone, Gospel at Colonus (Court Theatre, The Getty), Children of Eden (Cadillac Palace Theatre), Spring Awakening (Porchlight Music Theatre), Urinetown (BoHo Theatre), The Nutcracker (The House Theatre), Hairspray (Paramount Theatre, Drury Lane Theatre), Wonderland: Alice’s Rock & Roll Adventure (Chicago Children’s Theatre), The Compass, Dance Nation (Steppenwolf), Trevor: The Musical, Next to Normal (Writers Theatre), Life After, A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre).

ALEX JOSEPH GRAYSON

Benny

Broadway: Parade (revival, Grammy-nominated 2023 cast album), Into the Woods (revival), Girl From the North Country, A Bronx Tale. Off-Broadway: Toni Stone (Roundabout). NYC: Running Man (Lincoln Center Cast Album Project),Titanic, Parade (City Center). National tour: Once on This Island. Regional: Hair (The Old Globe), Camelot (Asolo Rep).

ALYSIA VELEZ

Vanessa

Broadway: Into the Woods (Rapunzel, 2022 revival, directed by Lear deBessonet). Off-Broadway: For You, Paige (Ensemble, directed by Emily Maltby and Maria Goulamhoussen). National tour: Into the Woods. Regional: Evita (Ensemble, u/s Eva/Mistress, Shakespeare Theatre Company). Film/TV: In the Heights (Salsa Dancer). Opera: Hansel and Gretel (Dew Fairy and Sandman, Magic City Opera). 2023 Grammy Award-winning cast album for Into the Woods. BM at Manhattan School of Music, musical theatre.

NANCY TICOTIN

Abuela Claudia

Broadway: The King and I (Court Child), West Side Story (Consuelo, Anita, first revival), Jerome Robbins’ Broadway (Anita, Tuptim), Damn Yankees (Lola), In the Heights (Camilla, Abuela, Daniela). Off-Broadway: Buena Vista Social Club (Omara), The View Upstairs (Inez). Regional: Half Time (Camilla, Paper Mill Playhouse), Destiny of Desire (Sister Sonia, Old Globe). Tour: On Your Feet! (Gloria Fajardo, first national). TV: Pose (Valeria), Blue Bloods (Mrs. Badilla), Taken (Salome), Law & Order (Detective Reina Perez, recurring), Law & Order: SVU (Cesaria Amaro, recurring).

MIGUEL GIL

Sonny

Broadway: Kimberly Akimbo (u/s Seth/Aaron/Martin). Regional: Bye Bye Birdie (Hugo, The Kennedy Center).

MARTÍN SOLÁ

Kevin

Muny: On Your Feet! Broadway: How to Dance in Ohio, On Your Feet!, The King and I, Coram Boy, La Bohème. The Public: Plays for the Plague Year, Miss You Like Hell, Giant. Other NY credits: New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, New York City Opera, NY City Center Encores!, The Roundabout, INTAR and more. TV/film: Archive 81 (Father Russo, Netflix), FBI (CBS), Law & Order: SVU (NBC), Benji’s Hour. Martín wrote, directed and starred in the short May I Take it Your Plate, which garnered Best Film and Best Actor awards at both the International Puerto Rican Heritage and the New York City Downtown film festivals.

KARMINE ALERS

Camila

Muny: On Your Feet! (Ensemble). Broadway: Rent (Mimi) and On Your Feet! (original Broadway cast). National tour: Beetlejuice (Juno/Maxine). Regional: In The Heights (Camila, Milwaukee Repertory co-production), On Your Feet! (Fajardo, Phoenix Theatre), Scrooge (Christmas Past, ATC), Smokey Joe’s Cafe, (Pattie, Fulton Theatre).

DARILYN CASTILLO

Daniela

An award-winning recording artist, her EP Constellation and Latin single Ella Y No Conmigo can be found on all streaming platforms. National tours: Hamilton (Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds in original, Peggy in the Puerto Rico, San Francisco and Philip companies), Disney’s The Lion King (u/s Nala). Regional: Dream Hou$e (originated the role of Julia, Alliance Theatre, Long Wharf and Baltimore Center Stage), Once on This Island (Ti Moune, Meadow Brook Theatre). TV: The Crowded Room; And Just Like That; Law & Order: Organized Crime; the 74th, 75th and 76th Tony Awards; Boardwalk Empire. Film: Martyr of Gowanus, The Odd Year. Training: City College of NY, LAMDA.

MARLENE FERNANDEZ

Carla

Muny debut. Regional: Matchbox Magic Flute (Goodman Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Berkeley Repertory Theatre), In the Heights (Stages St. Louis).

U.J. MANGUNE

Graffiti Pete

Favorite credits include Legally Blonde (Swing, Assistant Choreographer, The Muny), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Swing, The Muny), South Pacific (Associate Choreographer, The REV Theatre), Newsies (Romeo, Village Theatre), Macklemore’s And We Danced music video (featured dancer), and Amazon Prime Day (Choreographer, featured dancer). Choreography awards: BroadwayWorld Critic’s Choice, Gypsy Rose Lee Award.

ÁNGEL LOZADA

Standby for Usnavi

Muny: Les Misérables (Montparnasse, Lesgles, Ensemble). Broadway: Bad Cinderella. Off-Broadway: Oratorio for Living Things (Lucille Lortel Award). Regional: Hair (Old Globe), Unmasked (Paper Mill Playhouse), West Side Story (Maltz Jupiter), Evita (Riverside Theatre), Jesus Christ Superstar (Chicago Lyric), On Your Feet! (Paper Mill Playhouse, Riverside Theatre), Evita (STC). TV: FBI Most Wanted, Jesus Christ Superstar Live (NBC).

Ensemble and Swings

Marissa Barragán, Angelica Maria Beliard, Ixchel Cuellar, Ralphie Rivera De Jesús, Adriel Flete, Reyna Guerra, Emily Madigan, Sebastian Martinez, Eddie Martin Morales, José J. Muñoz, Matthew Rivera, Kiana Coryn Rodriguez, Francisco Javier Thurston and Alora Tonielle

Creative Team

WILLIAM CARLOS ANGULO

Director/Choreographer

previously choreographed On Your Feet!, Legally Blonde and Little Shop of Horrors. Directing includes Marriott Theatre and Portland Center Stage, as well as new musicals presented at Steppenwolf’s LookOut series, Ars Nova ANT Fest and Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater. He has choreographed at Manhattan Theatre Club, Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Steppenwolf, Seattle Rep, Marriott Theatre, Pittsburgh CLO and more. He is currently under commission by Portland Center Stage, Limón Dance and Lincoln Center Education.

SHANI TALMOR

Associate Choreographer

A world-renowned performer, choreographer, teacher and actor, Shani has presented her unique sensual salsa style for over two decades. Trained in Afro-Cuban dance, jazz and ballet, she combines these elements to create dynamic stage presence. Broadway: On Your Feet! and first national tour. Theatre: Legally Blonde (The Muny), On Your Feet! (The Muny, Starlight Theatre). Off-Broadway: Carmen: To Havana and Back. Film: In the Heights. Performed with Pitbull, Marc Anthony, T-Pain, Ne-Yo, Madonna, Kat De Luna, also at Madison Square Garden and for MAC Cosmetics. TV: Penny Dreadful, Let the Right One In, The View, The Wendy Show, Mira Quien Baila.

ROBERTO SINHA

Music Director

Broadway: New York, New York; Hamilton; Kinky Boots; It Shoulda Been You; Violet; Bullets Over Broadway; Big Fish. Tours: Hamilton (The Philip Tour), Kinky Boots, Elf, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella. Selected: Real Women Have Curves (A.R.T), Chess (English Chess Federation benefit), Kiss My Aztec! (Hartford Stage), Red Eye of Love (Amas Musical Theatre), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Arvada Center).