Iranian-Born Actor Cast As Usnavi in Phoenix Theatre's IN THE HEIGHTS

As reported by BroadwayWorld, Chicago's Porchlight Music Theatre's upcoming production of Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes' Tony-winning musical IN THE HEIGHTS has been surrounded with controversy since it was announced that actor Jack DeCesare, who is white and of Italian descent, was cast the lead role of Usnavi, originated on Broadway by composer/lyricist Miranda. As stated in the musical's opening rap, Usnavi came to American from the Dominican Republic.

A statement by Hudes, supported by Miranda, encourages theatre companies to do the outreach necessary to cast roles appropriately.

Now, as reported by The Arizona Republic, Phoenix Theatre's production of IN THE HEIGHTS, which runs September 7th, through October 2nd, has cast Iranian-born actor Pasha Yamotahari as Usnavi.

"You have this narrator, you have this story driver who is not Latino. That gets under my skin," says Ricky Araiza, artistic director of the Phoenix's theatre company Teatro Bravo.

"There is an artist of color who is not Latino being cast in a part of someone who is Latino, which I feel can be just as dangerous because to me, as a Latino, that's saying 'brown is brown.' There's white, and then there's 'the ethnics.' As long as it's someone who's brown in this part, that's filling the role. That's how it reads to me."

The Arizona Republic reports that 13 of the productions 20 actors are Latino, according to artistic director Michael Barnard. Four are African-Americans and two are white.

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