Lin-Manuel Miranda Leads Us In the Heights

In the Heights conceived & music & lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda book by Quiara Alegria Hudes choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler directed by Thomas Kail Pantages Theatre through July 25

Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony and Grammy Award-winning show In the Heights has a lot to shout about. First of all, it's a musical with and about Latinos - way overdue -plus it has a terrific book with a heartwarming storyline and a bevy of exceedingly likeable characters, an unusually varied score, joyful choreography and direction, and an ensemble that rocks.

Led by Miranda himself (for the LA run only) as Usnavi the show starts at about 100 mph and never slows down. The man has a personality and delivery akin to that of comedian Paul Rodriguez. He is everyone's favorite brother, son, you name it. Each day of living in the heights is made better through his contact. If you don't already know him, by intermisssion, you want to be his friend. Arielle Jacobs makes a beautiful Nina, intelligent and caring, not unlike Usnavi, but her good fortune lies outside the heights, not within. Sabrina Sloan is a sultry Vanessa, who, unlike Nina, has less of a chance for self-improvement. She resigns herself to stay, but like most of her friends, rarely lets living get her down. She is up, happy and ready to dance. Elise Santora is Abuela Claudia, everybody's favorite grandma. Hailing from Cuba, she reminisces about starry Havana nights, so missing from the New York sky and keeps a strong faith, if not always for herself, at least for everybody else's goodwill. Natalie Toro and Danny Bolero are Camila and Kevin Rosario, Nina's parents, who will do just about anything to guarantee a successful future for their daughter. Like Miranda, Jacobs, Sloan, Santora, Toro and Bolero are all strong and vibrant actors/singers. Others completing the cherished mix are David Baida as Piragua Guy, Rogelio Douglas Jr. as Benny, so in love with Nina yet 'not fitting in', Isabel Santiago and Genny Lis Padilla as Daniela and Carla, Vanessa's partners at the hair salon, whose gossipy and graphically biting humor keep things jumping, kind of like in a Latino TV sitcom. Shaun Taylor-Corbett is Usnavi's faithful Tonto and Jose-Luis Lopez , Graffiti Pete, budding artista.

Under Thomas Kail's fast paced direction and Andy Blankenbuehler's mesmerizing choregraphy, the entire cast have energy to burn. When one of the street kids is asked early on if he can dance, the reply crackles "Like a drunk Chita Rivera!" Salsa, hip-hop, all the nonstop ingrained Latin rhythms are present. Miranda's music starts and ends with rap, but in between runs the gamut of salsa, a nice variety of pop and even a couple of beautiful ballads like "Inutil", "Alabanza" and "Everything I Know".

Despite lapses into sitcom-like dialogue and cheap laugh lines like (referring to the barrio after the blackout and looting) "This is Gilligan's Ghetto Island", the stories have enough relevance to maintain interest, and in the long run, it's the whole picture that matters most. Anna Louizos' incredible set of the tenements and storefronts with the Brooklyn Bridge in the background is awesome, making us fully aware every second where we are. As LA's Mayor Villaraigosa said after the show, everyone can relate life to some heights whether they be Washington or Lincoln or the like. In the Heights is a community of people who live for and love each other, regardless of where they eventually end up. In our repressed economic times, it represents what every place needs to have: a heightened sense of heart, soul and joy that just don't quit.

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