BWW Reviews: Village's IN THE HEIGHTS Missing That Spark

It's never been one of my favorite shows to begin with. I mean I enjoy "In the Heights" for what it is, I was excited about it when it first came out since it was fresh and new and not based on a movie, but it's never been one of those shows that I get all giddy about when one of its songs comes on my iPod. It's entertaining but nothing that wows me. And the same thing could be said for the current production at Village Theatre. It was entertaining enough but nothing quite blew my doors off.

The story is nice and at times touching enough. It's just a little slice of life from the residents of a neighborhood in Washington Heights as they struggle to keep their businesses afloat in a neighborhood that's quickly dying. Usnavi (Perry Young) runs the local grocery with his cousin Sonny (Justin Huertas), Daniela (Iris Elton) has her beauty salon that she runs with Carla and Vanessa (Jennifer Paz and Naomi Morgan) and the Rosario's have their Car Service run by Kevin and Camilla Rosario (Jose J. Gonzales and Pamela Turpen) along with one of their drivers Benny (Kyle Robert Carter). And all of them have big dreams. Usnavi dreams about getting out of there and back to the Dominican Republic with his Abuela Claudia (Corrina Lapid Munter) but he also longs for a date with Vanessa. Vanessa dreams of an apartment outside of the Heights. And the Rosario's have big dreams for their daughter Nina (Tanesha Ross) who's home visiting from Stanford University. It's basically a story of love, loyalty and the aggravation you get from your family as well as your chosen family.

The music and lyrics from Lin-Manuel Miranda (who was the original Usnavi on Broadway) are sultry and filled with rapping rhymes and Latin rhythms. And that's all still there but it just didn't seem to have that edge or sense or urgency that comes across in the original recording. But then I felt the same way about the touring cast a few years back so maybe no one can match the original. Technically the show is wonderful with gorgeous voices and stirring dance numbers from choreographer Daniel Cruz, but nothing that made me get beyond the technical and into the heart of the piece. Maybe that will come with some settling in but it didn't seem to be there now.

Yes, there are some outstanding performers. Young is probably the most engaging up there with a very complete character and tons of presence and humor and as the central figure of the show and as the one who kicks it all off he needs that. Huertas too is quite funny and adorable as the young dreamer. Elton and Paz are fun as the gossiping stylists as is Paz as the subject of much of their gossip with her obliviousness of Usanavi's feelings for her. And Ross and Carter have some nice chemistry together and Ross manages one of the most heartfelt solos of the show.

But that's just it, lots of good performances but not much to tie them all together and without that it loses the spark. It's still a good production if you've never seen it before and still an entertaining enough evening but nothing to make you stand up and cheer (although that has never seemed to be an issue with Seattle audiences). And so with my three letter rating system I give Village's "In the Heights" a MEH+. A Good production without that edge.

"In the Heights" performs at Village Theatre's Issaquah location through October 26th and then moves over to their Everett location running October 31st through November 23rd. For tickets or information contact the Issaquah box office at 425-392-2202 or the Everett box office at 425-257-8600 or visit them online at www.villagetheatre.org.

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