Review: Spanish Lyric Theatre's Production of Lin-Manuel Miranda's IN THE HEIGHTS Roars with Energy

"When you're home/Oh, the summer nights are cooler/When you're home..." --from the song "When You're Home"

"Usnavi, help me find my way back home..." --Vanessa to Usnavi in the song "Blackout"

"You hear the music in the street?/Take the train to the top of the world/I'm there/I'm home!" --Usnavi in the show's "Finale"

Home. That's what IN THE HEIGHTS, Lin-Manuel Miranda's pre-Hamilton master work, is all about. Home as an ideal, a goal, the place that gives you that odd tickle in your heart, that feeling when you return to a place you haven't lived in for years. It's celebrated here, home as an entire neighborhood and not a mere abode. To Mr. Miranda, that home is Washington Heights, where the musical IN THE HEIGHTS presents a slice of summer life, a reverie, a cherished memory. At one point, a young lady flips through a photo album, and that's what IN THE HEIGHTS feels like...seeing those pictures from the past, moments captured and never forgotten (and in this case, that instance before everything would change). The show is a beloved salute to the denizens who populate Washington Heights, and it's no coincidence that the last word sung in the whole show, a note held for quite a long time, is "home."

Usnavi is a bodega owner in Washington Heights who dreams of returning to his homeland, the Dominican Republic. Helped in his store by his teenage cousin, Sonny, Usnavi acts as narrator and becomes the central figure in this block, which features Rosario's Car and "Limosine" service on one side and Daniela's unisex salon of gossipers on the other. The daughter of the owner of Rosario's has just returned from Stanford with some unsettling news. We follow the various storylines--from grandmother figures (Abuela) to artistic vandals (Graffiti Pete), from lottery winners to blackouts, from life in the Carnaval del Barrio to, ultimately, death. Behind the action, like a mountainous cathedral, hovers the George Washington bridge. And as the various stories unfold, we realize that Washington Heights is like a single extended family, a constant block party just waiting to happen.

The show is perfectly suited for the talented folks at the Spanish Lyric Theatre, celebrating its 63rd year as Tampa's oldest performing arts company (and the area's original bi-lingual theatre group). The Sold Out Sunday matinee audience was on the edge of their seats, recognizing so many of the characters from their own lives and enjoying every last second of this two and half hour plunge into Washington Heights. They were totally connected with the events happening onstage.

The show opens with the nimble Joshua Dupree as Graffiti Pete dancing to various songs on the radio dial. He niftily moves to the various beats, shaking his spray cans before being chased off the stage by Usnavi, played by Ralph Colon.

Mr. Colon makes for a likable Usnavi, the show's central character. But sometimes, likable as he is, he seems so laid back that he often recedes in the background which makes other performances stand out even more. As his spirited love interest, Vanessa, Ariana Perera captures the free spirit, the driven young woman who's ready to make a major change in her life. She has a beautiful smile that radiates the entire stage. And Ms. Perea should be commended for singing and acting so well, even though she was plagued by major throat issues. But the show must go on. Even though she couldn't sustain some of the big notes under these circumstances-which unfortunately affected key songs like "It Won't Be Long" and "96,000"--she will certainly be in top vocal form when the show continues its run this weekend.

Rachel Rodriguez is heartbreaking and oftentimes so real as Nina, the Rosario's daughter who has lost her scholarship to Stanford. We root for her and her budding relationship with Rosario's employee, Benny. Ms. Rodriguez is best when she's singing with other characters, especially in "When You're Home." But her big solo numbers-"Breathe" and "Everything I Know"-are well-sung but need to get to the next level, both vocally and emotionally; they should induce chills.

Brandon Rodriguez makes for a formidable Piragua Guy, whose songs brought down the house. Christina Kay Jimenez is a force as Nina's mother, and her "Enough" is one of my favorite songs of the show. (The character and that great song were sadly cut from the 2021 movie.) But she came across so businesslike, both in attire and attitude, that I wanted to see more of the motherly quality that separated her and contrasted her from her all-work-no-play husband.

Esdras Alvarado has a mischievous quality, a sly smile, that helps with the part of Sonny. Mika McGee-Kleinschmidt is tremendous as Daniela, the salon owner who will be changing locations. She's a strong woman who gets the party up and going in Act 2's raucous "Carnaval del Barrio." And as her cohort, the dim-bulb Carla, Isabella Falber is wonderful. Watch Ms. Falber even when it's not her line or her song; she is always in character, always in the moment. Falber and Daniela shine in the upbeat rumor-mill number, "No Me Diga."

Luis Rivera shakes the house as Kevin. You feel he's the dominating father and husband, but he also has so much heart. We never hate him, even when we disagree with what he's doing; we know everything he does is for the sake of his family. Mr. Rivera has a dour look on his face, like he just can't have an ounce of fun in his entire life; the world and so many bills are overwhelming him. But he must realize that his family extends beyond his daughter and his wife when dealing with Washington Heights. Mr. Rivera is a revelation, stellar in every moment onstage. There's not a false note. And his song, "Inutil (Useless)," which is usually a throwaway, is one of the best performed numbers of the night. Emotionally devastating and riveting.

Another revelation is Elizabeth Cabrera as Abuela Claudia, the grand-matriarch of Washington Heights. Ms. Cabrera's Abuela is so lovable, so funny, and she has a voice that can rock mountaintops and maybe even cure the common cold. She's a spark of energy on that stage, and you see why everyone flocks to her. She may be small in stature, but she's a giantess of a performer. Her renditions of "Paciencia Y Fe" and "Hundreds of Stories" became second to none. Quite shockingly, this is her very first show. Let me repeat that: This revelatory performance is her very first show. I am not alone when I say...I hope it's not her last. She has a long, prosperous life on the stage if ever she wants it. Wow.

My choice for best in cast goes to Doug Buffaloe as Benny. This is one of those stand-up-and-take-notice performances, a portrayal that will rock your world. You never know what he's going to do next. His performance of "Benny's Dispatch" is as good as it gets; he wiggles his hips like a Chippendale's dancer and owns each word of his rap. Late in Act 2, fireworks explode, but we've been seeing the fireworks onstage the whole time with Mr. Buffaloe's performance. He elevates everyone he appears with, upping the stakes constantly. He's so good that you sometimes think the show should be retitled, Ben, the Heights.

The ensemble is a fiery lot of all ages, full of verve as they dance their hearts out to the terrific choreography by Kelly King. Angelina Samreny, Elizabeth Perez, the electric Tito Mercado Jr., Zachary Chacon, Blue Feliu, Elena Chancellor, Layla Johnson and Cassidy Forte own the stage and become just as important as any of the leads. Special mention must be paid to tall Dioscar Montesino as the standout ensemble member, spectacularly dancing and always in character.

The sensation of IN THE HEIGHTS shouldn't be a surprise to those who know who directed it, the incomparable Clareann Despain. This is one show that's entertaining, moving, with so many bodies moving on and off the set and the scaffolding like a ferocious game of Red Light/Green Light. Every movement has meaning, and the leads as well as the ensemble and tech are all-in, a cast and crew electrified, ready to zap this production to life.

Rick Barclay's music direction is glorious, with a gorgeous-sounding orchestra featuring the following individuals: Xander McColley, Lisa Wyant-Wobensmith, Greg Uchimura, CJ Rivera, Matt Hill, Terry Molsky, Alex Rosales, Hannah Phillips, Todd DuPriest, and Dr. David Mitchell. For the first time, I saw that the orchestra marched onstage during the curtain call, deservedly so.

But something happened during the matinee performance that I saw that must be mentioned. As we're edging near the end of Act 1, during the rollicking club scene, there was an out-of-this-world bizarre sound of a crash, followed by audio sounds I had never heard before, an otherworldly feedback; I felt we were suddenly in a musical version of Independence Day and the aliens had taken over. Suddenly all the sound went out, and the show had to be stopped momentarily. It seems that a soundboard had malfunctioned, zapped the contents out the show, and had to be retrieved as fast as possible. (In a weird twist, the board seemed to have flipped its wig and had gone back in time two years to SLT's Brooklyn, which was on the cursor; so odd, but it's certainly something the audience would never forget.) Thankfully the show soon recovered from the brief scare. Here are four things this glitch brought to light: 1) After the sound went out, but before being stopped, the actors kept on going, even though they couldn't hear the live orchestra, and the audience clapped the beat of the song to help them out, a total immersive experience; 2) Because the break was only for a moment, the audience was more with the show than ever, you could feel the energy revved up as if the audience wanted to rush the stage and join the fun nightclub action; 3) stage manager Arlene Jacobs saved the show; and 4) There is nothing like live theatre.

IN THE HEIGHTS plays at the HCC Performing Arts Building in Ybor City until Sunday, August 7. But unfortunately, being able to see its final weekend of shows will be almost as hard as getting a winning billion dollar Mega Million lottery ticket. The entire run is SOLD OUT, which is a great thing for SLT, a theatre company that deserves the very best. For those who will be able to attend, the production showcases what makes composer-lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda such a godsend. Hamilton may be more of a total change-your-life Experience (note the capital E), but IN THE HEIGHTS has more heart and is like one long embrace. It has more loving energy than anything around. And it proves that you don't have to venture all the way to New York, to the real Washington Heights, to truly find yourself back home. With this fine production of IN THE HEIGHTS, home is here, at the HCC, for those lucky enough to have already purchased a ticket.

To post a comment, you must register and login.