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Before his hugely successful musical “Hamilton,” Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote “In the Heights” — about a vibrant, close-knit New York immigrant community filled with songs and dreams, but also secrets.
Musical Theatre West is currently staging the Tony Award-winning musical through April 26 at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center on the Cal State Long Beach campus. A producer and two main cast members shared their insights about what the musical means to them and to Long Beach.
Bren Thor, associate producer of the show, notes the parallels between the setting of “In the Heights” and Long Beach.
“Long Beach, much like Washington Heights where the show is set, has one of the most diverse populations in the United States,” Thor said. “Immigrant families, multigenerational households, tight neighborhood identity — that’s exactly what the show is about.”
Rubén J. Carbajal, who plays lead Usnavi — and who performed in “Hamilton” on Broadway and in Puerto Rico alongside Miranda himself — also says “In the Heights” appeals because of its multigenerational Latinx story.
“Usnavi is a man of the people — he’s savvy, and he gets along with everyone,” Carbajal says of his character, whose parents emigrated from the Dominican Republic. “Diving deeper, we see that his upbringing forced him to assimilate quickly, to learn the ways of his father’s bodega as well as the streets, in order to stay safe and help his business.”
But though people look to Usnavi for help and trust his smarts, he is vulnerable, too, Carbajal said, especially around love interest Vanessa, played here by Angelica Lozada Ramos.
“He tries to play it cool and joke around, and sometimes fumbles his words and whatnot, but it’s from a place of love and true feelings for his dream girl,” Carbajal said, adding that Usnavi’s friendship-turned-romance with Vanessa reminds him of his own relationship.
Veronica Vazquez Jackson, who plays dramatic storeowner Daniela, says that as a second-generation Puerto Rican, the musical is the story of her life.
“My grandparents came here for a better life for themselves and their families,” Jackson said. “What they found was a strong community of Latinos who looked out for each other, took care of each other. It’s exactly what you see in this show. This show represents home for me.”
As a recording artist, actor, dancer and self-described “Nuyorican,” Jackson finds it easy to step into her flamboyant character, saying, “I have lots of very dramatic and funny family members to draw from!”
But her entrepreneur character is also smart and sensitive, Jackson said, which she masks with her toughness, wanting to teach the younger generation to follow in her footsteps.
“Daniela is a leader. She is everyone’s tia or auntie,” Jackson said. “She cares deeply about her extended familia and goes the extra mile to help the people she cares about. She is a staple in her community and knows everyone in the barrio — and all of their secrets!”
Thor said casting Carbajal and Jackson, among others with Puerto Rican and other Latino connections, is part of Musical Theatre West’s effort to tell the culturally specific story as authentically as possible.
“This is a crazy-talented cast,” Thor said. “And they are pulling from their own experiences and laying it all out for our audiences.”
In addition to regular patrons, Musical Theatre West is enabling 5,000 Long Beach students to see the show for free, Thor said.
“They are going to see themselves and their stories represented on that stage,” he said. “An experience like that can give you meaning, and make you feel like you have a real place in the world.”
Jackson said the show is especially relevant now given current federal immigration policy determining “who belongs and who doesn’t.”
“It’s so important to uplift our community in these times and I feel that ‘In the Heights’ does just that,” she said. “It celebrates all of the Latino diaspora — all of the countries and islands we come from. We all belong here. We have all contributed to the success of this country.”
Carbajal concurred, saying one of the major themes of the show is hope, which he feels is being stripped away from a new generation of immigrants looking to find where they belong.
“It feels like a stark difference today,” he said. “We need more good news and success stories of immigrants and what it took for them to not only get here, but get here and thrive, contribute to community and the economy, and uplift our society as a whole.”
Thor said local audiences have left the show feeling energized since it opened last weekend.
“It tells stories we don’t see enough of, that apply directly to our community,” he said. “And it does it with joy.”
Musical Theatre West’s “In the Heights” continues through April 26 at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 E. Atherton St., with shows Thursday, April 16 at 7 p.m., Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sundays at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets start at $25, with $15 student rush tickets one hour prior to each show. For tickets and information, call the box office at 562-856-1999 or visit Musical.org. Run time is 2 hours and 30 minutes, including intermission.