They sing with the rising of the sun. They move with the beat of life. They dance to the urban decay of the world around them. They are the residents of Washington Heights and they live in the rhythm and passion of their streets.
In Ateneo Blue Repertory’s final production for this year, they bring the enigmatic streets of Washington Heights to the Ateneo. An original musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda, based on Quiara Alegria Hudes’ book, In the Heights centers on a Dominican-American community on the streets of New York City. Birthing an ineffable flurry of energy and quiet sentimentality, the play showcases one of the best ensembles that Blue Rep has brought onstage.
It begins with a man named after the U.S. Navy—Usnavi (Chuckie Campos Juan)—a man longing for the crisp shores of Dominican Republic, his birthplace. Usnavi owns a small bodega in Washington Heights together with his cousin, Sonny (AM Masugol), and his surrogate grandmother, Abuela Claudia (EJ Pepito). Along with a cacophony of other colorful characters, these people comprise a play that studies the beauty of a community bound by the hardships and yearnings of a people torn from home.
The success of the play lay mainly on the shoulders of tour de force Juan, whose portrayal of Usnavi brought the streets, the sounds and the coffee of Washington Heights to life. Fluidly careening across the stage with smooth lyricism and an unguarded beat, he radiates with authenticity—a virtue some actors generally lack. It was a performance grounded on emotion and pure tenacity.
In the Heights features an impeccable crew of endearing characters, like the flawless performance of Pepito as Abuela Claudia, the towns’ communal grandmother figure. Pepito was imperious in portraying the vulnerability and subtlety of her character, a depth that most of the ensemble was sadly not given the chance to portray. Other standouts included Moira Lozada playing Daniela, the salon owner across the street from Usnavi’s grocery, whose sharp tongue and sharper hips colored the stage in a carnival of Latin flare. Another notable performance was that of AM Masucol playing Usnavi’s sassy younger cousin, Sonny, whose perfect comedic timing and playful lethargy kept the audience constantly entertained.
Under the direction of Chiary Manhit and Raflesia Bravo, the production balances the fire of Washington Heights’ residents with their dedication to both their dreams and each other. The colorful stage, highlighted with masterful lighting, perfectly reflects the show’s (admittedly, sometimes overwhelming) energy, consistently reverberating with untamed vitality and depth.
On stage is a man in white, his clothes neatly tucked and face content. Beside him are his cousin, his best friend, the Piragua guy and everyone else in between. They are bound by a yearning, for the home that they have lost, a burning regret living within all their hearts. But they sing in voices untamed, for they are home, on the streets of Washington Heights.
Blue Repertory’s In the Heights will be staged in the Rizal Mini Theater on February 6, 7, 10-14, and 17-21.
Updated on Feb. 7, 2015 at 8:06PM