In The Heights!

"In the Heights" is a fresh new musical about the lives of working clase individuals who live in Washington Heights - the "barrio" of NYC. It focuses on different relationships of Spanish-Americans: one about a girl who can't afford her Stanford college tuition, another about a grandmother who wins 96,000 dollars, and also about the lead actor, Usnavi who wants to date a girl he knows. The show is a heart warming tale about family, friends, happiness through tuff times, and about home in general. In my opinion, the best parts of the show were the dancing, the lighting design, and the Spanish-Hip-Hop score. The story was ok, and the only thing I didn't like about the show was that the music wasn't memorable. The only song a sort of remember was the opening number "En Washington Heights." The acting was great as well, especially that of the actors who played Usnavi (Lin-Manuel Miranda), Abuela Claudia (Olga Merediz), and Nina (Mandy Gonzalez). 

The coolest part of the show was that I got to meet the cast after the audience left the theater. I got to talk to the actors and I told them about my blog. Lin-Manuel conceived the entire play, and he also wrote the music and lyrics for the production. I had the opportunity to ask him some questions. I asked what his favorite show was (besides the one he was starring in), and how he found his love for Broadway. He said that his favorite show is the "Phantom of the Opera" (mine too!), and by seeing it he found his love for Broadway. He said he remembered seeing the mist and the boat in the "Phantom of the Opera," and thinking to himself , he said that that was what he wanted to do. He wanted to make a new musical, one that would catch the eye of young theater goers like myself, and introduce the rich hispanic culture to the stage. Over all, I give this show a collar's up. I don't think it deserves to win the Tony for best musical, but it probably will get it.

(Lin-Manuel Miranda)

A Week At the Theater.

   

  

     

    

 

 Last week I devoted myself to seeing as many broadway shows as I could for the for the last days of my spring break. Fortunately, I got tickets to four shows, those being "A Chorus Line," "Gypsy," "Xanadu," and "A Catered Affair." So I something old, something new, something Patti, and something Harvey.

I'll sort these shows from best to worst. In my opinion, "Gypsy," starring Patti Lupone was the best out the four. It's the story of a "Show biz" mother who wants her daughters to be big stars. She was PHENOMENAL!!!! With her singing and acting, the St. James Theater with be sold out for weeks! But I'll note another theater goer's point of view...this man saw the orginal Gypsy with Ethel Merman and she performed without a microphone. I also loved the story. Collar's UP!

A Chorus Line, Let's just say... "God I hope I Get It". I loved the show and the music, but I had trouble understanding what the whole story and moral were supposed to mean. I know it was about the lives of dancers and the stress of auditioning, but is there something more than that? Can Someone give me an answer? I give it a collar's up. "Xanadu" on the other hand, was a piece of candy to me, (nothing special). The story was about a muse who had a crush on a guy who wanted to build a roller disco. It was simple, and I'll probably forget I saw it in month or two. Collar's Down.

Lastly, I saw "A Catered Affair." It was another simple show... about poor people who want to get married. The acting was great, but the music wasn't memorable. The producers still have time to change things around because I saw the show when it was only in it's 5th preview! Harvey Fierstein and Faith Prince were great in it though. I definitely think that Faith and Patti are major contenders for the Tony this year. I'll give it a just a 'collar' until I see what the critics think when it opens April 17th