tracking pixel
News on your favorite shows, specials & more!

Ages of IN THE HEIGHTS characters?

StephenSondheimWHOO Profile Photo
StephenSondheimWHOO
#1Ages of IN THE HEIGHTS characters?
Posted: 6/18/08 at 10:16pm

I'm sort of confused as to how old the main characters (Usnavi, Benny, Vanessa, Nina) are in IN THE HEIGHTS? I assume they're the same age, as they went to High School together. So does that mean they are all 17-19, because Nina just finished her freshman year. It just seems that Usnavi would be much older than that, at least in his early/mid 20's. Also around how old is Sonny?

alfgiotir Profile Photo
alfgiotir
#2re: Ages of IN THE HEIGHTS characters?
Posted: 6/18/08 at 10:18pm

usnavi and vanessa are in their late 20s
benny (not positive about benny) and nina are in late teens/early 20s
sonny is 15-16

BroadwayChica Profile Photo
BroadwayChica
#3re: Ages of IN THE HEIGHTS characters?
Posted: 6/18/08 at 10:19pm

I read some stagenotes guide (or something) awhile back, and from my recollection of it Usnavi and Benny are both in their early-mid 20s, Nina and Vanessa are 19, and Sonny is 15. Makes sense to me. It's never said in the show that they all went to high school together. They know each other from the neighborhood.
Updated On: 6/18/08 at 10:19 PM

shh282 Profile Photo
shh282
#4re: Ages of IN THE HEIGHTS characters?
Posted: 6/18/08 at 10:23pm

The only character that is given away in my opinion is Nina who just got back from her first year at Stanford, meaning she's 19.

BroadwayChica Profile Photo
BroadwayChica
#5re: Ages of IN THE HEIGHTS characters?
Posted: 6/18/08 at 10:28pm

Found the stagenotes. Here's the breakdown of the characters' ages (the guide was approved by Lin-Manuel, so I guess it's ok to assume this info is at least semi accurate):

Usnavi: 24
Nina: 19
Kevin: 40s
Camila: 40s
Benny: 24
Vanessa: 19
Sonny: 15
Abuela Claudia: late 60s
Daniela: 30s
Carla: mid 20s
Graffitti Pete: 18
Piragua Guy (lol, I love that he's included): 30s

Updated On: 6/18/08 at 10:28 PM

StephenSondheimWHOO Profile Photo
StephenSondheimWHOO
#6re: Ages of IN THE HEIGHTS characters?
Posted: 6/18/08 at 10:33pm

. Updated On: 6/18/08 at 10:33 PM

GlindatheGood22  Profile Photo
GlindatheGood22
#7re: Ages of IN THE HEIGHTS characters?
Posted: 6/18/08 at 11:18pm

Wow. That makes Usnavi hitting on the five-years-younger Vanessa just a little creepy.


I know you. I know you. I know you.

Wanna Be A Foster Profile Photo
Wanna Be A Foster
#8re: Ages of IN THE HEIGHTS characters?
Posted: 6/18/08 at 11:23pm

What exactly is creepy about a 24 year old dating a 19 year old?


"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

IsolatingAge
#9re: Ages of IN THE HEIGHTS characters?
Posted: 6/18/08 at 11:27pm

Wouldn't Usnavi be 21, judging from the lyrics to "Everything I Know"?

"There's Usnavi/Just a baby/'87/Halloween."


You must think I'm still sixteen. I dropped out of high school for a reason. And I don't care if you're pretty. I'm not admitting you are right. My soul is not a stage. I won't pretend I'm anything I'm not

MrSweetNAwful Profile Photo
MrSweetNAwful
#10re: Ages of IN THE HEIGHTS characters?
Posted: 6/18/08 at 11:29pm

well you're technically referred to as baby for a few years after birth, so that could mean he was anywhere from like 1-5 or so in that reference.


You're reminding me of people you hear at the movies asking questions every ten seconds, "Who is that? Why is that guy walking down the street? Who's that lady coming up to him? Uh-oh, why did that car go by? Why is it so dark in this theater?" - FindingNamo on strummergirl

"If artists were machines, then I'm just a different kind of machine...I'd probably be a toaster. Actually, I'd be a toaster oven because they're more versatile. And I like making grilled cheese" -Regina Spektor

"That's, like, twelve shows! ...Or seven." -Crazy SA Fangirl

"They say that just being relaxed is the most important thing [in acting]. I take that to another level, I think kinda like yawning and...like being partially asleep onstage is also good, but whatever." - Sherie Rene Scott

millie_dillmount Profile Photo
millie_dillmount
#11re: Ages of IN THE HEIGHTS characters?
Posted: 6/18/08 at 11:42pm

"Wow. That makes Usnavi hitting on the five-years-younger Vanessa just a little creepy."

Yeah, what's wrong with a 19 and 24 year old dating? As long as they're both adults...


"We like to snark around here. Sometimes we actually talk about theater...but we try not to let that get in our way." - dramamama611

mikem Profile Photo
mikem
#12re: Ages of IN THE HEIGHTS characters?
Posted: 6/18/08 at 11:43pm

I have no idea how old most of the actors are in real life, but I would say that virtually none of them appear to be as young onstage as the ages listed. Kevin, Carla, and maybe Benny seem age-appropriate IMO. Everyone else seems older, particularly Robin de Jesus and Seth Stewart, who are not believable onstage IMO as 15 and 18 year olds.

(I am not including Olga Merediz, who appears much younger than the character she is playing, at least from the front row.)


"What was the name of that cheese that I like?" "you can't run away forever...but there's nothing wrong with getting a good head start" "well I hope and I pray, that maybe someday, you'll walk in the room with my heart"

barcelona20
#13re: Ages of IN THE HEIGHTS characters?
Posted: 6/18/08 at 11:44pm

I never understood how Nina is supposed to be 19 when she looks 29.

IsolatingAge
#14re: Ages of IN THE HEIGHTS characters?
Posted: 6/18/08 at 11:53pm

When I knew nothing about this show except that it was about "Three generations of Latinos living in Washington Heights" and I saw a clip of her singing Breath (or whatever the song was called Off Broadway. Fire Escape? I think.) I seriously thought she was the middle generation.

I mean, the girl is beautiful. She just has a mature look about her.


You must think I'm still sixteen. I dropped out of high school for a reason. And I don't care if you're pretty. I'm not admitting you are right. My soul is not a stage. I won't pretend I'm anything I'm not


Videos