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?
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
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
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.
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
. Updated On: 6/18/08 at 10:33 PM
Wow. That makes Usnavi hitting on the five-years-younger Vanessa just a little creepy.
What exactly is creepy about a 24 year old dating a 19 year old?
Leading Actor Joined: 12/18/05
Wouldn't Usnavi be 21, judging from the lyrics to "Everything I Know"?
"There's Usnavi/Just a baby/'87/Halloween."
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.
"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...
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.)
Broadway Star Joined: 1/19/08
I never understood how Nina is supposed to be 19 when she looks 29.
Leading Actor Joined: 12/18/05
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.
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