SirNotAppearing Has a Good Time IN THE HEIGHTS

[SirNotAppearing]

Posted: 5/26/08 at 9:11am

Preface: So, it was my birthday, so me and my family went out to dinner and a show. (The Shake Shack is awesome, by the way, even if the lines are long. We got row T seats for "In the Heights" (which is packed now, by the way), and despite the overhang, had a great time.

CAST RUNDOWN:
Lin-Manuel Miranda - Really great, which is to be expected since he wrote the damn music. He's still amazing though - I almost cried during the scene that involves someone's death. He's great, though I didn't understand his motivation for the choice he made at the end.

Olga Merediz - This woman was amazing. Her nomination was well-deserved. (I don't know about a win). She put so much heart and soul into "Pacienca y Fe", it really became her breakout number.

Christopher Jackson - Pretty good. I'm surprised he wasn't considered for a Tony, since his part is so meaty. He was believable and sounded good. Nothing ground-breaking.

Krysta Rodriguez (u/s Vanessa) - Disappointing. I really wanted to see Karen, since I had heard her sing. Something was just a little lacking from the performance and I could barely hear her. She hit her stride in her song with Lin. I didn't really buy her in the role, especially since she looks about 13 and you can't see her face under that haircut.

Janet Dacal (u/s Nina) - She was obviously nervous, and fared a little better than Krysta, but anyone could tell she didn't do that part regularly, She just seemed uncomfortable, although her performance was fine.

Robin de Jesus - Pretty funny, although his voice got a little grating. I can totally understand the Tony nom, though.

Andrea Burns - Hilarious. Heartfelt. What else can I say about this woman! She gave one of the best performances in the whole cast, and consistently made me laugh. Give HER the Tony nomination!

The ensemble - One of the best I've ever seen.

WHAT I LOVED:
Emotional Response - Two major, shocking plot points are revealed in a line of songs, and most of the theater (myself included) gasped when we heard them. I loved feeling like I was there with them, and as I said before, I cried a little bit in one part. It's just that kind of show.

The Set - Really cool. Forced perspective and meticulously crafted storefronts really bring you into the action. Very clever.

The Choreography: Innovative and corresponds well to the songs.

WHAT I DIDN'T LOVE:

The Book - So lackluster it's really inexcusable. The show's main weak point, it's dumb and slow, except for a couple lines (drunk Chita Rivera)!

The Set - I loved it most of the time, but occasionally it brought up problems. It never changes (except during the act break), so things can get a little weird. For instance, in one scene there's a blackout and they're trying to find their way home, but their homes are still there. Usnavi's like "where is my store?" and I wanted to scream "it's right behind you dumba**!" The salon scene doesn't fare as well either in the set department.

The Parents - Excuse me, but I don't get Nina's parents. Maybe it was the performances, but the show gave me no reason why the dad hated Benny and repeatedly told him rudely and blatantly.

OVERALL SCORE : 9/10
Music: 9/10
Book: 7/10
Cast (on the night I saw it): 8.5/10
Technical Aspects: 9/10

I would recommend this great show to anyone. It's going to hit it big!
Updated On: 6/9/08 at 09:11 AM

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 5/26/08 at 9:18am

Glad to hear you liked it!


"He's great, though I didn't understand his motivation for the choice he made at the end. "

He kind of realizes that it's a real family and the mural makes him really realize it (Paciencia y Fe)

[wicked_beast4]

Posted: 5/26/08 at 9:22am

Too bad you couldn't see Krysta's Vanessa. She is amazing in that part. And Nina's parents, mainly Kevin the father, don't like Benny because he is not one of them, and the father had to teach him everything, and Benny is also employed by the father, so the dad wants someone better for his daughter. But I LOVE THIS SHOW!!!!!

[scaryclowns223]

Posted: 5/26/08 at 9:46am

It's a shame you missed Olivo AND Mandy Gonzalez, because they are both EXCELLENT. It's also a shame that Dacal was covering, because she is hilarious in her small role. I was surprised how developed her character was.

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 5/26/08 at 10:02am

Thanks for your review! Glad you enjoyed the show, it's one of my favorites.

[Benzy92]

Posted: 5/26/08 at 10:28am

Benny is black, so that is why he is not "one of them." It is confusing because Chris is so light-skinned, but supposedly makes a TON of sense when Joshua Henry goes on for the role since he is so much darker.

[mikem]

Posted: 5/26/08 at 11:09am

SirNotAppearing, did you go on Saturday night or Sunday night? (Happy Birthday, by the way!)

[SirNotAppearing]

Posted: 5/26/08 at 12:55pm

Sunday night.

And actually, my birthday's July 25, but I'm away for the summer.