Why the Hype for In The Heights?

Updated On: 5/3/09 at 01:14 PM

BobbyBubby, so what makes it so good? (again, not meaning to offend...just wondering why it's so appealing and so popular).

"I like walking out of a show with the songs in my head, but didn't happen with this one. "

Oh wow, I'm the opposite. I can't even think about '96 000' without it getting stuck in my head.

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LePetiteFromage, I love the music in Rent, and the story although sad, is great too.

By the way, I will say that the dancing in ITH was really good...fantastic talent.

dancingthrulife, I totally hear you in that everyone likes different things....which is why I'm curious on what people love about ITH

Maybe the story it told is not a new concept to theater, but I thought it was funny and the music was amazing. I personally have never seen a musical with music like "In the Heights." That is what makes it special for me.

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"BobbyBubby, so what makes it so good? (again, not meaning to offend...just wondering why it's so appealing and so popular)."

Your guess is as good as mine. I was more digging at the fans of the show who freak out whenever anyone brings up a flaw, and there are many.

I have not seen the show, but I think the score is terrific.

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Thank you for all the responses.

Bettyboy, like you I have the same comment about understanding Lin. Although he had a good beat going, I found myself straining to catch words to make out what he was saying.

Abitoftap, I totally hear you on Wicked. I had a hard time listening to the screeching chorus as well.

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Let's see if this helps to answer your question:

I think people enjoy the use of more popular song forms. ITH chooses to use a modern vernacular which almost always makes something seem fresh - it escapes "feeling like a musical" which is something people seem to want to avoid these days. Couple this with the use of an english-spanish hybrid that has become commonplace in NYC (among other places nation and worldwide) and you've begun to include a whole new demographic in musical theater. That excites me.

It's a risk though. Shows that have highly contemporary feels tend to lack a certain timelessness. It will be interesting to see how this show fares in years to come. How long has it been since Hair - which was once edgy and controversial? It's being brought back as a revival and to some extend, I would imagine due to nostalgia and a desire to highlight the parallels between then and now.

Another reason? - Energy. This cast loves what there doing and when the people on stage love it then the audience is more likely to let go and truely experience the piece. There was so much energy in that theater that it felt like a club! I loved the irrevance and excitement that poured onto us that night.

And finally...I think I respect ITHs because it didn't come along and say, "Screw muscial theater! We're going to change the world and we don't care what anyone thinks!" Instead, they created a piece that incorporated modern musical styles into a standard musical theater form. They really dovetailed two artistic cultures in a way that showed a mastery of form and an understanding of style. I think that alone was deserving of the Tony award.

I love the sense of family.

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This is the kind of show where people are hypersensitive and defend the show to the death. Any other show and this thread might have turned into a more open discussion but fans are pretty zealous which is not necessarily a bad thing. It just shows that fans truly love this show.