In the Heights

One of the wonderful events of our California vacation was to see the musical In the Heights at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood in the evening of July 25. One of the special features of this particular performance was that Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of the show, sang the lead.

A lot of musicals qualify as chestnuts, but this one came to Broadway only in 2008 - and won a Tony that year as well. For lots of info: http://www.intheheightsthemusical.com/

What I especially appreciated was the consideration of the experience of many Latino folks in a community. Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans. And, as musicals so often do, the portrayal was of how life is still about boy-meets-girl, family loyalty, friendships, and what constitutes home. In a moment of our history where Latino immigrants are being vilified and portrayed as a great threat to the nation, it is good to have another perspective presented with such charm and energy.

The music is terrific, and we bought the Grammy award winning CD - and listed to it as we drove across the country, from California to the Midwest.