In The Heights is a musical set in Washington Heights, Manhattan in the 1990s. It follows the largely Latino community living there and centers around Usnavi, the owner of a small bodega. The musical explores the characters' dreams and struggles, like Nina who has dropped out of college, upending her family. After a blackout hits, relationships change and are tested. When matriarch Abuela Claudia dies, the neighborhood comes together in grief but also finds renewed purpose, like Nina deciding to return to school.

1. In The Heights
UNIT 2: PRODUCTION WORKSHOP

2. TITLE OF PLAY, NAME OF PLAYWRIGHT AND
PREMIER DATE:
• Title: In The Heights
• Playwright: Quiara Alegría Hudes
• Lyricist and Composer: Lin- Manuel Miranda
• Premier Date: April 20th, 1999

3. DETAILED SYNOPSIS OF THE PLAY: ACT 1
The musical opens with Usnavi chasing away a graffiti artist in Washington Heights. He then opens the store, and introduces the main
characters which features the song “In The Heights”. The last to appear is Nina Rosario, who has returned from Stanford Univeristy.
She then goes into the musical number “Breathe” as she worries about telling her parents bad news about college.
Nina’s parents run a taxi dispatch which they are struggling to keep going and are seeking an emergency loan, which leaves
Benny, Nina’s friend in charge. ("Benny's Dispatch").
Usnavi's potential love interest, Vanessa works in a salon across the street, but dreams of escaping to a studio apartment in the West
Village, despite her financial insecurtiy. ("It Won't Be Long Now"). Usnavi's younger cousin Sonny asks her out to a romantic evening
on Usnavi's behalf, and she accepts.
When Nina's parents return, she tells them how she has lost her scholarship and has dropped out of University. Nina's father is
devastated that he won’t be able to provide for her. ("Inútil"). Salon owner and local gossip, Daniela, sits Nina down for a
makeover, forcing Vanessa into admitting that she cares about Usnavi's sexual decisions; Nina then reveals to the salon that she has
dropped out of university. ("No Me Diga").
After Usnavi finds out that he sold a winning lottery ticket worth $96,000, everyone dreams of how they would each spend the money
("96,000"). Abuela Claudia who "practically raised" Usnavi as a young orphan reflects on her childhood journey from Cuba to New York
in 1943, showing the audience that she secretly holds the winning lottery ticket ("Paciencia y Fé").
Nina and Benny take a tour of the neighborhood and reminisce, sharing romantic feelings towards each other. (“When You’re Home”).
Nina’s father then reveals he has sold his business to pay for Nina’s education. Vanessa and Usnavi enter a dance club for their
date, followed by a furious Benny, who is now out of work, and an apologetic Nina. Tension begins to rise through jealousy and then
the entire club is thrown into a fight when Benny drunkenly hits a man whilst dancing with Nina. ("The Club"). The entire club breaks
out into a huge fight when, suddenly, the power goes out throughout the city, probably due to the intense summer heat. The
neighborhood is thrown into chaos and Usnavi, Vanessa, Nina and Benny all look for each other in the darkness. Meanwhile, Sonny and
his mischievous friend from the opening of the show, Graffiti Pete, attempt to distract the neighbourhood from any potential looters by
setting off fireworks. At this point, Abuela Claudia reveals to Usnavi that she won the lottery, while Nina and Benny find each
other, argue, and then kiss ("Blackout").

4. DETAILED SYNOPSIS OF THE PLAY: ACT 2
Benny and Nina have spent the night together and, the next morning Benny confesses his worry of what Nina’s father
will think. ("Sunrise"). Down on the street, Usnavi's bodega has been looted. Abuela Claudia persuades Usnavi they
should use her lottery winnings to move to the Dominican Republic, which is Usnavi’s homeland. Usnavi finally
agrees, as it is his lifelong dream to return. ("Hundreds of Stories").
Nina's parents have been searching for her all night, and when they learn that she has been with Benny, her father is
furious. He vows that Benny will never be a part of the Rosario family because he is not Latino, but Camila ends the
family fight ("Enough"). The locals, led by Daniela, have a celebration before the bodega, salon, and dispatch shut
their doors forever. Usnavi announces that Abuela Claudia won the lottery, and they will soon leave for the Dominican
Republic. The neighborhood celebrates, though Vanessa is heartbroken ("Carnaval del Barrio"). Nina’s father Kevin
then makes an announcement over the taxi radios, that Abuela Claudia has suddenly died ("Atención"). The
neighborhood holds a vigil for Claudia, while Usnavi makes an unplanned tribute ("Alabanza"). Usnavi and Nina search
through boxes of Claudia's keepsakes ("Everything I Know"). As Nina finds photographs from her own high school
graduation, she decides to accept her father's sacrifice and return to Stanford.
As Daniela closes her salon, she reveals that she will co-sign on Vanessa's dream apartment in the West
Village, thanks to a little convincing from Usnavi ("No Me Diga" – Reprise). Vanessa flirts with him, but he is so
flustered by Claudia's death that he is unable to appreciate Vanessa's attempts. Vanessa finally kisses him and leaves
("Champagne"). Meanwhile, Benny worries about his relationship with Nina, since her decision to go back west, and
they stand together while the sun sets, uncertain of their futures. ("When the Sun Goes Down").
The next morning, Usnavi wakes up early to begin closing up shop. In just a few weeks, Usnavi imagines that the block
will be completely changed but Sonny has ordered Graffiti Pete to paint a mural of Abuela Claudia on the bodega's
grate. Sonny now rolls down the bodega grate in front of Usnavi, revealing the memorial. He tells Sonny to spread the
news that he has changed his mind to stay, promises to pursue Vanessa, and realizes that this block is his true home
("Finale").

5. HISTORICAL, GEOGRAPHICAL AND SOCIAL
CONTEXT
• In The Heights is set in Washington Heights, Manhattan.
• In The Heights is set in the 90’s, and this is evident through the show’s use of set and
clothing.
• The social context of this musical is lower working class, and this is presented through
Nina’s father and how he has to sacrifice his whole business to pay for his daughter’s
future.

6. MAIN CHARACTER ANAYLYSIS: USNAVI AND NINA
• Usnavi is the narrator of the play's exposition and a major character throughout; he is the
owner of a small bodega in Washington Heights. He was named after one of the first
sights his parents saw when they arrived in America: a US Navy ship. He dreams of
returning to the Dominican Republic, the place he was born but too young to remember.
Abuela Claudia, the neighborhood matriarch, "practically raised" him when his parents
both died during his early childhood. He is in love with Vanessa.
• Nina is the first in her family to go to college and everyone in the barrio admires her as
the "one who made it out." However, she returns home from school for the summer to
reluctantly tell her parents that she has become overburdened and dropped out. She is
the typical "good girl" and always got along with her parents. Now, though, she loses
patience constantly over her father's overprotectiveness and his refusal to accept Benny.
After Abuela Claudia’s death, she is inspired to accept her Father’s sacrifices and return
to University.

7. INITIAL CREATIVE IDEAS
• Back cloth – Brooklyn Bridge and night sky, possibly combined with lights.
• Soundscape of city, distant traffic, talking etc.
• Shop front, either salon, taxi depot etc.
• Shop fronts that can be easily turned on stage quickly to form dance club towards the end
of act 1.
• Projections for back drop (projector used backstage so no overlap on set) of bridge, night
and day sky, club scenes etc. Combined with fairy lights in particular places that can be
turned off and on to suit specific scene, e.g lights placed across bridge projection for night
scene, turned off for day scene.
• Street lamps
• Posters
• Above shop balcony built with stage blocks and additional apartment fronts.
• Flags
• Salon chairs
• Graffiti Pete - graffiti style embroidered clothing.
• Spanish style costume – dance scene.