The document provides context and summaries for the Broadway musical "In the Heights". Set in Washington Heights, New York, the musical tells the story of a vibrant Latino community on the brink of change. It summarizes the plot across two acts, introducing the main characters which include Usnavi, Nina, Benny, Vanessa, Kevin, Camila and Abuela Claudia. Additional sections provide geographical, historical and social context for Washington Heights as well as character analyses that describe each character in more detail.

1. GC2: The Play
In the Heights
By: Lin-Manuel Miranda & Thomas Kail
On Broadway : February 8th 2007 to July
15 2007

2. GC2: Play Synopsis
In the Heights tells the universal story of a vibrant
community in New York’s Washington Heights
neighbourhood- a place where the coffee from
the corner bodega is light and sweet, the
windows are always open and the breeze carries
the rhythm of three generations of music. It’s a
community on the brink of change, full of hopes,
dreams and pressures, where the biggest
struggles can be deciding which traditions you
take with you and which ones you leave behind.

3. Synopsis: Act 1
O Usnavi introduces all the main characters. Last to appear is
Nina. She struggles at college and readies herself to give her
parents the bad news.
O Nina’s parents seek an emergency loam to keep their
struggling taxi dispatched a float.
O Meanwhile, at the hair salon, Vanessa wants a studio
apartment.
O Nina reveals how she has lost her academic scholarship. Her
dad is devastated. Nina seeks comfort from Vanessa but nine
ends up having a make-over.
O Usnavi discovers he sold a lottery ticket for $96,000. everyone
dreams about what they would do with that amount of money
O Abuela Claudie reflects on her childhood journey from Cube to
New York in 1943 and reveals to the audience that she has the
winning lottery ticket.

4. O Nina and Benny share romantic feelings. Kevin
sells the car to pay for Ninas tuition. Vanessa
and Usnavi enter a club for their date whilst
attempting to make each other jealous .
O Entire club breaks out into a huge fight then the
neighbourhood breaks out into chaos because it
looses power.

5. Synopsis: Act 2
O Benny and Nina have spent the night together.
O Abuela Claudie convinces Usnavi they should use their lottery winnings
to move to Usnavi homeland: Dominican Republic.
O Ninas parents find out she’s been with Benny and her dad is furious
and says he can not be part of the family because he is not Latino. All
are frustrated by the extreme heat and the power lost
O Usnavi tells everyone the news of him leaving and they all celebrate
though Vanessa is heartbroken.
O Abuela Claudie suddenly dies
O Daniella closes up her hair salon and decides to help get Vanessa the
apartment
O Vanessa kisses Usnavi then leaves
O Giant memorial graffiti art of Abuela Claudia- he is stunned and
decides to stay- pursue Vanessa and realises this block is his true
home.

6. GC2: Contextual Research
Geographical Context:
This play is set in vibrant upper Manhatten, a neighbourhood characterised
by it’s predominantly Hispanic population and a lively mix of cultural
traditions as they take shape in the context of life in New York City
where 36% is foreign born. The sights, smells and sounds came like
waves from around the world and settled here.
Washington Heights spans 35 blocks at the northern end of Manhattan
and was originally settled by “old immigrant” populations, primarily of
European descent. A large Jewish community with roots in an earlier
immigrant influx still inhabits the Hudson Heights area. The dominant
population in the neighbourhood today is Hispanic, comprised largely of
Dominicans, but also of other Spanish speaking populations including
Puerto Ricans and Cubans. The ethnic atmosphere they create here is
still very much alive with the sounds of Merengue, Salsa and
conversations in rapid Spanish mixed with English; the aromas of
empanadas and sweet plantains; and the colourful storefronts of small
family-run businesses that line the streets.

7. Historical Context
O “Old Immigrant” neighbourhoods retain some of their
original character and culture but economy changed in
which small neighbourhoods buisness have way to
corporate entities when the rents becomes to high which
ended in it being a very poor community.
O After WW11 it seemed the whole world was on the doorstep
hoping to escape the post-war economic hardship.
O Mid-Twentieth century gave way to the “Great Migration”.
O The first Puerto Rican Day was in 1958.
O Today their are roughly 1 million Puerto Ricans living in New
York City.
O Washington Heights is home to the largest concentration of
Dominicans.
O Civil rights movement was in 1960s. And discrimination
was the cause of: lower wages, poor education and many
other issues.

8. Social Context
Immigrant have brought the language of: music,
food, art, beliefs and pride and is responsible for
the vibrant and varied neighbourhoods around
the city.
Phenomenon of Rap and Hip Hop music could be
described as the creation of both language and
art form. Rap and Hip Hop was born in the
1970’s and was called Disco Rap in the early
80’s. Which is a huge influence within this play.
But new technology of time allowed for more
sophisticated musical accompaniment.

9. GC2: Character Analysis
Usnavi De La Vega:
24 year old owner of De La Vega’s Bodega,
his parents emigrated from the
Dominican Republic and have since
passed away. He lives with Abuela
Claudia (Grandmother Claudia), who
isn’t actually his grandmother but they
are as close as family. Usnavi is in love
with Vanessa and remains the eyes and
ears of his Washington Heights
neighbourhood.

10. Nina Rosario
19 year old Nina has just finished
her freshman year at Stanford
University. She is the daughter
of Kevin and Camilia Rosario.
Nina is the only member of her
family and friends who made it
to college. She is best friends
with Vanessa and a beacon of
hope and inspiration to all who
know her; she represents the
opportunity outside of “the
Heights.”
Kevin Rosario
In his forties and owner of Rosario Car
and Limousine, Kevin is a husband to
Camila and father to Nina. While Kevin
was born and raised in Arecibo, Puerto
Rico, he immigrated to New York City
with Camila. Kevin immediately started
working to provide a better life for his
newly-arrived family. He is stubborn, hot
tempered at times and can be quick to
act without thoughts of repercussions.

11. Camila Rosario
Also in her forties, she is the
co-owner of Rosario Car
and Limousine with her
husband Kevin. Also from
Arecibo, Puerto Rico, she
fell in love with Kevin at 19
and immigrated with him to
New York City. She is cool-
headed yet keeps a subtle
but strong leash on Kevin.
Her daughter Nina has just
returned for the summer
from her first year at
Stanford.
Benny
Now a 24 year old cab driver for
Rosario Car and Limousine, he
once was a street punk and
hoodlum, often finding himself
in trouble. Kevin saw promise in
Benny and helped shape him
into a responsible, hard-
working young man. Benny has
enormous respect for Kevin
and sees him as a father figure.
Eventually falling in love with
Nina, Benny sees a future for
them by becoming a
businessman. He and Usnavi
are best friends.

12. Vanessa
A 19 year old shampoo girl at
Daniela’s Salon, Vanessa
is strong, intelligent and
grew up with Benny and
Usnavi. Though Usnavi
would like to be something
more than Vanessa’s
“friend”, he has never
made any attempt.
Vanessa dreams of
leaving to create her own
life away from her
alcoholic mother.
Sonny
15 years old and Usnavi’s cousin,
Sonny is spending the summer
working for Usnavi at the
bodega. He usually hangs out
on the street with his friend
Graffiti Pete but avoids trouble.
He is an extremely intelligent
young man who strives to
emulate Usnavi. Passionate to
solve the social and economic
problems of the city, he is
someone that needs guidance
or risks ending up a street
punk.

13. Abuela Claudia
In her late 60’s, she raised
Usnavi after his parents
passed away and continues
to live with him. She
emigrated from Cuba when
she was very young. Of all the
characters, Abuela Claudia
has been in “The Heights”
the longest. She struggled to
learn English, struggled to
find work and in turn has
helped others who have
followed in her path. She is
clearly the matriarch of the
neighborhood.
Daniella
In her thirties, she is the owner of
Daniela’s Salon. Savvy to say the
least, she is quick witted, brassy
and outspoken. While she retains a
motherly relationship with Vanessa,
she remains the gossip queen of
the neighborhood. No-nonsense,
she has built a successful business
but is being forced out the
neighborhood because of the rent
hikes.

14. Carla
In her mid-twenties, she is a
hairdresser at Daniela’s
salon. Born and raised in
Queens, she is a pure,
sweet, innocent and
loving young woman who
is devoted to her family
and friends though she is
easily taken advantage of
because of her naivety.
She and Daniela are best
friends.
Grafiti Pete
An18-year old graffiti artist
and the nemesis of Usnavi,
he is always hanging out
on the streets, dancing to
his boom box music,
spraying any surface he
can. Usnavi is unhappy
that Sonny and Graffiti
Pete are friends because
Graffiti Pete epitomizes
everything that Usnavi
hopes that Sonny will not
grow up to be.

15. Creative ideas
Scenery:
Backdrops, hangings, furnishings, and other accessories on a stage
that represent the location of a scene. For example: The set designer
Anna Louizos' love for New York City — and her eye for detail —
helped bring a touch of authenticity to the new Broadway musical, In
the Heights. In her neighbourhood-streetscape design of the
Washington Heights-set musical, note the battered storefront signage,
the stickers on doors, the knobby fireplug, the joyless streetlamp, the
general greyness of the canvas. Her set serves as a neutral canvas for
the real vibrancy of the world — the people.

16. Props:
A prop is a small object such as a book, weapon etc, used by actors in a play or film. For
Example within the Broadway Musical “In the Heights” their could be use of a spray can
for the characters of Graffiti Pete to use or different hair products or the dressing table
for Daniella to use within her Hair Salon.
Costume:
Costume within a production is the different outfits for all the different characters. The
costume Designer for In the Heights in Paul Tazewell.
Sound:
The Sound Designer is by Acme Sound
Partners and Nevin Steinberg.
Music: by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Music Director: Alex Lacamoire
Music Arranged: Alex Lacamoire and Bill
Sherman. Within the Musical there are
many different sound effects and also
musical numbers throughout.

17. MY IDEAS!
O Abuela Claudia Memorial Graffiti Art.
: either a piece of cloth or a plywood board where either the
sheet with drop down or curtains will cover the graffiti art to
show the memorial on stage.
Actually Broadway
Memorial
This I think is very plain compared
to how, I think Manhattans vibrant
colour would be so I think I'm going
to do mine more colourful and
detailed to reflect the atmosphere
of Manhattan.

18. Graffiti

19. Other Ideas
O Dressing table for the hair salon
O Boom box as a prop for the gangster
kids to hold