Fab Cast Announced for Long Awaited In The Heights
Revolutionary Musical at The Hayes | March 2018
Blue Saint Productions has announce the full cast and creative of the upcoming, and long-awaited, Tony Award winning musical IN THE HEIGHTS in a brand new production at the Hayes Theatre Co.
Written and conceived by Lin Manuel Miranda (of recent Hamilton fame) who originally played the lead role of Usnavi De La Vega on Broadway; this role will be played by Ryan Gonzalez in this new production. Fresh from treading the boards in Kinky Boots, Ryan is also known at Hayes Theatre Co for his role in Violet and his one-man show Hispanic Attack! Ryan is also playing the role of Freddy in the upcoming Hayes Theatre Co production of The View Upstairs.
Returning to the musical theatre stage to play the role of Benny will be Tim ‘Timomatic’ Omaji. Initially, rising to fame as a contestant in the Australian series So You Think You Can Dance in 2009, Tim cemented his place as a household name as a top three finalist in Australia’s Got Talent in 2011.
Fresh from the musical The Bodyguard, Olivia Vasquez will play Vanessa, Usnavi’s beautiful love interest, while in the role of Usnavi’s cousin, Sonny de la Vega, goes to recent VCA graduate Marty Alix. College drop-out Nina Rosario who becomes romantically entwined with Benny will be Luisa Scrofani (Violet, Spring Awakening). Playing ‘Abuela’ Claudia, the matriarch of the Barrio, is Margi De Ferranti (Les Misérables, Mamma Mia). The roles of Daniela and Carla will be played by Monique Montez (We Will Rock You, The REAL Thing) and Libby Asciak (Heathers, The Secret Daughter). Making her Hayes Theatre Co debut as Nina’s strong-willed mother, Camila, is acclaimed actress Ana Maria Belo (Tribes, HAIR) alongside Nina’s over protective father, Kevin, played by distinguished Colombian actor Alexander Palacio. Stephen Tannos (So You Think You Can Dance, Fame) takes on the role of Graffiti Pete with the Piragua Guy being played by acclaimed Latino musician Richard Valdez. Completing the cast in the ensemble are performers Will Centurion (Aladdin, King Kong), Michelle Rozario (The King and I) and Samantha Bruzzese (The Bodyguard).
IN THE HEIGHTS tells the story of a vibrant Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican community in New York City’s Washington Heights neighbourhood—a place where the coffee from the bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open, and the streets explode with the songs and rhythms of three generations. It’s a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams, and pressures, where the biggest struggle can be deciding which traditions you take with you, and which ones you leave behind.
In Washington Heights, community is everything, and we see how each of these individuals struggles to survive and how these same individuals come together as a community to mourn their losses and rejoice in their triumphs. Over the course of the show, we see the hard-working residents of Washington Heights grapple with love and lust, identity and racism, all while the prospect of a winning lottery ticket hangs in the air, potentially changing the livelihoods of the people and the community forever. This revolutionary new musical combines Latin rhythms and dance with hip-hop lyrics to tell a captivating story about what it means to chase your dreams as you cling to your roots, and to celebrate the community from which you grew
IN THE HEIGHTS is the winner of the 2008 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Score, Best Choreography and Best Orchestrations.
Produced by the team behind Violet and Songs for A New World, IN THE HEIGHTS creative team features Director Luke Joslin, Musical Direction by Lucy Bermingham and Choreography by Amy Campbell. Set design by Simon Greer and costume design by Elizabeth Franklin.
