Buy Tickets Today for Broadway's Newest Hit Musical "In The Heights"

I just came came back home from seeing a great new Broadway musical called In The Heights, playing at the Richard Rodgers Theater in New York City. And what a fun night it was indeed.

In The Heights is a "feel good" musical about a Spanish neighborhood called Washington Heights in New York and the wonderful people that live there. From the corner "bodega" to "Rosario's Car Service", to the corner "beauty shop", this story tells of a people that have all sorts of dreams and desires, some small and some big ones for sure.

There is Nina, played by the amazingly talented Mandy Gonzalez, which she created when the show played last year Off Broadway. Nina returns from Stanford University after less than a year, as her scholarship has been put on hold. She is the one in the neighborhood that is expected to "get out" and make something of herself. Needless to say, her mom and dad are not happy about her putting her education on hold and will sell their small family car service business so that they can get her back to school in the Fall. After she returns home, she starts to fall for Benny, her dad's dispatcher, a nice young kid but someone dad doesn't want for his daughter of course.

In The Heights also tells us of another key relationship between Usnavi, the local bodega owner and Vanessa, a local girl who is trying to get him to notice her. Usnavi is played by Lin-Manuel Miranda who also wrote the music and the lyrics for this spectacular show. A real talent and future Broadway star in my opinion. His use of "good clean rap lyrics" and talent for some very moving Latin music as well as some very soft and sweet love songs depicts an incredible ability to "capture" many emotions throughout the course of the show. He's got his eyes on Vanessa played by Karen Olivo who played the role Off Broadway last year as well as having credits playing in "Rent" and "Brooklyn" on Broadway. She has some intensely great dance numbers where she really "heats" up the show.

Another very talented performer is Abuela Claudia, Usnavi's grandmother, who is the glue that holds this terrific story together. She is the one who is so proud of her heritage and makes it a major point to tell the younger people to go out and "make the dreams happen". And slowly but surely, some good things start to happen for everyone.

This unbelievably talented and incredibly energetic cast of 27 never stops for one minute in "aiming to please" the audience. They all sing and dance like they could go on forever. The band plays like they have so much energy, they could come up on stage and start dancing as well. Really talented musicians conducted by Alex Lacamoire and his associate Zachary Dietz.

I have seen dozens of shows in the past year. I generally enjoy most of the musicals that I get a chance to see but I must tell you that In The Heights instantly grabs you right in and gets you to believe in the community, the people, their hard work ethic and their desire to improve their lives. But most importantly, we get to witness the wonderfully warm feelings and emotions of a people that genuinely care about each other and their desire to never lose sight of who they are and where they come from.

I loved In The Heights and can see this exciting new show possibly walking away with the "best musical" Tony Award this June of 2008 as well as a few other awards for acting as well as music and book with a "shoe in" for an award for choreography for the non stop dancing we get to enjoy.

If you want to see one of the best shows I've had the pleasure of seeing in the past year, treat yourself and get some tickets to see In The Heights on Broadway sometime very soon. In The Heights is a real crowd pleasing show. The entire audience gave this wonderfully talented group of performers, dancers and muscians a well deserved standing ovation. Go see this show and see for yourselves. You'll be glad you did.

Enjoy In The Heights on Broadway, I know you will.