In The Heights
at Palm Beach Central High School

Reviewed on March 13, 2020

Daniel Calderon
Somerset Academy Charter School
Submitted for publication to Florida Theater On Stage

"It's a story of a block that was disappearing. Un barrio called Washing Heights. The streets were made of music." Palm Beach Central High School's production of "In the Heights" was an awesome rendition of this contemporary musical.

With music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and book by Quiara Alegria Hudes, " In the Heights" depicts all the members of the hispanic neighborhood of Washington Heights. Following Usnavi's life with his bodega, his love for Vanessa, and his dreams of moving to the Dominican Republic, coupled with Nina who left the neighborhood for Stanford University but has come back to her family after trouble occurred. These two distinct storylines are interwoven together to demonstrate the interconnectedness of this small community. Making its Broadway debut in 2008, this musical incorporated hip-hop, rap, and latin elements into its score making it a pioneer in the new wave of contemporary musical theatre.

Playing the small bodega owner Usnavi de la Vega, Emiliano Andrade showed great skill with his fully developed and different relationships with each resident of his community. Andrade was connected with his characters' intention and motivation and with his strong physicality and eccentric energy added to the believability of his character. Paloma Gomez, playing Nina Rosario, did an amazing job at portraying the emotional complexities of her character and had some stellar vocal moments throughout the production, like in the song "Breathe."

The Rosario family dynamic was successfully executed, showing the hardships and sacrifices one does for family. Including Paloma Gomez as Nina Rosario, Chayse Rivera as Kevin Rosario, and Caitlin Ocasio as Camila Rosario, together they had amazing chemistry and genuine interaction and emotions as actors, which demonstrated maturity of the actors. Playing the Salon owner Daniela, Naomi Ruiz who showed commendable skill encompassing her mature character's mother-like persona and gossipy nature, adding layers to her characterization. Added with her fully developed relationships with each character, Ruiz brought light to the production. Ruiz demonstrated exemplary command of her vocal quality and the stylistic elements of the score, exemplifying in the musical number "Carnaval del Barrio."

The ensemble as a whole did an amazing job of staying present in the scenes and working together, although at times the diction throughout the show was muddy and unclear. The ensemble made up for it by telling the story through their bodies and physicality. They executed difficult choreography in musical numbers like "The Club" making it seem effortless and enjoyable on stage. Although sometimes the ensemble lacked build up in their scenes, they came together in "Alabanza" demonstrating beautiful vocals and emotional quality.

The technical aspects of the show were effective in giving a sense of community. The set designed by Sonya Smith was excellent, incorporating different levels and dynamics into the scenes but also giving off that New York barrio stylistic feel. The show did a great job with their props and costumes, adding to the realistic aspect of the narrative.

Palm Beach Central High School's production of "In the Heights" was a great rendition of this musical, leaving you with a sense of family and community.

Emma Wasserman
Western high school
Submitted for publication to Florida Theater On Stage

A lot can happen over the course of three days. Whether it's returning home as a college dropout, selling your company to pay for your daughter's education, asking someone out on a date, or losing a loved one, each day can be jam-packed with excitement and tragedy. Palm Beach Central High School's production of "In The Heights" was a beautiful snapshot into people's lives.

"In The Heights" features music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. It opened on Broadway in 2008 and went on to win four Tony awards, including Best Musical. The show, which follows the lives of residents of the mostly Hispanic neighborhood of Washington Heights, New York, takes place over the course of just three days. It follows Usnavi De La Vega and Nina Rosario through their lives in the barrio. Nina, who has just returned home from college, and Usnavi, who is determined to chase after the girl of his dreams, watch as stakes build and tensions grow in their small hometown until tragedy strikes.

Leading Man Emiliano Andrade (Usnvai De La Vega) demonstrated excessive skill with his incredibly difficult rap numbers. Every time he entered the stage, his high energy and physicality were impressive. In every scene his movements and expressions were purposeful and showed clear motivation and intention, thereby creating unique and meaningful relationships with other characters. Paloma Gomez (Nina Rosario) is a highly talented vocalist, engaging multiple parts of her range with ease. Gomez made intelligent subtle acting choices that clearly illustrated to the audience how Nina was feeling. Her reactions were even bigger in Act 2, after learning of Abuela Claudia's death. The scene between Andrade and Gomez following this revelation was a touching moment.

Naomi Ruiz (Daniela) exhibited excellent comedic timing; every one of her jokes landed, leaving the audience clutching their sides in laughter. Her eccentric energy and intentional character decisions led to the creation of a fully realized and multi-dimensional character. Nathaniel Veneziano (Piragua Guy) managed to create a memorable character in the few moments he was on stage. His vocals were fantastic, and his high energy allowed him to stand out from the crowd.

The ensemble did a fantastic job executing the choreography. Standout performers Emma Grada and Isabella Marshall were exceptional in all of their numbers; not only was their dancing clean and precise, but they also were consistently engaging and stayed in character while dancing. Though the ensemble occasionally struggled with blending vocals, many of the group numbers were collectively strong, especially in Act 2. The cast as a whole struggled with diction, which made it harder to follow the plot of the story, however, this is partly due to the difficult nature of the rap and hip-hop music in the show. However, the ensemble did a phenomenal job with their stage business, always appearing engaged with the story they were telling, adding to the realism of the piece.

Palm Beach Central High School put on an outstanding and touching performance of "In the Heights" that reminded the audience to cherish every day.

Leah Tomas
J.P. Taravella High School
Submitted for publication to Florida Theater On Stage

Lights up on Palm Beach Central High School's production of "In the Heights!" Join the cast and crew for a story depicting the value of community in times of strife, and the ways in which hope can illuminate even the darkest city streets during a blackout.

With a book written by Quiara Alegría Hudes underscored by music and lyrics composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, "In the Heights" opened on Broadway in 2008 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, receiving thirteen Tony Award nominations and winning four. The story follows Usnavi De La Vega, a shopkeeper in Washington Heights, a diverse, culture-packed neighborhood in New York City. From the window of his bodega, Usnavi witnesses the hardships faced by his friends as businesses close under the pressure of rising rents, dreams of achieving a higher education are met with the crushing weight of financial disadvantage, and the possibility of winning the lottery inspires hope in locals with dreams of one day breaking free from "the Barrio."

Emiliano Andrade (Usnavi) led the production with unwavering energy and made excellent use of physicality to convey the emotions and enthusiasm of his character in addition to establishing an authentic familial relationship with Angelo Del Valle (Sonny). Paloma Gomez (Nina Rosario) demonstrated immense vocal clarity and control along with beautiful tonal quality and diction throughout her performance.

Sharline Belliard (Vanessa) displayed strong characterization and dance ability alongside strong chemistry with Andrade, while Jonathan Cadelus (Benny) demonstrated consistent character choices and energy. Ronisha Renous (Abuela Claudia) convincingly portrayed an older character with ease through her effective use of physicality and vocal inflections, and proved to be a talented vocalist. Naomi Ruiz (Daniela) commanded the stage with clear confidence and powerful vocals. She effortlessly captured the maturity and sass of her character while conveying a subtle maternal disposition.

Chayse Rivera (Kevin Rosario) and Caitlin Ocasio (Camila Rosario) displayed evident individual character development along with an authentic family dynamic. Isabella Marshall (Graffiti Pete) and Nathaniel Veneziano (Piragua Guy) illustrated clear commitment to their characters, boundless energy, and sharp execution of choreography in addition to flawless execution of comedic moments throughout the production. Although energy and diction fluctuated at times in addition to minor difficulties managing the difficult vocal score, the ensemble as a whole did a phenomenal job bringing the city to life through their consistent energy and engagement in the story.

The technical elements of this production were outstanding. Beautiful set pieces were completely functional and established the location well in addition to creating onstage levels, and the use of creative and complex lighting alongside appropriate costuming effectively facilitated onstage storytelling.

Palm Beach Central High School's production of "In the Heights" combines latin rhythms and modern hip-hop to recreate of one of New York City's infamous neighborhoods, where the streets are alive with a rich culture wafting from the windows of dilapidated apartment buildings and echoing in the footsteps of those in search of new opportunities.

Megan Almonte
Monarch High School
Submitted for publication to Florida Theater On Stage

The hundreds of stories told on the streets in Washington Heights are ones to remember, especially through the storytelling of Palm Beach Central High School's production of "In the Heights".

"In the Heights" was written by Lin Manuel Miranda in 2005. The show captures the hardships many families would go through in the city of Washington Heights. The story predominantly follows Usnavi De La Vega and his Bodega store, as well as Nina Rosario and the journey she faces when coming back home from college. The public was able to enjoy the story when it debuted on Broadway in March 2008 through loving songs, energy-filled dances, and more.

Overall, the production of "In the Heights" by Palm Beach Central High School really embodied the fun and energetic ambiance of the show through the challenging dance numbers such as the one in "The Club" and "Carnaval del Barrio." The show also encompasses many difficult raps throughout and was well executed considering the difficulty presented. To support the chaotic feel of the production, the set made the audience feel as if it were really taking place in Washington Heights.

To start off the show, we see Emiliano Andrade (Usnavi De La Vega) come out on stage and start his first song with power, energy, and determination. Even with some misarticulation, Andrade was able to stay in character and consistently emote the lyrics of the song in a way that helps the audience understand the story smoothly. Mirroring the energy of Andrade, Paloma Gomez (Nina Rosario), held a very strong internal connection with her character all through the show. Her great vocal delivery was mesmerizing as she told her own story on stage.

The show's energy was supported through the fun dances and funny aspects of the show. A standout character that embodied the shows chaotic, energetic, comical, and mature spirit is Naomi Ruiz (Daniela). Ruiz had a great understanding of how to balance the comical bits of her character and her mature side, making it easy to have eyes on her every time she walked on stage with the great stage presence she had. Not to mention her beautiful vocal range and control in songs such as the beginning solo in "Carnaval del Barrio" made the audience fall in love with her even more. Matching Ruiz's great stage presence was Nathaniel Veneziano (Piraguero). Though having little stage time, Veneziano had the audience wanting him on stage once again every time he left. His very loving, fun character was so enrapturing and one to love.

The set design team did a commendable job in recreating the Washington Heights streets. The attention to detail was beautiful, especially in the mural created for Abuela Claudia. The aspect of painting a mural of the actress Ronisha Renous, made the loss of Abuela Claudia feel real and personal.

All in all, Palm Beach Central High School's production of "In the Heights" was a very heart-warming and fun one to experience.

Alexandra Sansone
Cooper City High School
Submitted for publication to Florida Theater On Stage

From the black beans and rice to the Cafe con Leche, "promise me you'll stay" in Washington Heights for Palm Beach Central High School's production of "In the Heights."

The Tony award-winning musical "In the Heights" was created by the renowned Lin-Manuel Miranda, known best for his work on "Hamilton." Though the show opened on Broadway in 2008, the work of writing the musical started when Miranda was in college 9 years prior. "In the Heights," tells the story of the people in Washington Heights, New York, over a three day period as they struggle to keep up with the seemingly endless problems life throws their way. With rhythmic music, passionate romances, and big dreams, "In the Heights" is sure to grab everyone's "Atención."

Emiliano Andrade in the role of Usnavi De La Vega took to the stage with his smooth movements and high energy performance; this was maintained throughout the entirety of the show. His relationships with everyone on stage were authentic and believable, something that held true for the entirety of his performance. When interacting with Ronisha Renous, who portrayed Abuela Claudia, he was sincere in his distress about her health. Renous returned this concern, not only to Andrade, but to the entire cast as she embodied her character well; a loving grandmother to anyone who should need one.

In Paloma Gomez's depiction of Nina Rosario, a girl trying to find her way in a world she is certain she can't figure out, Gomez captured these conflicting emotions well. At various points on stage, Gomez conveyed the confusion, frustration, and pain she clearly felt, whether through a casual conversation or an intense musical number. Lending support to Gomez's development was Naomi Ruiz as she brought her character, Daniela, to life on stage. Ruiz embodied her character by establishing the maturity of her character possesses and wielded her lines with sass that made their execution all better. Her powerful vocalization was evident in numbers like "Carnaval del Barrio" and "No Me Diga."

Though at times the energy given by the cast was inconsistent, the cast as a whole maintained commitment to their characters even when not the focus of the scene. The dancing was strong as everyone moved together to have fun with what they were performing. Despite some vocalists lacking diction, in songs like"Carnaval del Barrio" and "Alabanza," the soft harmonies blended together and made for a touching performance.

Movements on and off stage went smoothly and happened quickly. The piecing together of the set was true to the rustic neighborhood the production is paying homage to. The student painted murals were a nice touch that helped bring context to the actors' locations throughout the show.

As the final bows were taken it was clear that the "Late nights with beans and rice" and the "syrups and shaved ice" is just one part of the community that Palm Beach Central High School's production of "In the Heights" has created.