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IN THE HEIGHTS Mandy Gonzalez and Christopher Jackson
Joan Marcus

Credits

Opening Date: Feb 14, 2008; Lead Performance: Lin-Manuel Miranda; Writers: Quiara Alegria Hudes, Lin-Manuel Miranda; Director: Thomas Kail; Genres: Drama, Musical

Lin-Manuel Miranda isn't a one-man band, but he sure comes close: For this irresistible valentine to Latino life in upper Manhattan, the 28-year-old composed the hip-hop-heavy, salsa-rich music, wrote the lively lyrics name-checking everyone from Frodo to Cole Porter, and stars as Usnavi, a proud Dominicano who keeps the neighborhood in lottery tickets and café con leche. The show's flaws — random use of the word schmutz, Quiara Alegría Hudes' book (hair-gel humor?) — are few and easily forgivable; its virtues — Broadway-meets-MTV dance moves, the percussive, insanely infectious score — are abundant. (212-307-4100) A-


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Posted Mar 11, 2008
 

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