Whether to stay in the Barrio or leave the Barrio is a constant dilemma in the Latino community. In this musical, they cover it beautifully with 3 love stories intertwined.

There is Nina and Benny. Nina is a UCLA college student who everyone is so proud of for going to college and for getting out of New York but she wants nothing more than to come back home to the Heights. Or maybe it’s for her childhood beau, Benny. Should she follow her heart and stay or follow her dream and go? Benny is a hard working young man from the Heights who although is not going to college has a promising future as a businessman in New York City. Should he let his love go off once again without declaring his love for her?

Then there’s Vanessa who looks up to Nina for getting out of the neighborhood because she feels she is hopelessly stuck there working at the beauty salon. Although she really is hopelessly infatuated with Usnavy who owns the bodega next door. But Usnavy is too busy managing the store, his elderly grandmother and his little brother, to give his love interest too much attention. He has aspirations of moving back to the Dominican Republic with the stories of his grandmother about the island paradise. When he gets a chance to go, can he bare to leave her behind? After always preaching of leaving the Heights, how can Vanessa convince her true love not to go?

Then there’s the Mom and Dad in the story who have to decide to sell out their taxi base to the Urban Development Corporation who is slowly taking over Washington Heights. Should they sell out and move out the Heights? Should they take the money and go back to Puerto Rico? Should they sell and go to the Bronx? Should they just stay where they have been so successful all these years?

As you can see In the Heights is a splendid well-written story with vivid characters. The story is set to Broadway / Hip Hop music and the dancing is Latin, jazzy, and urban. It is a wonderful show for the entire family. Yes! You can bring the kids!

In the Heights is about the loving people in a close-knit community dealing with the question should we stay or should we go? The message is clear that if even if you go, the Heights, be it Washington Heights or Boyle Heights, will always be a part of you, anywhere you go. Home is where the Hood is!

The stage is set exactly like a typical block in Washington Heights. Going left to right: There is a large lamppost on the left. A taxi command center, a building attached with a small 4 stair stoop. Then you see a sidewalk. The back is lit up with the George Washington Bridge. You have the pump and at the other end of the stage, you have the A train station.

Lights dim and music starts. “In Washington Heights! We understand that home may be another place, a foreign home. In Washington Heights! Not like we planned but maybe we’ll make it tomorrow. In Washington Heights! We got it made, we built a little bit of home where we stay. In Washington Heights! We got today and what will we say for tomorrow! ”

People start walking down the street one by one randomly. It’s morning and everyone’s rushing to work, running to school. The song is a jazzy, Broadway song with a quick hip hop urban rap. The song culminates with all the people who walked through, all together for a finale of the song, singing and dancing. The whole stage came alive. You really felt like you were in Washington Heights with all its rhythm, movement, amor y sabor!. “In Washington Heights!” The entire play was just as beautifully choreographed and put together.

This is a wonderful play for anyone who is from “the block”, any block, any neighborhood. Washington Heights in New York to Boyle Heights in Los Angeles.

It’s about community and what it means to be home. Some people talk about what it was like in the Old Country. But for many first and second generations Latinos, our “Old Country” is really the Old Block. When we get together with our friends from back-in-da-day, it’s about, “Hey, remember 181st street in New York”, or “Hey, remember E 4th Street in LA?” In the minds of young Latinos going back home really means going back to the Barrio.