AURORA | The distance between the New York neighborhood of Washington Heights and north Aurora doesn’t feel so far after watching the Vintage Theatre company’s production of “In the Heights.”
That’s all the more impressive, considering the show’s very particular sense of time and place. The 2007 musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegria Hudes paints a vibrant and energetic portrait of a specific, largely Dominican American and Puerto Rican, present-day neighborhood in the northern reaches of Manhattan. The Tony Award-winning show is as much about its setting as it is about its rich cast of characters. The “block” the silent protagonist here; the bodegas, street vendors and apartment buildings of Washington Heights play just as much of a role as its denizens.
But there’s more going on in this show.
Even with its very heavy New York context, the show offers universal themes about love, family, homecomings and community. The Vintage production masterfully balances those bigger messages with the show’s all-important sense of setting and time in the present day. Director Rebecca Joseph masterfully leads a cast of nearly 20 through material that could very easily come off as feigned, half-hearted or misinformed.
Instead, the show feels authentic and heartfelt. That’s in part to the varied skill of the large cast, a group of actors who’ve come all the way from Colorado Springs, Greeley and Denver for the show. The feel also comes from the careful attention to detail in every facet of the production. The set design by Colin Roybal evokes a densely packed Manhattan block. The choreography by Matt LaFontaine pulls from all manners of dance styles — salsa, samba and old-fashioned Broadway kicks that all somehow seamlessly come together.
Music Director Midge McMoyer Smith complements that choreography with a similarly wide-ranging and diverse score. Drawing on a modest orchestra of five, Smith stays true to Miranda’s wide mix of styles. The tunes veer from hip-hop to salsa; actors are just as likely to launch into a rap as they are a heartfelt ballad. Smith and the band meet these challenges with constant alacrity. The melodies from the trumpets come side-by-side with the hip-hop breakdowns from the actors.
All of these elements bring the story to life in a way that feels convincing and approachable. The pace of the story comes fast, and the demands of the show are constant. It would be easy to sum up the drama as a portrait of different Washington Heights families and their struggles, but the reality of the show is much more complicated.
Usnavi is a bodega owner struggling to manage employees, make money and take care of his ailing grandmother, Abuela Claudia. Vanessa is a local girl looking to escape the neighborhood and find an apartment of her own in a better part of town. Nina Rosario is a local girl just back from her first year at Stanford University; she’s looking for the right way to tell her hardworking parents, Kevin and Camila, that she’s lost her scholarship because of bad grades. Nina’s also struggling with her feelings for Benny, a neighborhood kid who’s worked at her parents’ car service business since childhood.
The musical’s main narrative emerges from all of the struggles and drama of these characters. The stories come at breakneck pace, and find an equally frenetic complement in music that’s constantly shifting tempo, timbre and style. But the entire cast — including the dance ensemble — take up the challenge with ease. As Usnavi, Alejandro Roldan is consistently energetic; as Vanessa, Janessa O’Fallon delivers strong vocals and dance moves. Amy Luna is charmingly brazen as salon owner Daniela, Jenna Moll Reyes is a sweet and convincing Nina and Vincent Smith is compelling and heartfelt as Benny. Even Jacob Villarreal, who plays the small role of the vendor of frozen sweets called piraguas, shines.
All of this energy makes up for occasional missteps in sound design and amplification. Watching this show in one of Aurora’s most diverse neighborhoods, it’s impossible not to feel the weight and emotional impact of these characters. In her directorial debut, Rebecca Joseph has made the far-flung bodegas and dance halls of Washington Heights feel close and immediate.
“In the Heights”
Runs until Sept. 8 at the Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St. in Aurora.
Tickets start at $25.
Information: 303-856-7830 or vintagetheatre.org.
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