• About
  • Editorial Board
    • Staff Writers
  • Advertise
  • Join Us
  • Archives
The Wellesley News -
  • News and Features
    • The Wellesley (COVID) 100
      The Wellesley (COVID) 100
    • In memory of Professor Rebecca Summerhays
      In memory of Professor Rebecca Summerhays
    • Trans flag controversy: College power washes staircase after trans flag is painted over Harry Potter spray paint
      Trans flag controversy: College power washes staircase after trans flag is painted over Harry Potter spray paint
    • News
      • News in Brief
      • Nation & World
      • President’s Corner
      • Senate Report
    • Features
      • Alumnae Spotlight
      • Eye on Science
      • Faculty Focus
      • LGBTQIA+ Column
  • Opinions
    • The News in Conversation: Wellesley Against Mass Incarceration
      The News in Conversation: Wellesley Against Mass Incarceration
    • Editorial Board calls for keeping up trans flag murals
      Editorial Board calls for keeping up trans flag murals
    • No, Elon Musk’s Twitter will not restore free speech
      No, Elon Musk’s Twitter will not restore free speech
    • Staff Editorial
    • Letters to the Editor
    • The Elephant in the Room
  • Arts
    • Be/longing Centers Connection and Care
      Be/longing Centers Connection and Care
    • No image
      Birds Falling Upwards: Wellesley College Theater’s The Moors is a Must-See
    • No image
      Sometimes you just need to read a YA “Groundhog Day” to feel something
    • Arts In The News
    • Reviews
    • Music Peek
    • Books Before Boys
  • Health and Wellness
    • February Student Athlete of the Month
      February Student Athlete of the Month
    • Athletics Update
      Athletics Update
    • Victoria Garrick Speaks on Mental Health
      Victoria Garrick Speaks on Mental Health
    • Athlete of the Week
    • Boston Sports Update
    • The Vegan Digest
    • The SHE Corner
  • The Wellesley Snooze
    • Wellesley News Leadership Changes Completely Peacefully Without Any Suspicious Disappearances At All
      Wellesley News Leadership Changes Completely Peacefully Without Any Suspicious Disappearances At All
    • Solve Your Connection Problems With Wellesley Insecure
      Solve Your Connection Problems With Wellesley Insecure
    • Mayhem strikes Wellesley as paper towels removed from campus
      Mayhem strikes Wellesley as paper towels removed from campus
  • Miscellanea
    • President’s Column: The Butterfly Effect
      President’s Column: The Butterfly Effect
    • Administrators shocked to learn that students dislike being left in dark
      Administrators shocked to learn that students dislike being left in dark
    • 50 Lies You Tell Yourself in Order to Survive Until Graduation
      50 Lies You Tell Yourself in Order to Survive Until Graduation
    • The Dose
    • The Olive Branch
    • Multimedia
      • Galleries
      • Infographics
      • Videos
By Breanna White Arts, ReviewsMay 9, 2021

“In the Heights” is the musical block-party to look forward to this Summer

Image Courtesy of Macall Polay/Warner Bros. Entertainment, IMDb and Associated Press.

Disclaimer: The following contains spoilers for an early-access viewing of In the Heights.

In 1999, during his sophomore year of undergraduate studies at Wesleyan University, Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the first version of In the Heights. Based on his experiences growing up in New York as a child of Puerto Rican descent, the driving forces behind the musical were his love for his heritage and his gift for storytelling. By the time it hit Broadway in 2008 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, it dazzled audiences with its blisteringly energetic hip-hop and salsa-inspired musical numbers and its heartfelt depiction of the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City. 

The same praise can be given to the musical’s upcoming film adaptation, directed by Jon M. Chu and scheduled for US release early this summer. The musical, centering around bodega owner Usnavi de la Vega (Anthony Ramos), follows the daily lives of characters in a close-knit Latin American community living in Washington Heights. They deal with the hurdles that come with being a minority in America — and the rapidly impending gentrification of their block. 

The story kicks off with its eponymous opening song, a musical number that seamlessly establishes the daily rhythms of living in the Heights and the central conflicts of each of its primary characters. Usnavi, an orphan raised by his abuela Claudia (Olga Merediz), dreams of returning to the Dominican Republic, while Vanessa (Melissa Barrera) aspires to escape to a wealthier borough and Nina (Leslie Grace) struggles with the pressures of being a first-generation student of color at Stanford. At the center of it all is a winning lottery ticket whose owner is nowhere to be found.

Alongside the trademark, playful lyrical work of Miranda, the film manages to maintain the lively pace of the musical with its electrifying new choreography and creative decisions that take advantage of the cinematic medium. Characters float, dance on walls and interact with the world in ways only possible with the help of CGI. They are transported instantly from setting to setting with the help of film editing. Some of these decisions were at odds with the tone of the story, namely the more fantastical CG effects, whose steep contrast with the realism of the musical pulled me out of the narrative. Fortunately, these moments are scarce, and the majority of the numbers are a kinetic blend of computer-generated effects and practical mastery of dance choreography and stage acting. 

Above all, the dedication to sharing the unique stories and struggles of Americans of Spanish and Latin American ancestry remained the beating heart of this story. Though the initial musical was written two decades ago, many of the obstacles faced by the characters remain the same. Nina’s feelings of isolation and lack of belonging as a first-generation student at Stanford are still familiar to many students of color in the U.S. Even Miranda himself likens his experiences to Nina’s, and describes feeling “a little out of [his] element” upon attending a predominately-white university. The long-standing relevance of In the Heights is even more proof that it is important for young audiences to see themselves in the media they consume. Knowing that you are not alone and that your experience is a story worth telling is a powerful thing to have, and I hope to see more Hollywood releases by creators of color in the future.

The stories woven throughout In the Heights resonate because they are written and performed with genuine love and respect for lived experiences. The story highlights the incredible amount of resilience of the community, exemplified by abuela Claudia’s old adage: paciencia y fe. 

In the Heights will be available in theaters and streaming on HBO Max on June 11, 2021.

 

Share on

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Google +
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
Previous articleHow Marvel Failed Black Widow (and Women in the MCU)
Next article“Stowaway” Fails to Live Up to its Potential

You may also like

Be/longing Centers Connection and Care

Birds Falling Upwards: Wellesley College Theater’s The Moors is a Must-See

Sometimes you just need to read a YA “Groundhog Day” to feel something

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Email Newsletter

Sign up to receive our weekly digest in your inbox

* indicates required

Top Articles

Sorry. No data so far.

Recent Tweets

Tweets by @Wellesley_News

The independent student newspaper of Wellesley College since 1901.

Sign up to receive our weekly digest in your inbox

* indicates required

  • About
  • Editorial Board
    • Staff Writers
  • Advertise
  • Join Us
  • Archives
COPYRIGHT © 2022 THE WELLESLEY NEWS
Back to top