Production workshop powerpoint in the heights

SynopsisAct 1

On the hottest summers day, Usnavi (the narrator in, ‘In the Heights’) chases away a graffiti artist from his tiny bodega in Washington Heights, opens a store, and introduces the rest of the major characters within the musical. Last to appear is Nina Rosario who has just returned from her freshman year at Stanford University.

Whilst Nina contemplates her struggles at college her parents, Kevin and Camila, seek an emergency loan to keep their struggling taxi dispatch afloat, temporarily leaving Benny, a young employee and friend of Nina's, in charge of their family business. Across the street from the taxi firm is the local hair salon where Vanessa, Usnavi's potential love interest, dreams of escaping to a studio apartment in the West Village. When Vanessa stops by Usnavi's bodega, Usnavi's younger cousin Sonny asks her out on a date from his cousins behalf and she happily accepts.

Nina's parents return, and she reveals how she lost her academic scholarship and ended up dropping out of Stanford University. Nina's father, Kevin is devastated at this and the fact that he cannot provide for his daughter. Nina seeks comfort from her friend Vanessa, but the salon owner and local gossip, Daniela sits Nina down for a makeover. Daniela ends up forcing Vanessa into admitting that she cares about Usnavi’s.

Usnavi discovers later on in the act that he sold a winning lottery ticket worth $96,000, everyone on the block then begins to imagine how they would each spend the ‘small’ fortune. Later, Abuela Claudia - the beloved neighbourhood matriarch who raised Usnavi as a young child, reflects on her childhood journey from Cuba to New York in 1943. Abuela shows the audience that she secretly holds the winning lottery ticket.

Nina and Benny take a tour of the neighbourhood and reminisce together, gradually sharing their sexual desire towards each other. At a dinner party, Kevin announces that he has sold the family car service to pay for Nina's tuition to Stanford University. Vanessa and Usnavi go to a dance club on their date and are followed by a furious Benny and apologetic Nina. Tensions rise on the dance floor because Vanessa and Usnavi are attempting to make each other jealous, while Benny drunkenly hits a man dancing with Nina. Suddenly the entire club breaks out into a huge fight when suddenly, the power goes out throughout the entire city. The neighbourhood erupts into chaos and Usnavi, Vanessa, Nina and Benny all look for each other in the darkness. Meanwhile, Sonny and his friend from the opening of the show, Graffiti Pete, attempt to distract the bodega from any potential robbers by setting off fireworks; at the same time Abuela Claudia reveals to Usnavi that she infect won the lottery. Nina and Benny find each other amongst the darkness argue, but then kiss.

SynopsisAct 2

Benny and Nina end up spending the night and following morning together, Nina teaches Benny some Spanish phrases, while he shares his stress over what Kevin will think of their new relationship. Meanwhile Usnavi's bodega has been robbed. Abuela Claudia convinces Usnavi they should use her lottery winnings to move to Usnavi's homeland of the Dominican Republic. Usnavi agrees to pursue this lifelong dream at last.

Nina's parents have been searching for her all night and when they learn that she has spent the night with Benny, Kevin is furious. Kevin swears that Benny will never be a part of the Rosario family because he is not Latino, but Camila ends the family fight. It is midday and all are frustrated by the extreme heat and continuing power cut. The locals, led by Daniela, gather enough energy for a last celebration before the bodega, salon, and dispatch shut their doors for good. Usnavi publicly announces that Abuela Claudia won the lottery, and he and she will soon leave for the Dominican Republic. The neighbourhood celebrates, though Vanessa is heartbroken. Kevin makes a sudden announcement over the taxi radios: Abuela Claudia is dead. The neighbourhood holds a wake for Claudia, while Usnavi diagnoses her death to a "combination of the stress and the heat.’ Usnavi and Nina rummage through boxes of Claudia's keepsakes, Nina discovers photographs from her own high school graduation, she decides to accept her father's sacrifice and return to Stanford University.

Across the street Daniela closes her salon; but she reveals one last bit of juicy news. She decides she will co-sign on Vanessa's dream apartment in the West Village, thanks to a little convincing from Usnavi. Vanessa brings a bottle of champagne to thank Usnavi and, though she flirts with him, he is to anxious about Claudia's death, that he is unable to appreciate Vanessa's attempts. Vanessa finally kisses him and leaves. Benny worries about his relationship with Nina, since her decision to Stanford, and they stand together while the sun sets, uncertain of what their future holds.

The next morning, Usnavi wakes up early to begin closing up shop. Sonny however, has commissioned Graffiti Pete to paint a memorial of Abuela Claudia on the bodega's grate. Sonny now rolls down the bodega grate in front of Usnavi, revealing art work. Usnavi is stunned that they completed this all in one night; he tells Sonny to spread the news that he has changed his mind to stay, he promises to pursue a relationship with Vanessa, and finally realizes that this block is his true home.

Contextual Understanding

The story of ‘In The Heights’ is set over the course of three days, involving an ensemble cast of characters in the largely Dominican-American neighborhood of vibrant upper Manhattan - Washington Heights. The neighborhood is characterized by its predominantly Hispanic lower class population, which is why both English and Spanish are used throughout the entire musical.

More than any other city in America, Manhattan and New York’s other four boroughs are defined by a varied immigrant population. 35% of the city’s population is foreign born. The sights, sounds and smells that draw visitors from all over the world originate from distinct neighbourhood communities created by others who came in waves from around the world and eventually settled there.

Washington Heights spans 35 blocks at the northern end of Manhattan and was originally settled by ‘old immigrant.’ The dominant population in the neighbourhood today is Hispanic, comprised largely of Dominicans, but also of other Spanish speaking populations including Puerto Ricans and Cubans. The ethnic atmosphere they create here is still very much alive with the sounds of Merengue, Salsa and conversations in rapid Spanish mixed with English and the colourful storefronts of small family-run businesses that line the streets (Seen in, ‘In The Heights’).

Within the modern ‘In The Heights’ the predominantly Hispanic neighborhood windows are always open, and the breeze carries the rhythms of three generations worth of music. It’s a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams and pressures, where the biggest struggles i.e. money can be deciding which traditions you take with you, and which ones you leave behind.

Main Character AnalysisUsnavi De La Vega

Usnavi is the narrator of the play's exposition and a major character throughout the musical. He was named after one of the first sights his parents saw when they arrived in America: a US Navy ship. He is the 24 year old owner of De La Vega’s Bodega, his parents emigrated from the Dominican Republic and have since passed away. He lives with Abuela Claudia (Grandmother Claudia), who isn’t actually his grandmother but they are as close as family as she practically raised him. Usnavi is in love with Vanessa and remains the eyes and ears of his Washington Heights neighborhood. He dreams of returning to the Dominican Republic, the place he was born, but he was too young to remember.

Nina Rosario

19 year old Nina has just finished her freshman year at Stanford University, She was the first in her family to go to college, and everyone in the barrio admires her as the ‘one who made it out.’ However, later in the musical she returns home from school for the summer to reluctantly tell her parents that she has become overburdened and faced a lot of struggles whilst at college which caused her to drop out. She is the daughter of Kevin and Camilia Rosario. She is best friends with Vanessa and a beacon of hope and inspiration to all who know her; she represents the opportunity outside of ‘The Heights.’ She is the typical good girl and always got along with her parents and intends to do what they say. But as the musical unfolds, she loses patience constantly over her father's overprotectiveness and his refusal to accept Benny.

Kevin Rosario

Kevin Rosario is Nina's overprotective father, who coming from a long line of farmers, has worked hard to resist following in his own father's footsteps. He now owns his own taxi cab service: Rosario’s Car and Limousine. Kevin is the husband to Camila Rosario. While Kevin was born and raised in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, he immigrated to New York City with Camila. Kevin immediately started working to provide a better life for his newly-arrived family. He is extremely stubborn, hot tempered at times and can be quick to act without thoughts of repercussions.

Camilla Rosario

Camilla Rosario is also in her forties, she is the co-owner of Rosario Car and Limousine with her husband Kevin. Also from Arecibo, Puerto Rico, she fell in love with Kevin at 19 and immigrated with him to New York City. She is cool-headed yet keeps a subtle but strong leash on Kevin. She is the strong-willed mother to Nina Rosario and she only wants what’s best for patient daughter. She is typically tolerant of Kevin's control issues, but in the course of the show, reveals her real feelings.

Benny

Benny is a 24 year old cab driver for Rosario Car and Limousine, so he works at the dispatch of Nina's father, Kevin. He once was a street punk and hoodlum, often finding himself in trouble and is perhaps the only character in the play who does not speak Spanish and is not Hispanic. He dreams of opening his own business one day. Benny falls in love with Nina the daughter of Kevin Rosario; Kevin saw promise in Benny and helped shape him into a responsible, hard-working young man. Benny has enormous respect for Kevin and sees him as a father figure. Benny sees a future for himself and Nina by becoming a businessman. He is best friends with the narrator of the musical, Usnavi.

Vanessa

Vanessa is Usnavi's love interest who works at Daniela's salon. She is stunningly beautiful and catches the eye of every guy ‘In The Heights.’ She lives with her alcoholic mother and dreams of getting out of the barrio and getting an apartment downtown, but cannot yet afford it. She is a 19 year old shampoo girl at Daniela’s Salon, Vanessa is strong, intelligent and grew up with Benny and Usnavi. Though Usnavi would like to be something more than just Vanessa’s ‘friend’, he has never made any attempt to change it. Vanessa dreams of leaving ‘The Heights’ to create her own life away from her alcoholic mother.

Main Character AnalysisSonny

Sonny is15 years old and Usnavi’s sassy cousin, Sonny is spending the summer working for Usnavi at the bodega. He usually hangs out on the street with his friend Graffiti Pete but avoids getting into any trouble. He is an extremely intelligent young man who strives to emulate Usnavi. He has great passionate to solve the social and economic problems of the city, but he is someone that needs guidance or he risks of ending up a street punk. He is the typically jokester of the barrio, but he also has an intelligent and thoughtful side that searches for social justice.

Daniela

Daniela is in her thirties, she is the owner of Daniela’s Salon where the neighborhood girls come to gossip. She is outrageously over dramatic owner and is very bold and loud and loves to banter. Savvy to say the least, she is quick witted, brassy and outspoken. While she retains a motherly relationship with Vanessa, she remains the gossip queen of the neighborhood. No-nonsense, she has built a successful business but is being forced out the neighborhood because of the rent she has to pay.

Abuela Claudia

Abuela is In her late 60’s, she raised Usnavi after his parents passed away and continues to live with him. She emigrated from Cuba when she was very young and out of all the character has live ‘In The Heights’ the longest. She struggled to learn English, struggled to find work and in turn has helped others who have followed in her path. She is the loving matriarch of the barrio who knows everybody and is like a grandmother to. She worked as a maid for several years but never earned enough money for her and her mother to travel back home.

Carla

Carla is in her mid-twenties, she is a hairdresser at Daniela’s salon. Born and raised in Queens, she is a pure, sweet, innocent and loving young woman who is devoted to her family and friends though she is easily taken advantage of because of her naivety. She and Daniela are best friends and because she works at the salon she also works along side Vanessa. Carla is young and pretty, but a little slow to get the others' jokes and innuendos, she is of Chilean, Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican descent.

Graffiti Pete

Graffiti Pete is an 18-year old graffiti artist and the nemesis of Usnavi, he is always hanging out on the streets, dancing to his boom box music, spraying any surface he can get hold of. He is very good friends with Sonny. Usnavi is unhappy that Sonny and Graffiti Pete are friends because Graffiti Pete exemplifies everything that Usnavi hopes that Sonny will not grow up to be. Usnavi believes he is a trouble-making vandal, until Pete reveals his amazing skills as an artist when he draws Abuela memorial.

Piragua Guy

Piragua Guy is in his mid-thirties, he walks the hot and humid streets of Washington Heights selling piraguas (flavored ice shavings) to earn a living. He represents a rhythm of the islands in the big city. He is also the owner of a small piragua stand that competes with Mister Softee.

Initial IdeasWe will need to collect the backing tracks and edit them accordingly for the following songs:

Act I "In the Heights" — Usnavi and Company "Breathe" — Nina and Company "Benny's Dispatch" — Benny and Nina "It Won't Be Long Now" — Vanessa, Usnavi, and Sonny "Inútil" (Useless) — Kevin "No Me Diga" (Don't Tell Me)— Daniela, Carla, Vanessa, and Nina "96,000" — Usnavi, Benny, Sonny, Vanessa, Daniela, Carla, and Company "Paciencia y Fé" (Patience and Faith) — Abuela Claudia, and Company "When You're Home" — Nina, Benny, and Company "Piragua" — Piragua Guy "The Club" — Company "Blackout" — Company

Act 2 "Sunrise" — Nina, Benny, and Company "Hundreds of Stories" — Abuela Claudia and Usnavi "Enough" — Camila "Carnaval del Barrio" (Neighborhood Carnival) — Daniela and Company "Atención" (Attention)— Kevin "Alabanza" (Praise) — Usnavi, Nina, and Company "Everything I Know" — Nina "No Me Diga (Reprise)" — Carla, Nina, Vanessa, and Daniela † "Piragua (Reprise)" — Piragua Guy "Champagne" — Vanessa and Usnavi "When the Sun Goes Down" — Nina and Benny "Finale" — Usnavi and Company

We should also use Latin Street music in between scene changes in order to keep the audience engaged. We should create soundscapes in order to create a market street effect and it should include people talking in both Spanish and English in order to set the context of the piece – also we should have a night time soundscape with crickets so that the audience can relate to the time of day through what they are hearing. Abuela Claudia’s death was heard to be because of the heat as during the musical they are experiencing extremely hot conditions, therefore we should also create a soundscape to represent midday and it should contain heat sizzling and rising. We will need sound effects for a variety of scenes including the one set in the local salon, e.g. the sound of hair dryers and scissors cutting hair etc.