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Posted by simmolm1 on Thursday, April 7, 2016 in Blog posts.
In The Heights, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegria Hudes in 2006, is a story about the New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood. This story is told using the structures of music, culture, and dance to help characters form identities and create purpose. The musical production was also able to use the influence of music to explore themes like hope in times of adversity and the importance of family ties. Miranda and Hudes used these themes to further acknowledge some of the critical pressures and struggles faced by individuals living within a minority immigrant community. The musical introduces several different characters covering a spectrum of laboring occupations, which again brings to light the theme of family as well as the importance of relationships within a community. For example, Usnavi was a storeowner, Kevin owned a taxi car service and Daniela was a salon owner, which in some ways signifies the limitations within a minority group when it comes to job opportunities. However, even with the lack of opportunities and resources, these characters are able to use music, culture and dance to express feelings and create a positive morale for the neighborhood.
Hope is a major theme often observed throughout the play during songs. This theme was initially seen in the opening act, when the characters performed “In The Heights.” The optimistic attitude was first seen by Usnavi, when he says, “‘Cuz my parents came from nothing. They got a little more. And sure, we’re poor, but yo, at least we have got the store. And it’s all about the legacy they left with me,” (Miranda & Hudes 12) he then goes on to say, “until the day we go from poverty to stock options. In the heights, I’ve got today” (Miranda & Hudes 12-13). Usnavi acknowledges the state in which they are currently live, but uses his honor and gratitude for his store to show his appreciation regardless of the disadvantages and struggles he faces. I found this extremely interesting and because this play is very recent, so it it is very much so relevant to our society today. We often hear comments about how individuals of an upper class status feel “sorry” for immigrants, because they often have to start fresh and create success without the help of previous generations, but these songs sung throughout this play almost negate these notions. It negates the assumptions made because through music and appreciation of their background and culture, these individuals are able to voice their struggles, but also voice their appreciation and hope for what’s to come in their futures. This confidence in their futures is closely tied to the importance of family ties. In this play the strong community and family ties was shown to build trust and confidence within other surrounding characters. It was evident, when the characters began singing “96,000” and how they were all voicing their plans if they were to be the one lucky winner and the common theme they carried when voicing these dreams was confidence.
Now even though the musical was able to clarify some complex issues through the lyrics, I found it hard to always know the tone and energy that was associated with the words of these characters when singing. In particular when Nina was singing, I was not always able to understand the emotion and energy that was put into her character, until I watched the play. I then realized that my initial impression and mental representation of several of the characters was far from accurate. In a way, it shows how dynamic this play is and how important perspective and representation is because it is easy to give personality and voice to characters when they are performing in front of an audience, but as seen with this play, it is much hard to create the same representations within descriptions in the context of a book.
In the Heights is a play not only able to illustrate complex issues within immigrant populations, but also able to show the fluidity of representation for each of the characters. Now after both, seeing and reading this play, I am able to take a different perspective on some of the issues and themes illustrated. This play was able to use music, dance and culture as a platform to ultimately show the attitudes of an immigrant community while illustrating the importance of family and community ties as well as the appreciation for ones background.
I agree that hope plays such an important thematic role in this play- the idea that if one of the characters can achieve this one thing, like winning the lottery or graduating from Stanford or keeping the store open and successful, then their lives can truly start and they can live the life they’ve dreamed. I loved how the specificity of the language, songs, and styles of dance that “In the Heights” incorporates shows us the Latinx culture and the diversity of what that can really mean even within different generations of the same family. My favorite aspect of studying this play is that as specific to immigrants and culture as this play is, it is also showed me that the stories of this community and communities like it are integral to fabric of the United States. I think that this play performs what it looks like for this specific group of people to chase “the American Dream” and the challenges they face in doing so, some of which resembled my own.
Asha Bynum on April 8th, 2016 at 2:32 pm I agree with your point about the musical aspect making it difficult at times to understand the energy and tone. However, I think this is because of my pre-set ideas and impressions of the characters from the book. In the end I thoroughly enjoyed the musical aspect of this play and feel that it aided in my understanding of the characters and how they were feeling in the moments of song. This just shows that reading a play and actually experiencing one can create two completely different impressions on the same person.
Eric Frizzell on April 17th, 2016 at 8:31 pm In The Heights Soundtrack Youtube
I completely agree that the theme of hope resonates through the entire play. Instead of the main characters feeling sorry of themselves in the financial status they are in, they sing praise of their culture. They take pride in where they come from and integrate their past cultures into their new lives in the United States. In addition, I think it is important to note that many of the song ensembles were sung with more than one cast member. This further links back to the importance of community and family in the play. Together they keep each other going and support one another in their times of need. They all came to U.S. with the common “American dream,” which was expressed multiple times through the music, dance, and playwright. With that, I think one of my favorite aspects of this play was the pride they took in their Latino culture and how they did not let thier struggles or their new place they call home affect this in any way.
boganc on April 26th, 2016 at 12:26 pm I agree with the point that the music, dance and culture aspect of In the Heights made this play very unique. Growing up in New York and visiting friends in Spanish Harlem or 125th street, I am familiar with how music is what distinguishes each and every borough. It is what paints the streets and what makes each and every culture distinct from others. Lin Miranda was born in New York City, in the neighborhood of Inwood but she would spend a month a year in her grandparents hometown in Puerto Rico. This is what allowed her to adapt to both type of cultures. One culture being her northern Hispanic neighborhood in Manhattan and the other being her grandparents hometown in Puerto Rico. The integration of these two cultures is what made her who she is. I love how each character came from a variety of different situations. However, they all were chasing the American dream. The challenges that they found themselves in were specific to them. As a reader or audience member, we can identify with at least one of the characters in the play. With my father born in Jamaica and my mother born in Trinidad, I could identify with Nina Rosario. My brother and I are part of the generation of children that are expected to be successful and go to college. The pressures that her family puts on Nina, is similar to the same situation that we are in. I understand the feeling of not letting my family down. They moved from the islands, simply for us to have the opportunities that we have right now. For us to fail them would be like letting not only my parents down but my family as well. As successful as they were, my brother and I are expected to be even better. It’s interesting to read a play about a different culture and different makeup of people but still being able to see yourself in a character. This just goes to show the beauty of the universality of theater.
Sasha Gray on April 26th, 2016 at 3:06 pm Leave a Reply
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