There's no doubt one of the most talented Musical Theatre superstars of the 21st Centure is Lin-Manuel Miranda. And in some of the best news of 2024 Lin-Manuel Miranda’s ground-breaking debut musical In the Heights is arriving in Sydney for strictly limited six-week season from 20 July to 25 August.
While Sydney knows Lin-Manuel Miranda best for Hamilton, my tip is to stream it starring the man himself. That's if you think a musical about the forefathers of the United States of America is at all relevant to Australia. But first came something that I believe to be even better. In the Heights earned 13 nominations at the 2008 Tony Awards with four wins including Best Musical and Best Original Score. The Broadway smash-hit tells the story of three generations in a vibrant community, layering Latin American rhythms with the energy of the borough – an energising melting-pot of salsa, soul, hip-hop, street-dance, rap, and merengue styles.
Unfolding over three days as summer temperatures soar in the Manhattan barrio, we meet our narrator Usnavi (Ryan Gonzalez, they/them – Moulin Rouge!, Jersey Boys) as he balances commitment to his struggling bodega with dreams of returning home to the Dominican Republic. His unwavering crush on Vanessa (Olivia Vásquez, she/her – Moulin Rouge!, West Side Story) further complicates things as she yearns to pursue a life of her own downtown. As the residents, including the loveable Piragua Guy (Richard Valdez, he/him – All Together Now - The 100), grapple with change of their own, tension and excitement builds as a winning lottery ticket is discovered in the neighbourhood.
“In the Heights is an uplifting musical that celebrates collective joy in a truly genuine and spirited way. Community, culture, connection and colour explode on-stage in a vibrant setting, as we are enveloped into the lives of characters holding fast to their history and creating new traditions” says Sydney Opera House Head of Contemporary Performance, Ebony Bott.
Sydney Opera House presents this intimate celebration of friendship and family in association with Joshua Robson Productions, led by Director Luke Joslin (he/him) and Choreographer Amy Campbell (she/her). The duo are joined for this 2024 production by Associate Director Clary Riven (she/her), Associate Choreographer Tash Marconi (she/her) and Music Director Victoria Falconer (she/her). With Casting Director Rhys Velasquez (they/she) and Cultural Consultant Will Centurion (he/him), this talented group of local creatives will bring to life the sizzling production from the masterminds behind global sensation Hamilton.
A heart-warming story of love and belonging, In the Heights promises to heat up the Sydney Opera House this winter.’s ground-breaking debut musical In the Heights arrives for a strictly limited six-week season from 20 July to 25 August.