Lin Manuel Miranda’s musical begins as the sun rises on the hottest day of the year in New York’s own Washington Heights. Usnavi owns a bodega, which he runs alongside his cousin Sonny, who sees the ins and outs of the daily lives of the community. From the ever-hopeful purchasing of lottery tickets to the early morning coffees, the bodega is a staple for this largely Dominican-American community.
The show spans three days of heat and turmoil as our huge cast experiences all the highs and lows of city life. Usnavi is debating a far-off move away from Washington Heights and his friends and family, Nina struggles with her own identity after returning home from her prestigious and elitist college and Vanessa is determined to leave the block behind her as she follows her career dreams. It is a story of love, friendship, family and the importance of heritage and community which is accompanied by an upbeat mix of rap and salsa influences.
The show was first presented in 2005 in Connecticut and subsequently debuted off-Broadway at the 37 Arts Theatre in 2007. It has since had successful Broadway and West End stints along with a feature film released in 2021. It is one of the perfect summer performances in terms of ‘vibes’ as the whole narrative revolves around the rather epic heatwave the characters are facing and how they deal with it. They band together as a community through the summer and ultimately remember the joys and happiness that surround them in their, albeit scorching, home.
