Task 1 : Initial Research

1.1 Play Info

 

Title:  ‘In the Heights ‘

Original Book: Quiara Alegria Hudes

Playwright:  Lin-Manuel  Miranda

Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda

 First Performance: April 20, 1999 moved to Broadway in 2002

1.2 Play Synopsis

Overall Synopsis:

In the Heights centers on a variety of characters living in the neighborhood of Washington Heights, on the northern tip of Manhattan. At the center of the show is Usnavi, a bodega owner who looks after the aging Cuban lady next door, pines for the gorgeous girl working in the neighboring beauty salon and dreams of winning the lottery and escaping to the shores of his native Dominican Republic. Meanwhile, Nina, a childhood friend of Usnavi’s, has returned to the neighborhood from her first year at college with surprising news for her parents, who have spent their life savings on building a better life for their daughter. Ultimately, Usnavi and the residents of the close-knit neighborhood get a dose of what it means to be home.

 Scene by Scene:

Act 1, Scene 1 - Sunrise

 

Usnavi, a main character, owns a bodega started by his parents. He uses a rap refrain to lament his longing for the Dominican Republic and the hardships and uncertainty of living on the fringes of society in a new country.

 

Act 1, Scene 2 – On the Street

 

Abuela tells Nina she has great expectations when it comes to her future.

Act 1, Scene 3 – Rosario’s Car Service

Scene in the Taxi dispatch, Camila is going through bills she is stressed. Kevin is quizzing her about payments for rent on the ‘shop.’ Song follows about following the topic of conversation.

Act 1, Scene 4 – The Street

 

Vanessa is on the phone at work with the electric company regarding a past due bill. The reality of her dysfunctional family life is revealed, and she sings about her hopes for the future.

 

Act 1, Scene 5 – The Dispatch Booth

 

Kevin is despondent about Nina’s decision not to return to school. As the head of the family, he sees himself as inutil (useless), because he cannot afford the tuition. He compares himself to his father, a farmer, whom in his frustration he mocks as “useless” as well.

 

Act 1, Scene 6 – The Salon

Daniela and Carla are seen packing bags. They are gossiping but Carla disapproves. Nina and Vanessa enter they talk about the Salon moving and closing down.  They sing. 

Act 1, Scene 7 – Inside the Bodega, the street.

 

In this scene Sonny not only makes a hip hop declaration about what he would do with money if

he were lucky enough to win it, but he also provides some interesting insight into the man and

his values.

 

Act 1, Scene 8 – The Street

 

Abuela (Grandmother) or Claudia reminisces about when she first came to America. A chorus of characters--two generations removed from Claudia’s but obviously familiar with her story--fills in the details. Usnavi suggests Benny buy a lottery ticket and a discussion ensues with several characters about how they would spend the money if they won it. Benny first says he’d spend it on education that would make him rich then says he’d throw a big block party for the neighbourhood so everyone could “breathe” a bit and forget their cares and financial woes. Other characters have their own ideas, including Sonny who’d improve things in the barrio and Vanessa who’d use it as her vehicle out.

 

Act 1, Scene 9 – Abuela Claudia’s Stoop – Early Evening

 

Benny Teaches Nina curse words in different Spanish dialects. They Sing and are later joined by a group of lads with a boom box.

 

Act 1, Scene 10 – The Street – Dusk

 

They sing about the evident heat.

 

 

Act 1, Scene 11 – Rosario Household

 

When the dispatcher calls out at Rosario’s Benny shows his competence by taking over and filling in. Over dinner, Kevin says he’s selling their business so Nina can go back to Stanford. Camila questions his dominance over family decisions. Nina insists she will not return to school, and she and her childhood friend, Benny, both leave in anger.

 

Act 1, Scene 12 – The Club

 

THE POWER GOES OUT IN WASHINGTON HEIGHTS.

The city is in blackout. Graffiti Pete offers help in protecting Usnavi’s store from looters. At sunrise he

tries to get the group to look at the art he’s done by candlelight during the blackout. Only later do

the residents of the Heights recognize his talent when, commissioned by Sonny, he paints a portrait

of the late Abuela on Usnavi’s storefront.

The final scene of the first act resonates with Pete and the ensemble singing in wonder to the fireworks lighting up the night sky. Pete, the artist, undoubtedly draws from his environment for inspiration.

 

ACT TWO

Act 2, Scene 1 – Benny’s Fire Escape – Sunday Morning

 

The power is still out and the entire street has been trashed, specifically the corner shop window and awning. Nina and Benny are on the upper deck. They Sing.

 

 

Act 2, Scene 2 – Outside the Bodega; the Rosario Fire Escape

 

It’s the morning after the blackout. Vanessa comes into the store looking for coffee. She intimates to

Usnavi that she’s angry because she had to walk home alone from the club and because he didn’t

Call her. Usnavi explains that he had to check on Abuela who is elderly and not in the best of health.

 

Act 2, Scene 3 – Interior of Usnavi and Abuela’s Apartment

 

The blackout is over and Usnavi checks on Abuela. She is sitting in her apartment with a bag on her Lap, full of money. She tells him she is giving him a third and a third to Sonny.

 

 

Act 2, Scene 4 – Outside the Dispatch Booth

 

Kevin and Camila berate Nina for being out all night, they have been worrying. Kevin tells Benny to stay away from his daughter. There are references to their cultural differences.

 

Act 2, Scene 5 – The Street

The City experiences a blackout. People of the barrio ban together as a group united in their Latin American ethnicity. A carnival atmosphere ensues.

 

Act 2, Scene 6 – The Dispatch Booth

 

Kevin talks into the dispatch booth radio.

 

Act 2, Scene 7 – The Street

 

Neighbours are gathered round Usnavi and Abuela Claudia’s stoop.

Usnavi, Nina, Daniela, Carla, Sonny, Camila and Benny Sing to signify Abuela’s death.

 

Act 2, Scene 8 – The Street – Later That Afternoon

 

Nina has decided to return to Stanford and finish her education. Kevin, despite previous tendencies

toward being dictatorial, seems to have learned a thing or two and is willing to change. One generation to another, Nina reminisces about Abuela and her influence on her education.

Act 2, Scene 9 – Outside the Salon

Daniela, Carla and Vanessa have two boxes. They are closing down the salon.  Daniela and Vanessa co-sign on an apartment.

Act 2, Scene 10 – The Street

Reprise of Piragua (Heat song)

Act 2, Scene 11 – The Bodega

 

Camila reminds Kevin that they’re equal partners in marriage.

Act 2, Scene 12 – The Dispatch Booth

Kevin tells Benny that Nina is going back to University in the spring.  Benny declares that he is starting his own business tomorrow.

Act 2, Scene 13 – A shady Alleyway – late at night

Sonny and Graffiti Pete meet in an alleyway they discuss ‘business’.

Act 2, Scene 14 – The Street – Monday morning, sunrise

Sonny hires Graffiti Pete to paint a mural of Abuelo on Usnavi’s store security gate. The mural has such a powerful effect on Usnavi that he decides to stay in the Heights. Graffiti Pete, the artist, has had his first commissioned work and will be from that day forward viewed in the neighbourhood as a true artist.

1.3 Contextual Understanding

‘In The Heights’  is set in the vibrant upper Manhattan neighbourhood of Washington Heights; a neighbourhood characterized by its predominantly Hispanic population and a lively mix of cultural traditions as they take shape in the context of life in New York City.  More than any other city in America, Manhattan and New York’s other four boroughs are defined by a varied immigrant population. In fact, thirty-six percent of the city’s population is foreign born. The sights, sounds and smells that draw visitors from all over the world emanate from distinct neighbourhood communities created by others who came in waves from around the world and settled here.

 

On the Lower East Side, best known as the home of New York’s Jewish ghetto, you can still visit Katz’s delicatessen.  Uptown in the in wood section, you’ll still find several of the old Irish pubs as
Well as the “Dyckman Farmhouse Museum,” a little known repository of Manhattan history dedicated to the original Dutch settlers of the area. Though these “old immigrant” neighbourhoods retain some of their original character and culture, much has been subverted over time by assimilation, new immigrant groups moving in and economic change in which small neighbourhood businesses give way to corporate entities when the rents become too high.

 

Washington Heights spans 35 blocks at the northern end of Manhattan and was originally settled by “old immigrant” populations, primarily of European descent. A large Jewish community with roots in an earlier immigrant influx still inhabits the Hudson Heights area. 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; the aromas of empanadas and sweet plantains; and the colourful storefronts of small family-run businesses that line the streets.

 

Today, the neighbourhood is clearly “home” to its Hispanic community but this wasn’t always the case. Once, these people were strangers in a strange place. So what were the forces that drove them from their homes and family and all that was familiar to face the dangers and hardships of a journey to an unknown country? It takes powerful motivation to drive people from their ancestral homelands and the history of emigration is the history of people driven to uproot themselves by oppression of one sort or another: economic, political or religious. Beginning in the 1600’s waves of Europeans set out for the American continent for all of these and other reasons. The Dutch were the first to come to New York, expanding their commercial empire. They were soon followed by the English who sought political and religious freedom and the Irish and Scottish driven from home by the potato famine. Later the Jews of Eastern Europe came seeking refuge from the pogroms. In the early 20th century, southern Europeans left their countries and came here seeking jobs and opportunity. After WWII, it seemed the whole world was on our doorstep, hoping to escape the post-war economic hardships at home and to share in the burgeoning economic opportunities here, the gateway to the land of opportunity and asylum. It was in this mid-century wave that Latino populations began to arrive in large numbers. Since that time these “new immigrants” have increasingly become a significant part of the textured and colourful fabric of New York City. Technically, most Puerto Ricans migrated rather than immigrated to the US. The Jones Act, passed in 1917, conferred US citizenship on Puerto Ricans and revised their form of government to closely emulate that of a US state. Previously, while under the oppression of Spanish rule, relatively few Puerto Ricans were able to immigrate to the US as the passage by steamship was prohibitively expensive. It wasn’t until the mid-twentieth century “Great Migration” that they began to arrive and settle in New York City in large numbers, particularly in East Harlem, which later became known as Spanish Harlem or El Barrio. Driven initially by the economic hardship of the Great Depression, which was even worse on the island than here on the “mainland and later by the post-World War II search for opportunity known as “the great wave,” they were now aided by the advent of the more affordable air travel. This influx continued until the 1970’s when a reverse-migration occurred in which many Puerto Ricans returned to the island to buy homes and invest in local businesses there. In the interim, the presence of this significant new population in New York City had resulted in the first widespread recognition of a Latino community in the political and cultural landscape of the city. The first Puerto Rican Day parade was held in 1958. Today, there are roughly 1 million Puerto Ricans living in New York City. Though US troops occupied Cuba as part of the aftermath of the Spanish-American War, Cubans did not begin immigrating to the US in significant numbers until 1959 when Fidel Castro assumed power. The largest part of the expatriate masses that left Cuba, settled in Miami, Florida but many made their way to New York City. As Castro’s revolution took hold and his ideologies and alliances moved further and further in the direction of communism, his new government seized private property, nationalized companies and sent many more Cubans, many of whom were middle class, from the island in exile. In 1980, unrest due to a suddenly declining economy prompted Castro to announce that anyone who wished to leave could do so. The result came to be known as the Mariel Boatlift, a chaotic, impromptu exodus in which 125,000 people left the island during a six month period. Since 1994, emigration to the US has been regulated by mutual US-Cuba agreement. Over 1 million Cubans have emigrated from the island since 1959. While many more have made it safely to our shores, it is estimated that 30-40,000 may have died in the attempt. Most Cuban residents of New York City can be found in the area just south of Washington Heights. In 1961, Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo was assassinated resulting in a loosening of emigration policy. Fearing political backlash at home and seeing opportunity in America, large numbers of Dominicans began to immigrate to the US from their native Santo Domingo. Another surge came a few years later facilitated by the US Military occupation of the Dominican Republic beginning in 1965 and bolstered by favourable employment conditions here in the States. During the 1960’s roughly 93,000 Dominicans immigrated to the US compared with less than 10,000 in the 1950’s.  Today, the Dominican Republic sends the fourth largest Latino immigrant population to the US (after Mexico, Puerto Rico and Cuba) with half of all Dominican immigrants settling in New York City, forming the city’s largest immigrant group. In fact, Washington Heights is home to the largest concentration of Dominicans outside of the Dominican Republic and is affectionately known in the community as Quisqueya Heights. Quisqueya is a colloquial term, which, among other things, refers to the Dominican Republic. Every immigrant group brings its culture along with it. Many have arrived on the shores of the US with nothing more than the shirts on their backs but inside themselves they have always carried with them the richness of their traditions. The language, the music, the food, the art, the beliefs and the pride in their native countries are responsible for the many vibrant and varied neighbourhoods around the city, in some cases neglected neighbourhoods that have found new life. But that new life can be a complex one. In some ways the immigrant’s journey really begins after he arrives. That journey is finding a way of going forward, negotiating the tension between the need to assimilate and the equally powerful need to preserve cultural identity. Nowhere is this more in evidence than in Washington Heights where Dominican flags fly alongside the stars and stripes and where a mix of Spanish and English is spoken on every street corner. The entrepreneurial spirit of America is reflected in the ubiquitous small businesses that line the streets labelled with Spanish names. This intersection of cultures is both a celebration and a source of conflict with which every immigrant community must contend and with which every individual within that community must come to terms. It is a rite of passage. This is the celebration and the conflict at the core of ‘In the Heights.’

1.4 Character Analysis

Characters:

Female Principals:

 

Nina Rosario – daughter of Kevin & Camila Rosario freshman at Stanford University. Inteligent, and kind hearted. However she feels that she has let everyone down because she’s dropping out of college. She is the daughter of Kevin and Camilia Rosario. Nina

is the only member of her family and friends who made it to college. 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.”

 

Vanessa – Usnavi’s love interest 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 Vanessa’s “friend”, he has never made any attempt. Vanessa dreams of leaving to create her own life away from her alcoholic mother.

 

Camila Rosario – Nina’s mom, co‐owner of Rosario’s Car and Limousine. Head strong and family orientated.  She is seen as the centre of the family. In her forties. 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.  Her daughter Nina has just returned for the summer from her first year at Stanford.

 

Abuela Claudia – In her late 60’s, she raised Usnavi after his parents passed away and continues to live with him. She emigrated from Cuba when shewas very young. Of all the characters, Abuela Claudia has been 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 clearly the matriarch of the neighborhood. Raised Usnavi and Sonny, grand‐matriarch of the entire community. She also wins the lottery.

 

Daniela -  In her thirties, she is the owner of Daniela’s Salon. She is quick witted outspoken. While she retains a motherly relationship with Vanessa, she remains childish and immature, often gossiping about the neighbours. Despite this she has built a successful business but is being forced out the neighbourhood because of the increasing rent prices.

 

 

 

Male Principals:

 

Usnavi De La Vega–owner of De la Vega’s Bodega (corner store) and has romantic feelings for Vanessa. Is also a centre point to the narrative. 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. Usnavi is in love with Vanessa and remains the eyes and ears of his Washington Heights neighbourhood.

 

Benny – Works at Rosario’s Car and Limousine, has thing for Nina. Now a 24 year old cab driver for Rosario Car and Limousine often finds himself in trouble. 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. Eventually falling in love with Nina, Benny sees a future for them by becoming a businessman. He and Usnavi are best friends.

 

Kevin Rosario – Nina’s dad, co‐owner of Rosario’s Car and Limousine. Kevin is in his forties and is husband to Camila and father to Nina. 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 stubborn, hot tempered at times and can be quick to act without thoughts of repercussions.

 

Sonny – 15 years old and Usnavi’s cousin, Sonny is spending the summer working for Usnavi at the corner shop (Bodega). He usually hangs out on the street with his friend Graffiti Pete but avoids trouble. He is an extremely intelligent and strives to emulate Usnavi. Passionate to solve the social and economic problems of the city, he is someone that needs guidance or risks ending up a street punk.

 

Graffiti Pete – 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. Usnavi is unhappy that Sonny and Graffiti Pete are friends because Graffiti Pete epitomizes everything that Usnavi hopes that Sonny will not grow up to be.

GC1: Implementing Production Plans

 Minutes from the first meeting.

GC1: Job Role Deadlines & Important Production Dates

These calendars were very important in helping me organise and plan everything I had to do. Which in turn enabled me to be much more efficient and accountable in my job role so it would not have a knock on effect of everything else and the time schedule would not be disrupted. It also meant that if I did forget anything I could clearly see where I could fit it is so that it was done in time. It was also important to get the props atleast a week in advance as during the rehearsals things would either be broken or need to be replaced. In the event of this happening we would need to gave time to either fix or replace it.

I also made a digital copy of my personal deadlines that gave me notifications on my phone. I found this very useful as it helped me keep to deadlines and make sure that nothing got forgotten.