Last night on Broadway: In the Heights

Little Love took me to see In the Heights last night. Rarely have I enjoyed or been so moved by a Broadway show, or any live performance. It was so full of heart and energy, I found myself shivering with excitement from the very first beat. I am in awe of Lin-Manuel Miranda, who not only heads this ensemble piece but also conceived and wrote the music and lyrics. Both the terrific book by Quiara Alegría Hudes and the lyrics are full of New York and Latin humor and draw on cultural history, particularly Latin and immigrant culture, but also New York culture in general. I found myself identifying with some of the story - the discoveries in moving to New York and the main issue that a young college student deals with after her first year away at school. The entire cast was delightful and I cannot call out a single actor as I loved them all. The choreography was incredible, calling on salsa and hip hop rhythm, but felt traditional, and I wanted to get up and start dancing with them. It seemed like the audience in the packed house (it was also 2nd press night) wanted to get up and dance. It was just infectious! It feels like a full blown big time Broadway show with big dancing and music. I was engaged in every moment, laughing and crying and finally jumping to my feet with appreciation. I just can't wait to get back to the Richard Rodgers to see it again!