University of Pittsburgh Stages puts viewers “In the Heights”

In preparation for his upcoming performance in the musical “In the Heights,” senior Mike Magliocca, a theater arts and ecology and evolution double major at Pitt, began doing something one might not expect from most musical theater performers: watching the movie “8 Mile” over and over again in order to brush up on his freestyle rap.

“In the Heights,” the latest production from University of Pittsburgh Stages in collaboration with the Staycee Pearl Dance Project, premieres March 27 and runs through April 6 at the Charity Randall Theatre. The show, which won the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical, stars Magliocca and is directed by Lisa Jackson-Schebetta, an assistant professor in the theatre department.

The production focuses on Usnavi (Magliocca), a young Dominican-American and his many friends, and tells of the struggles they face living in the poor, Latin-American neighborhood of Washington Heights in New York City.

Despite the production’s large cast, sometimes having as many as “30 singers, dancers and actors up on the stage” at one time, Usnavi is a character of special significance, according to Magliocca, as he also plays the role of the narrator. 

“Oftentimes, audiences aren’t familiar with Washington Heights, and he is able to explain and clarify things,” said Magliocca of Usnavi. 

The show’s music represents the cultural and ethnic identity of the New York neighborhood that the show is set in. 

“The music is a blend of Latin America and New York, much like Washington Heights is,” Magliocca said. “It’s a mix of hip-hop, rap and salsa.”

While this mix of genres might seem unusual for a Broadway musical, the success of “In the Heights” speaks for itself. After debuting on Broadway in March 2008, “In the Heights” received nominations for 13 Tony Awards, winning four and also won the Grammy for Best Musical Show Album. 

The bar is set quite high, to say the least. However, the cast and crew are not concerned with trying to replicate the success and grandeur of the original.

“We put pressure on ourselves,” Magliocca said. “Other universities don’t want to touch [“In the Heights”], but we do. We want to take it on. As far as the weight of the Tony, we’re just hoping it brings in audiences who recognize the name. And, at the same time, we’re trying to make it different than the Broadway show.”

Ricardo Vila-Roger, a teaching artist at Pitt who plays the role of Kevin Rosario, said that one of the keys to the Pitt production is a willingness to trim down the play. 

“We’re not trying to recreate anything that we can’t possibly recreate,” Vila-Roger said.

Vila-Roger, a native of Puerto Rico who has been living in Pittsburgh for the last eight years, brings more than 20 years of acting experience to the production.

“I’d like to think that I serve as an example and a resource to students. Working for over 20 years, I’ve seen almost everything,” Vila-Roger said. “I’m also available to help them with the Spanish.”

Vila-Roger’s character, Kevin Rosario, is the owner of a failing taxi service. He, along with Usnavi, who owns his own corner bodega, struggle to make ends meet. Magliocca said that audience members can relate to such problems despite the specific Latin-American demographic of Washington Heights.

“The struggles these characters face are just very human,” Magliocca said. “Providing for your family, keeping your business running, the love of your life not even knowing who you are — they’re very human issues that everyone can really connect to.”

Vila-Roger pointed to another reason for the story being so widely celebrated. “What’s so great is it’s so specific, it makes it universal. When people see the story, they will think, ‘I’ve been through that.’ So our job is to just play characters as truly as you can,” he said.

Jackson-Schebetta said that the show’s universal nature is because of its timeless themes.

“The script is about home and dreams,” Jackson-Schebetta said. “What it costs to dream big, to take a risk, whether it’s leaving everything you know to take a chance on a different life or ‘stepping to’ the girl you secretly love to ask for a date.”