Recommended: "In the Heights"
I've never been a big fan of musical theater. I was befuddled by "Cats". I thought "Les Miserables" was boring. I spend tons of time in New York, but never see musicals.
However, last weekend a friend took me to see "In the Heights", and I loved every minute of it. The dancing is spectacular, the music is varied and fun, and the story is sweet, simple and touching. It also has more than a few laugh-out-loud moments spun by a consistently strong cast.
Newcomer Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote much of the music as a student, and is both the creator and the star of the show: a little rap, a little salsa, a few ballads for good measure. This cynic didn't roll his eyes once the whole night, and if THAT'S not an endorsement, I don't know what is.
The New York Times gave it a great review. Read it here. Ignore the bit where the critic compares it to a soap opera - NYTimes critics always have to be a little snarky to show how clever they are, even when they loved the show. If you want complicated plot, go see a play or read a book. But for a great time at a Broadway show, give "In the Heights" a try.
If you see it, leave a comment here and tell me what you thought.
5 comments:
Doug and I saw it and Doug LOVED it. I loved it too, but I did want there to be fewer songs in the first act and I thought the two parents (who own the taxi dispatch) should not sing at all. Also, we saw it while it was still in previews.
Cool! I haven't seen it but I LOVE MUSICAL THEATER!!
Except CATS. CATS blows.
I have not seen it. But I think if you loved it, it has to be phenominal. Because you don't love anything. (Somehow I mean that in a good way. Honest.) I'm sk*rting this.
Hey, just browsed by your site and saw this post. Saw Heights in previews and can't stop talking about it to my friends. I see every show I can on Broadway and this is a now a favorite.
Sheesh - who is the "Anonymous" person? Reveal thyself!
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