I saw an early preview of In the Heights this week, and I have to say that as far as Broadway musicals go, it was the best I’ve seen in years. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the entire thing at 27 and still stars in it, and does a great job of infusing latin vibes into the score while still giving the audience those showstopping, harmonic moments that help any musical earn its stripes. Sure, it presents (as the NYT says) “a rosy image of the urban underclass,” but RENT painted a pretty rosy image of heroin addicts and the homeless. Presenting kids in the barrio as romping around a Disney-like set and signing in gleeful unison about the heat and cafe con leche may gloss over the real issues a bit, but in this case, I think the music stands for itself. And who’s to say song and dance aren’t the real keys to living through hardship? As my gay boyfriend in high school said, “Woman, when life gives you lemons, you dance on top of them.”
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