Before the wildly spectacular success of “Hamilton,” word genius Lin-Manuel Miranda received four Tony awards and mega-respect for his innovative and touching production of “In the Heights.” Pioneer Theatre Company will be running three performances of “In the Heights” over the course of two days this upcoming weekend.

Boasting the alternative rap-hip hop style that Miranda is famous for, “In the Heights” combines elements of Miranda’s own upbringing into a vivid story set in the Washington Heights neighborhood of inner-city Manhattan.

Miranda composed his first draft of this musical while still a sophomore in college in 1999. Based off of the book by Quiara Alegría Hudes, the Latin American/Caribbean, Spanish speaking culture that Miranda grew up in is bursting within his playwrighting. As with “Hamilton,” Miranda was also the first to perform the lead role as Usnavi.

Debuting on Broadway in 2008, “In the Heights” quickly ascended the musical ladder of fame, eventually being nominated for thirteen Tony Awards and winning four: Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Choreography, Best Orchestrations. It also won a Grammy Award for the Best Musical Show Album and was later nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

“In the Heights” previously graced PTC’s stage in 2012, in which Joseph Morales stared as Usnavi. Morales will soon be reprising a musical role in Salt Lake again in April as Alexander Hamilton in the national touring production of “Hamilton.”

PTC will be performing the Concert Version of “In the Heights” this weekend, meaning a minimal set with an onstage orchestra and scripts in the hands of actors throughout the entirety of the show. This is part of an ongoing “concert series” hosted by PTC with the intent of exposing students and audiences to a plethora of different productions with minimal staging.

Artistic director Karen Azenberg directs and choreographs this production. This is Azenberg’s sixth year as PTC’s Artistic Director.

The story follows characters Usnavi (Diego Klock-Perez) who runs a bodega, his younger cousin Sonny (Tomas Joaquin Matos), barrio Abuela Claudia (Jayne Luke), first to go to college Nina (MTP student Micki Martinez) and her parents (Enrique Acevedo and Melissa Blatherwick), fiery Vanessa (Ariana Escalante), beauty salon owner Daniela (Latoya Cameron) and the-only-person-who-can’t-speak-Spanish-in-the-barrio Benny (Carleton Bluford).

Additional roles include Christopher Michael McLamb as Piragua Guy and Mila Santos, a student in the University of Utah’s MTP program, as Carla. The ensemble is completed by Equity actors David Guy Holmes, Tito Livas, Ismael “Izzy” Arrieta, Lance Barker, Ashley Gardner Carlson, Monica Goff (ATP student), Sky Kawai (MTP student) and Mary C. Nikols (MTP Student).

The technical cast is comprised of Helen Gregory as the musical director, Lenny Daniel as associate director and choreographer, costumes by Brenda Van Der Wiel, lighting by Kirk Bookman, sound by Kate Wecker and hair and makeup by Amanda French.

“In the Heights”- Concert Version will be playing this weekend at PTC. Friday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, March 17 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. As always, $5 student rush tickets are available one hour before show time upon presentation of a valid UCard. For additional information call PTC Box Office at 801-581-6961 or visit www.pioneertheatre.org

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@TheChrony