{"id":378369,"date":"2026-10-20T23:08:18","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T23:08:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/378369\/"},"modified":"2026-10-20T23:08:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T23:08:18","slug":"preview-in-the-heights-at-new-york-city-center-with-96000-and-when-youre-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/378369\/","title":{"rendered":"Preview In the Heights at New York City Center With ‘96,000’ and ‘When You’re Home’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Press was invited into the rehearsal room October 20 for a special preview of New York City\u00a0Center’s gala production of Lin-Manuel Miranda<\/a> and Quiara Alegr\u00eda Hudes<\/a>‘\u00a0In the Heights<\/a>, and our cameras were rolling. See the company perform “96,000” above. Keep scrolling to see the group, led by Jaci Calderon<\/a> and Aaron James McKenzie<\/a>, perform “When You’re Home.”<\/p>\n

The production will run October 28-November 15 at the Manhattan venue. David Mendiz\u00e1bal<\/a> (Mexodus) is at the helm of\u00a0the new staging, which will feature choreography by Mayte Natalio<\/a> and music direction by Alejandro Senior<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The cast will feature Matte Martinez<\/a> (MJ) as Usnavi, Jaci Calderon as Nina, Aaron James McKenzie as Benny,\u00a0Ashley De La Rosa<\/a> (Buena Vista Social Club<\/a>) as Vanessa, Tony winner Natalie Venetia Belcon<\/a> (Buena Vista Social Club, Avenue Q<\/a>) as Claudia, Linedy Genao<\/a> (Bad Cinderella<\/a>) as Daniela, Ishmael Gonzalez<\/a> (& Juliet<\/a>) as Sonny, Ivan Hernandez<\/a> (Schmigadoon!<\/a>) as Kevin, Cedric Leiba, Jr. as Pirag\u00fcero, Aaron James McKenzie (A Beautiful Noise) as Bennie, Ilia Isorel\u00fds Paulino as Carla, and Veronica Vazquez-Jackson as Camila, along with Gabi Campo<\/a>, Adriel Flete<\/a>, Amanda K. Lopez, Kate Louissaint<\/a>, \u00c1ngel Lozada, Yani Marin<\/a>, Alora Tonielle Martinez, Bianca Leticia Medina, Sael Antonio Nu\u00f1ez, Cristian ”Chino” Rodriguez, Kiki Rodriguez, SeQuoiia , Michael Anthony Sylvester, and Ricardo A. Zayas. Casting is by The Telsey Office<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The musical, which began as a college project during Miranda’s time at Wesleyan University, served as the now Tony winner’s debut work, playing a 2005 try-out at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center and Off-Broadway’s 37 Arts Theater in 2007 before transferring to the Main Stem. The musical would go on to win four 2008 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and was a finalist for the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The work also became a spiritual predecessor for Miranda’s seminal megahit Hamilton<\/a>, which reunited director Thomas Kail<\/a>, choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler<\/a>, and music supervisor Alex Lacamoire<\/a> on the creative team, along with much of the cast (Christopher Jackson<\/a>, Jon Rua<\/a>, Javier Mu\u00f1oz<\/a>, Mandy Gonzalez<\/a>, and KO\u2014formerly Karen Olivo\u2014are all Heights and Hamilton alum, among others).<\/p>\n

In the Heights\u2014featuring music and lyrics by Miranda and a book by Hudes\u2014centers on New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood and its citizens, a vibrant immigrant community trying to get the American Dream while navigating a rapidly changing world. Miranda starred as bodega owner Usnavi, the ensemble musical’s protagonist, in the original company. Following the success of Miranda’s Hamilton, a film version of In the Heights was released in 2020, directed by Jon M. Chu and featuring performances from Anthony Ramos<\/a>, Corey Hawkins<\/a>, Melissa Barrera<\/a>, Daphne Rubin-Vega<\/a>, Jimmy Smits<\/a>, and more.<\/p>\n

City Center’s production will feature scenic design by Riw Rakkulchon<\/a>, costume design by Dede Ayite<\/a>, lighting design by Justin Townsend<\/a>, and sound design by Alex Neumann<\/a>. Cynthia Cahill<\/a> will serve as production stage manager.<\/p>\n

Tickets are at NYCityCenter.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"In<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Homepage<\/p>\n

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