In The Heights at La Mirada Theatre
OUTFIT DETAILS
Dress: Betsey Johnson | Jacket: Vintage Levi’s | Earrings: Amazon | Shoes: Circus NY | Hair Gems: Amazon
My sweet friend Parissa invited me to catch the invited dress rehearsal of In The Heights at La Mirada Theatre to see her friend Tristan who is part of the ensemble of the show! As a huge Lin-Manuel Miranda fan, I loved the movie that came out last year and have always wanted to see the stage production of the musical, so this was a huge treat for me!
I hadn’t been to the La Mirada Theatre since I was a kid, and that was the only other time I saw a show here. As soon as you walk in, it almost feels like you’re in a cozy cabin, which I totally loved! The theatre is big enough to feel like you’re not in a regional theatre, but small enough where you still feel like it’s an intimate experience and you’re sitting close up.
I wish I had some photos of the set to show you, but we were not allowed to take photos or videos inside the theatre. I personally have never been to Washington Heights in New York, but from what I remember from the film, it felt immersive like we were actually sitting in front of Usnavi’s bodega. For a static set, I felt like they did a really good job bringing the neighborhood alive - with lighting changes making it feel like you went from day to night, to projections of fireworks making it seem like they were really happening above the stage.
All of that was great, but let’s be real, it’s the cast who breathes life into this show. It felt like one giant party and family, and I was vibing with everyone throughout the entire show. Rubén J. Carbajal stars in the show as Usnavi, and I was excited to see him perform again since he was one of my favorites in Hamilton at the Pantages a few years ago. The rest of the cast features Daisy Marie Lopez as Nina, Hosea Mundi as Benny, Claudia Mulet as Vanessa, Jacquelin Lorraine Schofield as Abuela Claudia, Jose Carlos Rivera as Sonny, Shadia Fairuz as Daniela, Crissy Guerrero as Camila, Lindsey Dantes as Carla, Kevin Solis as Piragua Guy, Benjamin Perez as Kevin Rosario, and Kevin Trinio Perdido as Grafitti Pete. The Ensemble features Steven-Adam Agdeppa, Marcos Alexander, Remmie Bourgeois, Bianca Brandon, Andrea Dobbins, Juan Guillen, Haley Izurieta, Rachel Josefina, Jodi Marks, Monika Peña, Mario Rocha, Tristan Turner, Isaac Uhlenberg, and Bridget Whitman. Everyone was phenomenal and I absolutely loved the performance!
You can catch In The Heights at the La Mirada Theatre now through June 26th! Tickets can be purchased online here and performances run on Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 2pm & 8pm, and Sundays at 1:30pm & 6:30pm.
Have you seen In The Heights before? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
xo,
Keshia