musical Archives - Cindy Goes Beyond

June 30, 2021

In The Heights

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How exciting, as movie theaters open back up, to experience a fun summer musical! I had the opportunity to attend a virtual screening for In The Heights ahead of its release date. This movie, though, deserves a big screen viewing!

I happily returned to my local theater, for the first time in over a year, for the thrill of watching this amazing musical as it’s meant to be watched.

Check out my review for In The Heights and then enjoy the first big hit of the summer in a theater near you.

In The Heights title meme

In The Heights Cast

This film version of the Broadway musical stars Anthony Ramos, Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace, Melissa Berrara, Olga Merediz, Jimmy Smits, Gregory Diaz IV and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

In The Heights is directed by Jon M. Chu. The screenplay is based on the musical and music written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Quiara Alegria Hudes contributed to the concept and the screenplay.

The musical carries a PG-13 rating, for mild language and suggestive references, and has a run time of 2 hours and 23 minutes.

In The Heights dance — In The Heights – get ready to dance!

In The Heights Synopsis

The movie focuses on the lives of a variety of people living in northern Manhattan. Washington Heights, referred to simply as “The Heights”, contains small mom and pop shops, thriving and struggling businesses and generations of families.

Dreams of all kinds thrive in this close knit community too. Meet the dreamers and those who encourage them.

Usnavi

At the heart of The Heights is Usnavi (Ramos), who runs a little neighborhood bodega. Everyone in the community stops by every morning for coffee and perhaps a lottery ticket. Usnavi sells both while offering encouraging words of advice.

Usnavi nurtures a sueñito, a little dream he’s carried since his childhood. He dreams of purchasing and reviving his deceased father’s beach café in Dominican Republic. After saving and scrimping for years, it seems that Usnavi’s dream is finally within reach.

Usnavi’s younger cousin, Sonny (Diaz IV), helps in the bodega and pushes his cousin to ask Vanessa out. Sonny dreams of going to college, a difficult sueñito to fulfill as his family cannot afford it and the boy is an undocumented immigrant.

In The Heights Usnavi — In The Heights – Usnavi and Vanessa

Vanessa

Vanessa (Barrera), is Usnavi’s love interest, although she doesn’t know that. She works at the neighborhood salon. However the salon is relocating to the Bronx, due to increasing rent. Vanessa’s sueñito is to rent her own apartment downtown and become a fashion designer.

Her dream gets an immediate setback when her application for the apartment is denied, due to a lack of credit.

Kevin Rosario and His Daughter Nina

Kevin (Smits) owns and operates the neighborhood taxi company. He employs Benny (Hawkins). Nina (Grace) returns home from her first year at Stanford. She is fulfilling her father’s dream. However, Nina comes home to tell him that she’s dropping out of college due to loneliness and financial strains. Nina misses The Heights and feels out of place at Stanford.

Kevin sold off half of the building he owns, to pay for Nina’s college education. He is not easily deterred from seeing his daughter graduate from Stanford.

Benny loves Nina. With him, Nina finds life simpler. However, she worries about the future and struggles with self doubt. Benny reminds her of what’s important and tells her that she is destined for greatness.

In The Heights Benny, Nina and Kevin — In The Heights – Benny, Nina and Kevin

Abuela Claudia

The matriarch of the neighborhood, Abuela (Merediz) took Usnavi in as a boy and raised him. While not actually related to him, this kind and wise woman serves as his… and everyone’s…abuela. She remembers her childhood in Cuba, where she and her mother lived in poverty.

In New York, Claudia endured hardships and overcame challenges to get to where she is today. Her role is to encourage everyone else to pursue their dreams and never give up. Abuela’s favorite words are “paciencia y fe”…”patience and faith”.

In The Heights Abuela — In The Heights – the matriarch, Abuela Claudia

A Summer to Remember

In The Heights, summer brings record breaking temperatures. The whole neighborhood closes down early one day and everyone heads to the community pool to cool off.

On the way there, Usnavi learns that one of the lottery tickets the bodega sold won $96,000. When he shares the exciting news, the whole neighborhood goes wild, each person imaging what he or she could do with that money.

The heat continues. Mr. Piraguero (Miranda), who sells snow cones, sadly sings about how the new ice cream truck in the neighborhood is stealing his business.

A black out occurs, due to the extreme heat, and the whole neighborhood shuts down for days. It’s a breaking point for some…and a time of shift and change for others…and a time for making dreams come true for a few, in unexpected ways.

Summer In The Heights — Hot summer In The Heights

My Thoughts About In The Heights

As stated, this movie is a musical, which is one of my favorite genres. The characters sing much of the dialogue. And they dance too!

I love this musical. It beautifully showcases the richness of the Latin culture through music and dance. And it shines a brilliant light on the importance of family, community and encouraging one another toward the realization of dreams.

Those themes thrill me. As a dreamer myself, I love watching the different characters discover more about who they are as dreams shift, change and manifest. I appreciate the closeness of the community and how generations of people pave the way for each new generation.

This is such a fun film. I can’t help but smile and tap my foot over the musical numbers. The movie goers in my theater applauded with me at the end.

We all have dreams. The time has come. Let In The Heights inspire you to keep pursuing yours. Catch it at your local theater or on HBOMax.

Time Has Come

Did you enjoy this review? Check out this one too: Nomadland

Get the In The Heights movie soundtrack HERE.

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August 26, 2018August 30, 2018

Fame JR The Musical

What a treat this afternoon, to be in the audience at Pittsburg Memorial Auditorium for the matinee showing of Fame JR The Musical. This high energy production featured a group of talented kids, from grades 6th through 10th, that had recently completed the Just Off Broadway Theater Camp. My grandson Jonathan, a fearless showman with a beautiful singing voice and all the right dance moves, was part of the ensemble cast.

Fame JR The Musical is based on the internationally acclaimed stage show and movie Fame. Set during the last years of New York City’s High School for the Performing Arts in the early 1980s, Fame JR is the inspiring story of a diverse group of students who commit to four years of grueling artistic and academic work. With candor, humor and insight, the show explores the issues that confront many young people today.

The musical was directed by Pittsburg High School Theatre Director Greg Shaw, with vocal direction by PSU Department of Music graduate Karrie Fenech and choreography by junior McKenna Shaw.

The story within the musical follows the freshman class at the High School for Performing Arts, in NYC, through their senior year. Divided into dancers, actors and musicians, the students must complete academic studies and devote themselves to their crafts.

The students come from a variety of backgrounds, however they all have one thing in common…the desire to achieve fame in their chosen fields. All of the students are talented artistically, however some face academic challenges while some struggle with other issues such as acceptance, arrogance, body image and anger.

As they complete their senior year at the school, one is discovered immediately by a talent agent. The rest realize they have learned valuable life lessons, and that it takes perseverance and hard work to achieve their dreams.

The kids of Just Off Broadway experienced the same determination and hard work as the characters they portrayed, putting in more than 50 hours of rehearsals in the last two weeks. They gave up their evenings and weekends, all while attending school during the day, to follow their own artistic passions.

I am beyond impressed with these young performers. Not only can they act, sing and dance, they appear comfortable under the stage lights and before a large audience. Actually, this group is more than comfortable. The kids had a blast.

The performer I watched the most was Jonathan. This young man, who will be 13 years old next month and just started junior high, amazes me. He’s been performing in plays and musicals, talent shows and concerts for several years. I love how at ease he is on stage and how enthusiastically he enters into each role.

Most of all, I love his heart. He embraces life with a passion and transforms whatever he touches, creating art. The lyrics to the song Fame are very fitting for Jonathan.

“Baby you look at me and tell me what you see

You ain’t seen the best of me yet

Give me time, I’ll make you forget the rest

I’ve got more in me and you can set it free

I can catch the moon in my hand

Don’t you know who I am?

Remember my name

(Fame)

I’m gonna live forever

I’m gonna learn how to fly

(High)

I feel it coming together

People will see me and cry

(Fame)

This boy is just getting started. We haven’t seen yet all that he is capable of, all that he will develop and grow into. He has so much more in him to offer to the world as he figures out what he most wants to explore.

Whatever he does, people will remember his name. Someday, in technology, in entertainment, in some fresh combination of the two, Jonathan will make an impact on the world. I watch him and I already cry and not just the word “fame”. They are happy tears full of joy and hope. This kid already flies.

August 19, 2017

All Shook Up Musical

A late post tonight, after a fun evening at the Pittsburg, Kansas Memorial Auditorium where my grandson Jonathan performed in the musical All Shook Up. What a superb way to end the day.

Jonathan joined 39 other 6th – 10th graders recently at Just Off Broadway drama camp, where they worked for two weeks on this production. All Shook Up features the songs of Elvis Presley. The musical was directed by Greg Shaw, with vocal direction by Karrie Fenech and choreography by Will Jewett.

The year is 1955 and hip swiveling, guitar toting Chad (Levi Ben) roars into town on his motorcycle. This free spirited young man is determined to spread joy and music throughout every community he visits.

While in town, he draws the affections of Natalie (McKenna Shaw), the mechanic, and makes the local geek, Dennis (Stuart O’Brien), his sidekick. Chad falls in love, not with Natalie but with the museum curator, Sandra (Mesa Jones), who in turns falls for another stranger in town, Ed (played by Shaw as well). Among these star crossed lovers Dean (Colin O’Brien) and Lorraine (Addy Campbell) find forbidden love against the wishes of Dean’s controlling mother, and mayor of the city, Matilda (Ainsley Balthazor).

There are lessons to be learned and loves to be sorted out, amid singing and rocking out to classic songs such Blue Suede Shoes, Heartbreak, and Jailhouse Rock.

This was such a fun musical! Jonathan was part of the ensemble cast, costumed smartly in a suit, singing and dancing his way through the night. I was so proud of him. He is a natural on the stage, and fearless in front of an audience.

The whole cast was quite impressive. These middle school through high school performers had powerful voices and great dance moves, and delivered their lines with wit and confidence. I love watching a play or musical where the actors and singers are so obviously enjoying themselves, and such was the case tonight.

I laughed and applauded and cheered and at the end, stood up in appreciation for a fine performance by a talented group of kids. There is a matinee tomorrow at 2:00, at the Memorial Auditorium. Tickets are $5 at the door. It’s money well spent. Check out All Shook Up. You will be glad you did, and leave with a smile on your face.

June 28, 2014

Day 179: Front Row Seats at Wicked

I love musicals. I’ve seen several live performances, in Dallas and Tulsa, including Phantom of the Opera, The Addams Family, Jekyll & Hyde and Wicked. Today, my sisters Linda and Debbie and my niece Ashley and I attended a matinee performance of Wicked at the Tulsa Performing Art Center. This was my fifth time to see this amazing musical, however, it was my first time to see it from a front row seat. Special thanks go to Ashley for securing such spectacular seats.

Wicked is the untold story behind the Wizard of Oz. Long before Dorothy showed up from Kansas, two girls meet in Oz and form an unlikely friendship. One is beautiful, popular, ambitious and blond. The other is intelligent, fiery, misunderstood and green. The story follows the girls through high school and beyond. The relationship that develops between these two girls and how Elphaba becomes the Wicked Witch of the West while the other becomes Glinda the Good makes for “the most complete….and completely satisfying musical….in a long time.” (USA Today)

The musical premiered on Broadway in 2003 and has had a continual run since. The original Broadway musical launched the careers of Idina Menzel, who played the green skinned Elphaba and Kristen Chenoweth, who played the perky Glinda. The success of the Broadway production spawned a North American Tour that has played for more than 2 million viewers. I have had the privilege of being one of those viewers.

The musical is the perfect blend of humor, drama, romance and angst. Cast members in this production include Gina Beck as Galinda/Glinda, Emma Hunton as Elphaba and Nick Adams as Fiyero. All had incredible voices. Gina captured Glinda’s bubbly blond personality while Emma’s powerful voice and expressive face brought depth to her portrayal of Elphaba. Nick was a handsome Fiyero with just the right amount of fun loving swagger and sensuality. Sitting in the front row was absolutely amazing. I could see every expression of the performers, which added considerably to the overall performance. When Elphaba sang, “I’m Not That Girl”, I could see tears glittering in her eyes.

Glinda, with her narcissism and use of made up words, contributes most of the humor to Wicked. She appears shallow and yet she genuinely comes to care for the green girl who has always considered herself an outsider. I love the scene with the song “Popular” in which Glinda endeavors to give Elphaba a makeover, attempting to ease the girl’s awkwardness and give her a measure of popularity. I can’t help but like Glinda. She sees the world simply and at heart, she is truly good.

But it is Elphaba whom I am drawn to. Her outward appearance frightens people and yet, she possesses a keen intelligence and a compassionate heart, and yes, a quick temper. She despises injustice and popularity is not important to her. My heart aches for her as she reaches out, tentatively, to connect with others. When her trust in the Wonderful Wizard of Oz is dashed, Elphaba embraces the wicked persona that everyone expects her to have. Her song, “Defying Gravity”, is the most powerful of the musical and the turning point in the story. Tears fill my eyes every time I hear it and see Elphaba’s transformation from misunderstood young woman to Wicked Witch of the West.

What a fun afternoon this was, watching Wicked and sharing time and space with my family. I never tire of doing either! Being so close to the stage allowed me to totally tune out the thousands of people in the audience and be immersed into the magic of the musical. I’m afraid the experience may have set a precedent for future musicals, as I would now like to see all of them from the vantage point of the first few rows. Ashley, work your magic, for Phantom of the Opera will return next April!