‘In the Heights’

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights, the 2008 multiple Tony Award-winning musical that presaged Miranda’s even more astounding success with Hamilton, has been seen in town several times, including a PCPA production in 2016, Santa Barbara High two years later, and, in the 2021 film adaptation, just two months ago at the Sunken Gardens. 

But never quite like Rubicon Theatre’s upcoming version of the heartfelt, hopeful, high-energy musical chronicling the joys, sorrows, hardships, and triumphs of New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood. The show is not only directed by Luis Salgado – who was the Latin Assistant Choreographer and cast member for the original show on Broadway, and later directed and choreographed the award-winning U.S. Spanish-language premiere – it also echoes the message of the musical by engaging deeply with the local Ventura community. Over the summer there were free dance and vocal workshops for area residents interested in auditioning for the show; 85 showed up and three eventually ended up getting cast in RTC’s production. And over the last two weeks, the diverse 21-member cast put on in-school assemblies and classroom workshops in Ventura and Oxnard, reaching nearly 5,000 students. 

In the Heights performs at the Rubicon from October 26-November 13. Call (805) 667-2900 or visit rubicontheatre.org.