In The Heights, Through My Eyes
Last week, my husband and I had a date night and the wonderful opportunity to go see the award winning Broadway musical “In The Heights“. We were both very excited for many reasons: 1) We both love the theater, especially the theater in NYC, 2) we live in Washington Heights, so seeing a show focused on our barrio made us curious and proud, 3) we don’t get out much together, so that alone was enough to have us giddy.
Catching a Broadway show in NYC is an experience I wish on anybody. It doesn’t matter what you’re going to see, all that matter is, when in NY, you take advantage of the different sources available to get discounted tickets, and catch a show, be it through TKTS, or through specials like the one going on through Season of Savings.
Winner of 4 Tonys, In The Heights is directed by Thomas Kail, whom I met earlier that day to talk about his other great hit “Broke-ology” (check out my giveaway here). It is written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, based from his experiences growing up in the neighborhood.
In The Heights was an amazing experience for me because when I walked away I felt even more proud of my neighborhood, and understood the struggles of those in the show telling their stories of living there. I am not a native of The Heights, but I am Dominican, and this is now, primarily, a Dominican neighborhood. I live here because it was the only place we could find a large enough apartment for our family of 5, in the NYC, that we could afford. The area is quickly being gentrified by a lot of growing families leaving the overpriced areas of NYC in search of the same things we found when we moved here: space and affordability.
But with them they brought their way of life, and cost of living. North of 181st and Ft. Washington has been renamed “Hudson Heights”. Why? Well, it seems that those newly arrived felt the need to set a differentiating mark between “us” and “them”. It helped sell their properties, it help set boundaries, and it helped establish that area into a more desirable place to live for newcomers intimidated or afraid of the stereotypes of a highly ethnic neighborhood, a neighborhood with a bad rap and a dominating foreign language. The area of Washington Heights has been relegated to those who have been here for years and those who barely speak English, the abuelas and vecinas, the compadres and cuñados. The eternal immigrants and bodegueros.
And I have often walked around my barrio, in shame, knowing that once I go up that hill to Bennett Park and I tell them, cause they always want to know, where I live in the neighborhood, they will classify me as different. One woman reacted by saying, “Oooh, there are a lot of Puerto Ricans and Dominicans who still live down there.” Yeah, lady…I am one of “them” and we aren’t as scary as you just made us sound.
Watching In The Heights though made me hold my head up high. Reminded me of the sense of community we have. Yes, the area can be loud and obnoxious…yes, there are a few “undesirables” that I would rather do without, and yes, maybe I still wish I had a Starbucks and fancy, gourmet food store closer to me than I do, but this is my barrio, these are my people. We understand each other, and I know what their dreams are, because they are the same dreams of my father, and his father before him. They are the dreams of a better life, in a country that promises such things, in the greatest city in the world, where the taste of sweet sugar cane is only a block away, the sounds of hellos and goodbyes are spoken in the native tongue of my mother and father, grandparents and aunts and uncles, the laughter and celebrations dance to the rythm of merengue and salsa, and where even in the coldest months of the year, I can still walk into a restaurant or bodega and feel the warmth and love of my tropical home.
For Broadway Information and Tickets, check out the Official Website of In The Heights.
I have wanted to see In The Heights since I first heard of it, and after reading this, I want to see it even more!
I think the fascinating thing in New York is that there are so many ethnicities, and each of them has a space, a section of the city to “claim”. I think it’s wonderful that people from different backgrounds can come to New York and find somewhere they feel like they belong, somewhere they feel home. I woulnd’t ever want to change that. If New York was made all pristine and Park Avenue-ish everywhere, it would take away SO MUCH of the charm of the city!
Even though I never lived in Washington Heights (being that I’m from the Bronx), when I saw this show, I fell in love with it. The stories in the show were familiar to me and it brought back memories of my grandfather because he always had dreams that never came true but at least in the show, the Abuelita’s dream did. It was fantastic! I can’t wait to see it again.