On Nov. 3-5, members of the Libertyville High School Fine and Performing Arts Department performed “In the Heights,” a musical written by Quiara Alegría Hudes with lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
The musical was based off of a Latino neighborhood, Washington Heights in New York, which enveloped Latino culture and everyday trouble in one’s life while trying to live the “American Dream.” The characters faced affliction dealing with death, finances, love and belonging.
Now, despite being an amatuer in musical reviews, I have to say that this production blew me out of the water. Every detail was polished to the point of perfection.
As a school itself, LHS has minimal diversity, but this proved to be the least of the actors’ problems. The immersive culture portrayed through the colors and clothing selected demonstrated the students’ knowledge and commitment to express the art.
The set crew conveyed an immediate image of the lack of prosperity in the area where the show takes place, all the way down to the little characteristics of the town, such as the graffiti and housing units. Pit orchestra members exhibited such precision and supplied an excellent backdrop to the play.
As equally as impressive as the detailed stage and music, the actors had an exceptional fluidity to their accents. Each actor (with a speaking part) spoke the languages (both English and Spanish) with effort and heart, leading the audience to believe what was being depicted by them. Not only was the Spanish language shown, but modern (what some might call profane) language was also spoken to give a look at current American culture.
Choreography was an evident strength between each cast member. The mix of music and movement played a role in the cohesiveness displayed in each scene. Dances that were presented hinted at small pieces of Latino culture into American life.
For the actors, it seemed as though each of them were made for Broadway. The cast, ensemble, and dancers all worked together to create a free-flowing circus of entertainment that encompassed the audience into the action.
One actor in particular who stood out to me was Zach Pearson, who performed as Usnavi de la Vega. His emphasis on each song solidified other cast members’ stances on how the show would play out and incorporated a noteable atmosphere that was present throughout each number.
Not only was the musical astounding, but the message hidden in the scenes revealed a prominent pattern. Opinions may differ from one person to the next, but overall the show conveyed that coming together as a community will help one overcome hardships and will provide support when it’s needed.
I must say that the Fine and Performing Arts Department is going to have a hard time surpassing this amazing show with another, but I will be anticipating the next.
