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In the Heights

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Usnavi de la Vega

Role originated by Lin-Manuel Miranda

The owner of a bodega in Washington Heights. He was named after one of the first sights his parents saw when they arrived in America, a US Navy ship. He dreams of going to the Dominican Republic, his parents' homeland. Abuela Claudia, the neighborhood matriarch, practically raised him. He is in love with Vanessa.

Abuela: Remember the story of your name/It was engraved on a passing ship the day your family came/Your father said "Usnavi! That's what we'll name the baby!"
Usnavi: It really said "US Navy", but hey. I worked with what they gave me, OK.

  • Motor Mouth: Quick-witted and can sometimes speak fast due to nerves. Especially when in the vicinity of Vanessa.
  • Arc Words: "No pare, sigue sigue!" meaning "Don't stop, continue, continue!"
  • Nakama: Benny jokingly calls him a "streetlight" in the first eponymous song of the musical, and he laments this:

"Yeah I'm a streetlight chokin' on the heat/the world spins around while I'm frozen to the street/the people that I know all keep on rolling down the street/but everyday is different so I'm switching up the beat."

But, when we get to the Finale when he finally realises he's always been home, he changes his tune to:

"Yeah, I'm a streetlight chillin' in the heat/I illuminate the stories of the people in the street/Some have happy endings, some are bitter sweet/But I love them all and that's what makes my life complete!"

Nina Rosario

Role originated by Mandy Gonzalez

The daughter of Kevin and Camila. She is the first to go to college (Stanford University), and everyone in the barrio admires her. However, she returns home from school for the summer with difficult news to tell her parents; she has lost her scholarship and had to take unadmirable jobs just to stay afloat.

  • Crowning Moment of Funny: Just before their trademark song "When You're Home", Benny asks Nina if she taught the people at Stanford anything from home. She replies with "Yes, 'Would you like fries with that?'"
  • Secret Relationship: Her father reacts badly to her and Benny.
  • Stepford Smiler
    • "Straighten the spine/Smile for the neighbours/Everything's fine, everything's cool/The standard reply "lots of tests, lots of papers"/Smile, wave goodbye and pray to the sky/Oh God!"

Abuela Claudia

Role originated by Olga Merediz

Tthe elder and matriarch of the barrio who knows everybody and is like a grandmother to all (“abuela” means “grandmother” in Spanish). She is the one who looked after Usnavi when his parents died. Came to America with just her mother on a boat in the early December of 1943. Laments that she struggled to adjust, and got a job as a maid, feeling as she had "scrubbed the whole of the upper East side".

Vanessa

Role originated by Karen Olivo

Usnavi's love interest who works at Daniela's salon. She dreams of getting out of the barrio and getting an apartment downtown.

Benny

Role originated by Christopher Jackson

Works at Kevin's dispatch. The only non-Spanish-speaking member of the community, he falls in love with Nina. He dreams of opening his own business, "Benny's Car Service." Disliked by Nina's father for not being Latino, but is accepted by Nina's mother as an "honorary Latino."

Sonny

Role originated by Robin de Jesus

Usnavi's sassy, lazy, yet ambitious younger cousin who works in the bodega.

Daniela

Role originated by Andrea Burns

Daniela is the outrageous owner of the salon where the neighborhood girls gossip. Best friend to Carla.

Carla

Role originated by Janet Dacal

Carla works at Daniela's salon along with Vanessa.


Secondary

Kevin Rosario

Camila Rosario

{{[WMG| The Piragua Guy}}

Graffiti Pete

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