NEW YORK. - The musical "In the Heights," which portrays the life of Hispanics in Upper Manhattan’s neighborhoods, won the 2008 Tony Awards’ Best Musical prize Sunday night, whereas "August: Osage County" was named Best Play.
“In the Heights" racked up 13 nominations and was one of the favorites to be the night’s big winners.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the music and lyrics, had already won the Best Score prize for his work, a celebration of the Latin experience in New York. It also won the choreography and arrangement categories.
Written by: jonjrs, 16 Jun 2008 10:40 AM
From: United States, Miami, FL
My understanding is that Lin-Manuel is Puerto Rican, but there's always been a sizeable PR presence in the Heights anyhow......now it's filling up with Mexicans, which is interesting in itself, hehe...
From: United States
My congratulations to all those involved in the production and performance of 'In The Heights'.
It gives me great pride to hear of my home (The Heights) away from home, mentioned in a favorable light. My memories of growing up in that neighborhood are mostly of fun and full of interesting things that occurred. From Snake Hill at the top of St. Nicholas Avenue, all the way to 155 St. and Riverside, that was my childhood territory. I'd ride the 100 bus, or the 104 bus, or the 3 or the 4 bus, up and down my 'Barrio'. I loved my corner of Manhattan, and it's about time that 'Nuestro Barrio', is recognized for being a fun and exciting place, rather than a place to look for escape in a powdered form. Starting in 1967 it was the place to live; The "A" train took you to 59 St. in 10 minutes, and the no.1 train took you to 96 Street in 30 minutes. Now finally, The Heights is really on Broadway; Though it's been there all along! You see Broadway runs through Washington Heights.
From: Canada
the Boricuas were the shock troops of Latinos in New York they came there in quantity in the 30s 40s 50s and made the Latino life style part of the city....They did the dirty work for the rest before it was fashionable to be Latino cuno
From: United States, New York City
jon I could be mistaken but I think in the book at the show it said he was indeed Dominican, and that his character Usnavi was also Dominican. Either way glad to see this show recognized...Wash Heights and Inwood have at least a decade left this way before gentrification "whitewashes" it irreversibly, for better or worse. Glad Lin-Manuel was able to portray some of the positive, as a lot of the negative is already well known.
From: Canada
no he is absolutely PR but who cares same thing different Pile.....Capeman failed but will be revived it was also Latino and excellent...even though Paul Simon wrote it
From: United States
"Wash Heights and Inwood have at least a decade left this way before gentrification "whitewashes" it irreversibly, for better or worse."
Manhattanite,......This play will be a latino classic, just because we won't see a Wash Heights, like the one I grew up in 70's.
This gentrification crap.....is a silent killer that works it's way into society every 20 or 30 years. When I was born in the heights, there was more whites than latinos. The whites decided to leave upper manhattan and move to Upstate & New Jersey in the 60's & 70's. Than Latinos took over upper Manhattan, and today the kids of the people who left upper manhattan are the ones moving back too the neighbor hoods buying condos....what a joke....jajaja. I still remember how there parents and grandparents were so desperate to leave upper Manhattan because of the so called fear of crime, and drugs.
Todays whitewashers will be selling 20 or 30 years from now just to return back to the woods (Suburbs) again, thats the cycle.
From: United States, New York City
UC I do believe there is a cycle like that. However what I mean by irreversible is that I'm not sure northern Manhattan will swing very far back with the next economic downcycle, as in the modern USA everyone and their mom wants to move to NYC. Manhattan is already showing immunity to the current real estate downcycle. My memory is certainly shorter than yours but this place is not the same in 2008 as it was in 2003! An awful lot of rapid change in 5 years, accelerating every day...this is why I think this time it will be somewhat irreversible, but we shall see. In any case I know I hope to have a home here for a long time to come.
From: United States
UC and Man Nite:
Washinghton Heights was the "creme de la creme" when I first set my sights there, and moved to Wadsworth Ave. That was 1967. It was a gret place to grow up. The sights, the sounds, the educational opportunities, the Bridge. It was the center of my world. 3 blocks over the Bridge to Palisades Amusement Park, in Jersey. 7 or 8 blocks over the bridge to Jerome Avenue in the Bronx and beyond. However, it's fantastic that that brother Miranda had the talent to come up with the music and lyrics and put the Heights on the map. My props go to the brother of P.R. roots.
Yet, the nostalgia is just a feeling. The reality is that hard times are coming with gentrification or not. I grew up playin stickball on 177 St. between the passing cars; That's not really living. It's a big world out here. Sure we remember Highbridge and JHS143, or Stitt, but, hard times are coming to the Heights, and to the Big Apple. What ever you brothers do make sure you get out, soon.
From: United States
Ref: ArsenioALembertJr, 17 Jun 2008 7:15 PM
Man , what a flashback!
You took me back to a place I thought I had forgotten.
And so, my fellow Dominican, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.
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It gives me great pride to hear of my home (The Heights) away from home, mentioned in a favorable light. My memories of growing up in that neighborhood are mostly of fun and full of interesting things that occurred. From Snake Hill at the top of St. Nicholas Avenue, all the way to 155 St. and Riverside, that was my childhood territory. I'd ride the 100 bus, or the 104 bus, or the 3 or the 4 bus, up and down my 'Barrio'. I loved my corner of Manhattan, and it's about time that 'Nuestro Barrio', is recognized for being a fun and exciting place, rather than a place to look for escape in a powdered form. Starting in 1967 it was the place to live; The "A" train took you to 59 St. in 10 minutes, and the no.1 train took you to 96 Street in 30 minutes. Now finally, The Heights is really on Broadway; Though it's been there all along! You see Broadway runs through Washington Heights.
Manhattanite,......This play will be a latino classic, just because we won't see a Wash Heights, like the one I grew up in 70's.
This gentrification crap.....is a silent killer that works it's way into society every 20 or 30 years. When I was born in the heights, there was more whites than latinos. The whites decided to leave upper manhattan and move to Upstate & New Jersey in the 60's & 70's. Than Latinos took over upper Manhattan, and today the kids of the people who left upper manhattan are the ones moving back too the neighbor hoods buying condos....what a joke....jajaja. I still remember how there parents and grandparents were so desperate to leave upper Manhattan because of the so called fear of crime, and drugs.
Todays whitewashers will be selling 20 or 30 years from now just to return back to the woods (Suburbs) again, thats the cycle.
Washinghton Heights was the "creme de la creme" when I first set my sights there, and moved to Wadsworth Ave. That was 1967. It was a gret place to grow up. The sights, the sounds, the educational opportunities, the Bridge. It was the center of my world. 3 blocks over the Bridge to Palisades Amusement Park, in Jersey. 7 or 8 blocks over the bridge to Jerome Avenue in the Bronx and beyond. However, it's fantastic that that brother Miranda had the talent to come up with the music and lyrics and put the Heights on the map. My props go to the brother of P.R. roots.
Yet, the nostalgia is just a feeling. The reality is that hard times are coming with gentrification or not. I grew up playin stickball on 177 St. between the passing cars; That's not really living. It's a big world out here. Sure we remember Highbridge and JHS143, or Stitt, but, hard times are coming to the Heights, and to the Big Apple. What ever you brothers do make sure you get out, soon.
Man , what a flashback!
You took me back to a place I thought I had forgotten.
And so, my fellow Dominican, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.