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Left to right: Paul Joseph Estioko, Dominic Dagdagan, Steven Ho

• March 4, 2015

California State University, East Bay’s Theatre & Dance Department will mount a production of the Tony award-winning musical “In the Heights,” March 6–7 and March 13–15. The March 6–7 and 13–14 performances will begin at 8 p.m., and the March 15 performance will begin at 2 p.m. The show will take place in the University Theatre on the Hayward campus, and tickets are on sale at .

“In the Heights,” the 2008 Tony award winner for Best Musical as well as three other categories, was written by composer Lin-Manuel Miranda and playwright Quiara Alegria Hudes. The first musical written by and about Latinos to win a Tony award, “In the Heights” tells the story of a vibrant community on the brink of change in New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood, and explores themes such as the pressures of reaching for one’s dreams and the struggle to keep traditions alive. The musical draws inspiration from “West Side Story,” “Flower Drum Song,” and “Fiddler on the Roof.”

“In the Heights” broke new ground on Broadway by interweaving rap dialogue with Latin American dance and music. The musical score is a mix of salsa, merengue, hip-hop, breakdancing, and traditional Broadway musical numbers. This fusion of dance and musical styles reflects the diversity of the Washington Heights community that the story is set in.

“‘In the Heights’ is written about the Dominican and Puerto Rican-American neighborhood of Washington Heights, but it transcends the specific ethnicity. It is the classic American immigrant story, the story of a community that is under pressure, one that is changing, growing, and transforming,” said Professor Darryl V. Jones, director of the CSUEB production. “The story celebrates working hard to send children to school so they will do better than their parents who may have struggled with English. It honors becoming American, but still celebrating your ethnic and cultural heritage. For this reason, as well as the musical’s infectious music and dance, the show has developed a huge cult following of Asians, Latinos, Blacks, and Whites alike.”

Jones also noted that the Bay Area’s own diversity is reflected in the production. “Made up of Cal State East Bay Theatre and Dance students, guest artists from Foothill College, San Jose State, and others from throughout the Bay Area, our talented cast reflects the lively diversity of our local community and our own ‘Pioneer Heights,’” Jones said.

Cal State East Bay’s production of “In the Heights” also features choreography by Laura Elaine Ellis and Cathrine Delos Santos, and music direction by Sierra Dee. For more information about the production, please call Professor Darryl V. Jones at (510) 885-3926.