We all have our history. These are the stories of where we came from and the dreams to where we are going. Many times we need to sit back and listen to our grandmothers, abuelas, mimas or nanas to get a glimpse of the past. Like the travelers before us, we keep the story going.
When I first took on this musical, I could relate to the people, the places and the lifestyles of living in a close-knit community. Growing up Puerto Rican, there were always people at our house, borrowing our things and eating our food, but that was normal. The community was family. You complained about the same things and held fiestas for every reason. Anything good happen in the community was a “win-win” for everyone, just to be able to cook that pork on an open flame (Ahh Pernil!)
Our city, Elizabeth, a community that knows each other; so many of our students had never had the experience of feeling that closeness or understanding, the struggles of being a first time immigrant in the city. So I gave the students a mission, get to know your elders, your parents, your aunts and uncles that traveled here to the states and had nothing. Ask them to tell you the stories of how they started, how they were treated, who was their first friend, what was there first job and then feel the essence of “In The Heights”.
There hasn’t been another musical that has offered the chance for Latinos to be represented in a “normal life” in a long time, since West Side Story. So we can thank the creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, for bringing to life a musical that encompasses life in the city among friends and the community.
The students have worked hard to bring that community to life for you and in the process I hope you find those connections, embrace those memories, and laugh at those moments you know to well.
So please, enjoy the Liberty Players in their production of IN THE HEIGHTS!
Yasmin Maher
**Click the link for tickets:** https://elps.booktix.com/view/14/7dcf843452c1db76/
Thomas Jefferson's Arts Academy, Liberty Players, will present the musical "In The Heights" beginning tonight and will end on Saturday, March 25th.
All performances will occur at the Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy Theater, located at 27 Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza in Elizabeth.
Elizabeth, NJ 07208