Before the global blockbuster Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the musical In the Heights.
Miranda's debut musical won four Tony Awards, including best musical, during its 2008 Broadway run, as well as a Grammy, and was adapted into feature film.
For most people, that would be regarded as an extraordinary achievement, but such is the scale of Lin Manuel Miranda's success that In the Heights is often explained as "the one before Hamilton".
Inspired by the Manhattan neighbourhood of Washington Heights near where he grew up, the score features hip-hop, salsa and Latin beats, and tells the story of an immigrant community wondering about the meaning of home.
After a sold-out run at the Sydney Opera House in 2024, the musical opens in Melbourne in August, followed by shows on the Gold Coast in September.
Ryan Gonzalez stars as Dominican-American Usnavi, who is trapped running a bodega but hopes for a simpler life in the Dominican Republic, while Olivia Vasquez stars as Vanessa.
In The Heights is at Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre from August 1 to September 6 followed by Home Of The Arts on the Gold Coast from September 12 to 24.
