The Broadway show and movie musical, In The Heights, featuring music and lyrics by award-winning composer Lin-Manuel Miranda, has become a hit around the world. Offering a unique glimpse into the history and culture of Washington Heights, one of the largest Latin American enclaves in NYC, the authenticity of place was critical to the movie’s success.
On Thursday, March 31, AYON Studio Principal Angel Ayón joined the movie’s Location Manager, Samson Jacobson, in a conversation hosted by the Historic Districts Council. Their discussion explored the logistics of the production, which showcases the neighborhood's unique urban sites, open spaces, transportation facilities, and recreational venues, and how they depict the neighborhood’s unmatched vitality and its connection to the vibrant Caribbean culture and music that has flourished there.
With a variety of characters representing the stories of many Caribbean immigrants, In The Heights portrays the residents’ unique way of life, and celebrates the special ways in which the culture they brought with them has enriched that of New York City itself.
Click here to replay the event in You Tube.