From the moment that the lights dimmed, the Good Counsel Theatre Company’s production of In the Heights was full of energy, color, and culture. The show immediately pulled the crowd into the busy and crowded neighborhood of Washington Heights with lively music, creative dancing, and a set highlighting different stores, specifically Rosario’s Car Service, De La Vega’s Bodega, and Daniela’s Salon. From their opening number, “In the Heights,” the cast demonstrated excitement and dedication through lengthy, rap-like musical solos, setting the tone early on. The musical was held in the Performing Arts Center at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School and ran on March 13th, 14th, 20th, and 21st. The auditions for the spring musical took place in the middle of

November, with preparation beginning shortly after role decisions as various parts of the crew began working even before Christmas break. 

In the Heights tells the story of Usnavi and the neighborhood community as they undergo a plethora of challenges involving identity, family expectations, money struggles, and following their dreams. Throughout Act I and Act II, the audience can clearly see how the characters support each other through hard times while upholding the chemistry between the actual students on the stage, showing their true support and collaboration. Songs such as “Breathe,” performed primarily by Nina Rosario, and “96,000,” featuring the entire cast, stood out due to the presence of strong vocals and exciting choreography with great energy. In addition, the song “Alabanza” regarding Abuela Claudia’s tragic death, which slowly incorporates each character and ensemble member, showed the cast’s ability to quickly transition from joyful scenes to more serious ones.

A highlight of the musical was the choreography of group numbers like “Carnaval del Barrio” and “The Club”. The modern dance moves and group harmonies made

these scenes the most entertaining and impactful. The colorful costumes and detailed set design, including graffiti and background buildings representing New York City, as well as moving set pieces, such as the exciting piragua cart, added a realistic feel. The lighting changes to either slow-motion or a single spotlight helped tell the story emotionally. Alex Silvey ’28, a sophomore ensemble member and the understudy for the lovable Sonny, says, “My favorite experience of working in the musical was the strong bonds created between the cast members through singing and acting.”

As a part of the ensemble, Silvey ’28 performed character work in the blackout scene with Abuela Claudia and in the final scene of the entire show. As Sonny’s understudy, Silvey ’28 had many difficult songs and stage directions to memorize; however, he found that learning to rap proved most challenging.

Finally, popular belief within the cast was that simple acting exercises and learning lines created an unbreakable bond, strengthening their chemistry and allowing for a better overall performance.

Actor relationships onstage similarly felt completely real. For example, the romance of Benny and Nina was as believable as the comedic moments shared by Usnavi and Sonny used to balance serious moments. The actress playing Abuela Claudia, junior Grace Mueller ’27, shined in key emotional areas as a frail, loving grandmother.

Overall, In the Heights perfectly exemplified not only the talent and effort of Good Counsel’s cast, crew, and staff, but their teamwork and dedication as well. While the production was entertaining, it was even more meaningful towards the school community by embracing our values of culture, connection, and support.