Tony Award-winning Broadway musical In The Heights will make its London premiere this May at the Southwark Playhouse.
The winner of four of the prestigious US theatre awards in 2008, including the much coveted Best Musical prize, In The Heights’ Latin and hip-hop music infused story will be brought to London from 9 May to 7 June by director Luke Sheppard.
Described as “an exhilarating journey into Washington Heights”, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical centres on Manhattan’s famous district and a collection of stories from characters living within the vibrant community, where the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music.
The show features songs including Breathe, Hundreds Of Stories and Carnaval Del Barrio in a score as eclectic as the community itself, mixing salsa and Latin pop.
While the musical may be set across the Atlantic, Southwark Playhouse’s Artistic Director Chris Smyrnios explained the production has parallels with the theatre’s own local community, commenting: “In The Heights is a celebration of community and identity, but it is also a chronicle of the challenges facing a neighbourhood on the cusp of change. With Southwark Playhouse sitting at the heart of a passionate community faced with significant redevelopment, it’s an inspiring place to be debuting a new production of this bold piece.”
Sheppard, who has earned invaluable musical theatre experience as the Associate Director of hit West End shows Matilda The Musical and Singin’ In The Rain, will be joined in the creative team by choreographer Drew McOnie.
Casting for In The Heights is to be announced.