At last night’s performance of “In the Heights” the invasion began slowly. 

"In the Heights" made its way to Athens last night, and the performance excelled at everything that has distinguished the show sine it first premiered on Broadway: powerful themes and strong, almost chaotic, production. Courtesy "In the Heights"

One-by-one the cast filled the corners of the set as the lights came up and the overture began.

The set was expansive: a corner of Washington Heights crammed with shops and balconies. The cast moved with chaos, multiple motions blurred together as people from all over gathered together in the neighborhood. 

But it was settled by the momentary synchronicities of rhythm and movement that all actors on stage shared, bringing the cast together as a family, at home in its small space.

“In the Heights” chronicles the lives a few people living in a working-class Hispanic community. After a few troubled romances and tough decisions, the community is held together by its heritage and family-like connection with those they love.

It helped that the show was upbeat – always moving on, always an action occurring.

The constant activity of the plot was accentuated by the live orchestra, especially the lively trumpets calling attention to the actions on stage and livening up the mood for audience members.

Along with the music, the ensemble of dancers present in almost every song in the musical added to the excitement. The different members all had a new character to present to the audience while bringing the action of the play together.

Vocally, the solo voices were all stunning – each singing with precision and perfect tone. But nothing could outweigh the ensemble as a whole, and the not-quite-polished blend of voices gave life to story. As the cast members joined as one to sing, a power surged through each note. The unification of differences in each voice mirrored the same of the characters in the play.

In the end, family is the epicenter of the show: that of the cast and that of the characters. When all else is lost, family comes first. When you leave something behind is when you realize how much it means to you. These are the final themes of the story. 

Pride is not always a bad thing. And “In the Heights,” through its powerful, human storytelling told through song, echoed that theme throughout the night: that the most important thing we have is each other.