“In the Heights” will run from June 28 to 30 and July 5 to 7. According to the theater, the musical will feature the largest cast of POC actors of any musical produced in the region.
ELDRIDGE, Iowa — Countryside Community Theatre is looking to reach new heights with its latest show, “In The Heights.”
The musical will run at North Scott Fine Arts Auditorium in Eldridge from June 28 to 30 and July 5 to 7. General admission tickets are $18. Tickets can be purchased here.
In the Heights is based on the novel by Quiara Alegría Hudes, which was later adapted for Broadway by Lin-Manuel Miranda. It is set in the Washington Heights neighborhood in Manhattan, New York City, which is predominantly Latino, particularly Afro-Puerto Rican and Dominican.
The musical follows Usnavi, a general store owner who cares for his elderly Cuban neighbors and is in love with a woman who works at a nearby beauty salon. Usnavi dreams of one day returning to his native Dominican Republic. Throughout the show, Usnavi and his community learn what it means to return home while celebrating the joy and resilience of immigration in America.
What makes Countryside groundbreaking is the makeup of its cast: 22 of the 25 cast members are people of color, according to theater board president Cindy Ramos.
“All of the leads in this musical are people of color, which is unheard of in this part of the world,” Ramos said.
Ramos said the audition process to find the cast was extensive, with actors auditioning in person and by video from near and far, including Wisconsin, Missouri, Chicago and Iowa City.
Ramos also said the show was chosen to reflect local audiences, particularly the large Hispanic community in the Quad Cities. It took two years of planning, grant applications and meetings with groups like the Davenport LULAC Council and the Greater Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to bring the show to fruition.
Countryside Community Theatre staff hope the show will have a ripple effect throughout the community, encouraging more diverse storytelling and opportunities for diverse leadership.
In an interview with Hola America News, Ramos said, “I’ve received countless thank yous. The show is sparking conversations about tradition and identity.”
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