In The Heights
Music by Lin-Manuel Miranda | Book by Quiara Alegría Hudes
Conceived by Lin-Manuel Miranda | Directed by Carlos Armesto
Para ver el sitio web en español, haga click aquí
Mar 25 – Apr 27, 2025
Winner of the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical, In the Heights tells the story of a vibrant community in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood – a place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open, and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. From the creator of Hamilton, this hip musical will win you over with its sweet story and hot tunes.
Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, plus a 15-minute intermission
MUSICAL • LATINO EXPERIENCE • FAMILY FRIENDLY
Honorary Producers:
Drs. Philip and Harriet Freidenreich
Joseph F. Santy III
Watch the Trailer
Watch a clip from “Carnaval del Barrio”
Watch a clip from the opening number from “In The Heights”
Production Photos
Special Show Events
The opening night performance of each show is followed by a light reception.
Enjoy drinks courtesy of Pat Deon Beverages and Dad’s Hat along with pasta courtesy of Cesare’s Ristorante.
Apr 2 | 6:30pm
A great way to wind down midweek with wine courtesy of Innocenti Family Wines and desserts by Donna’s Delicious Delights LLC.
Apr 5 | Pre-Show
Join us for an evening of centering and celebrating the Latino community and Latino theatre makers.
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Apr 10 | 6:30pm
Enjoy snacks and beer courtesy Dog & Bull Brew & Music House, Naked Brewing, and Philly Style Soft Pretzel.
Meet the Cast
FACUNDO AGUSTIN (Piraguero) Argentine performer, his credits in Argentina include: Smokey Joe’s Café, Yiya, un té musical, Paion Bohemia, among others. He was also a guest artist for the international singer Valeria Lynch at the Gran Rex Theater in Argentina. Based in New York some of his works include: Mummy in the Closet – GALA Theater, Washington DC, On Your Feet! The musical 2nd Broadway National Tour, On Your Feet! The musical – Long Island, New York , A Tango Dancer Cinderella at Teatro SEA, where he worked as an assistant director and actor, Antigone in Ferguson, also different events including the NY Queer Tango Festival, 2022 Telemundo Upfront “Turn it up”, PUNTO SEA, Pride Celebration among others. His first play as Director part of Micro Theater New York was En el país del encierro, todo es mágico and his second play as director and main actor No me Arrepiento was part of the Festival UNI2 at the Julia de Burgos Center, for which he received the ATI Award for Best Musical Theater Actor.
PAULA GAUDIER (Nina Rosario) is a proud native Puerto Rican actor. Off-Broadway: The Beautiful Lady directed by Anne Bogart (La MaMa). Regional: A Little Night Music directed by Julianne Boyd (Barrington Stage Company); Maria in West Side Story directed by Bryan Knowlton (Mac-Haydn Theater, Berkshire Theater nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical). NYC: James Abud is Alive and Güd… directed by George Abud (El Barrio’sArtspace); Exist: A New Musical directed by Marina Montesanti (Columbia University). University Theatre: Diana Morales in A Chorus Line and Julie Jordan in Carousel, both productions directed by Beth Burrier. Paula recently graduated from Manhattanville University with a BFA in Musical Theater. She also studied classical guitar at the Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico. Soy latina. Soy Puertorriqueña. Soy Artista. Que nuestras historias siempre sean contadas con propósito de conocer, compartir y amar con orgullo en el corazón por nuestra patria. @paulagaudier
JESSY GRUVER (Camila Rosario) [she/ella] is so excited to be back at BRT! Recent credits include Alma in Alma and Gina in Clean Slate at Passage Theatre, Senga in Dancing Lessons with Montgomery Theatre, the Stepmother in Into the Woods at Arden Theatre, Clotaldo in Life is a Dream with EgoPo Classic Theatre, and Valentina in the world premiere of Extreme Home Makeover with Theatre Exile. She has performed with the Walnut Street Theatre South Pacific, Arden Theatre Candide, Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre Hunchback of Notre Dame and Seussical, Teatro del Sol Oedipus el Rey, PIFA/Kimmel Center Crystal Palace, Bristol Riverside Theatre Pride and Prejudice, Ragtime, Pirates of Penzance and various Musicales, and the Venetian Macao Resort, among others. Jessy is also a burlesque artist and producer. Endless thanks and love to P and E. www.JessyGruver.com
SUZANNA GUZMÁN (Abuela Claudia) is honored to make her debut at Bristol Riverside Theatre. A two-time Grammy nominee, and 2023-24 Hispanic Opera Legend of Los Angeles Opera, she began her musical theatre career as Amazon #2 in The King and I, with Yul Brynner. A national finalist in the Metropolitan Opera Competition, her portrayal of Carmen (HGO, Kennedy Center, Opera de Nice) earned critical acclaim, with TIME calling her a “fire-breathing, singing actress.” She’s created roles in world premieres, including Duchess of Alba, Mentotti’s Goya, Paula in Catan’s Florencia, and Lucha in Yuval Sharon’s Hopscotch. Host of Sunday Evening Opera on radio KMZT for ten seasons, Guzmán also hosted the PBS TV show Open Call and won two LA Emmy Awards for her work as longtime host of the live, televised event, The Annual LA County Holiday Celebration on PBS SoCal. Her honors include 2006 Mentor of the Year Award from the Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Nederlander Association. Recent theatre credits include Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music (La Mirada), Mrs. Chavez in Let the Eagle Fly (B Street), and Dowager in Anastasia (Tuacahn). Her one-woman show, Don’t Be Afraid; It’s Just Opera!, has reached over 500,000 students across the U.S. For more, visit www.suzannaguzman.com.
SONYA HERNÁNDEZ (Vanessa) [She/Her] is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer and singer. She studied Musical Theatre at New York Film Academy and got her BFA in acting from University of Puerto Rico. Her credits include: West Side Story International Tour (Swing / Maria u/s) / Addams Family (Ensemble) / Evita (Ensemble) / Off Broadway’s The Magic Box (Danielle) / West Side Story (Margarita) / The Polar Express (Stuart Elf) / On Your Feet (Ensemble) / Jesus Christ Superstar (Ensemble/Soul girl).
WESLEY HODGES (Benny) is very excited to make his debut with Bristol Riverside Theatre! Wesley has performed regionally throughout the country, and he is excited to perform in PA for the first time. Some of his favorite roles include Tom Collins (Rent), Curtis Jackson (Sister Act), Billy Bigelow (Carousel), Harpo (The Color Purple), Mereb (Aida), and Lank (Detroit ‘67). Wesley thanks the cast, crew and creative team for their incredible work and thanks his family and friends for their constant love and support. BM The University of Southern Mississippi. MM Oklahoma City University. @bariwithglasses
VERONICA CAROLINA LEITE (Ensemble) is so thrilled to be in the barrio with an amazing cast and crew! She is a bicoastal performer who graduated from NYU in May of 2023. She has most recently appeared in Footloose: The Musical under the direction of Grease’s Barry Pearl at The Colony Theater, and also previously performed in A Chorus Line as Kristine at The Vanguard Theater. Other Credits include The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Vera Ciocca’s “When You’re Close To Me” music video. “Thank you mom & dad always, my rocks and my biggest fans, Alison at ACP Talent, and the team at Go2Talent! For baby V, always.” @veronicacarolinaleite
KEITH LIVINGSTON (Ensemble) is ecstatic to be back at BRT for In The Heights. BRT: A Few Good Men, The Producers, Jesus Christ Superstar. Regional: Utah Shakespeare Festival, Arden Theatre Company, Boise Contemporary Theater, Media Theatre, Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia Artist’s Collective, Lantern Theater Company, Elm Shakespeare Company. He holds two B.A.’s from the University of New Haven & is a proud alum of the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center’s National Music Theatre Institute. Endless thanks to Mom.
DANIEL L. MELO (Usnavi) [he/him/his] is an actor/singer born in New Jersey and raised in the Bronx, New York. He currently resides in the Lehigh Valley, about an hour away from Bristol, PA. Daniel is a proud alum of The University of the Arts. His mission as an actor is to carefully create characters that can encourage audiences to reflect on their own lives and inspire them to contribute to society positively. He is grateful and excited to debut his first role at Bristol Riverside Theatre as Usnavi. This role allows him to share his Dominican ancestry, as he was also raised by Dominican parents. In his adolescence, Daniel spent many years visiting his grandmother in Washington Heights, a neighborhood that became his father’s home for several years when he first immigrated to the States. Daniel has collaborated with several artists in the Philadelphia area, portraying several Latino roles in both English and Spanish. Some of his credits have included roles at Theatre Horizon, Delaware Shakespeare Company, Teatro Del Sol, The Rev Theatre Co. in Auburn, NY, ColabArts in New Brunswick, NJ, and NCC Summer Theatre in the Lehigh Valley. Enjoy the Show!!
ELIJAH PEARSON-MARTINEZ (Sonny) emphatically makes his Bristol Riverside Theatre debut while returning to a show quite near and dear to him. Elijah is a former UArts student and is grateful for the many teachers, colleagues, and friends he made in this time attending and continues to work with and support the UArts community in their untimely closing. Based in both Florida and the northeast, his major credits include the 2024 national tour of Little Women (Laurie Standby) and the stage premier of Michael Leeds’ The Graduate (Benjamin Braddock), How to Succeed… (J.P. Finch), Into the Woods (Jack), and Fun Home (Bobby Jeremy). Finally, he would like to take a few words to thank his family for their unwavering support through both the highs and lows of working in the arts. @elijahrpm
VÍCTOR RODRÍGUEZ, JR. (Kevin Rosario) is a Philly-based performer who wears several hats within the field. In theater, his latest endeavors include playing 6 different character roles in El Vestido de Cristal with Esperanza Theater (New Brunswick, NJ), 7 different character roles in Nichos with Esperanza Theater (Phila.), Ancestor Eleguá in Siluetas with Power Street Theater (Phila.), George Zimmerman in The Ballad of George Zimmerman with Mouth of Babes Theatre, (Wilmington, NC), Sancho Panza in Man Of La Mancha– Barrymore Winner (Delaware Theatre Company), Constable Joe in Tuck Everlasting with The Centre Theater (Norristown, PA), and Homer/Old Sheep in Charlotte’s Web (Arden Theatre Company). On Indie Film, some highlights include supporting roles in: Junk in The Truck: GONE (Red Arena Films), Ojalá (Accipiter Pictures), and The Condo (David Zhou Films). On T.V., he has been in a few commercials, including, 6ABC App, Patriot Home Care, (Eng. and Sp.) and Good2Go Car Insurance (Sp.). Victor is also a bilingual Voice-Over actor with a large body of work and is a private Vocal Instructor at Diminuto Music Studio in Philadelphia. www.diminutomusicstudio.weebly.com Lastly, he is grateful for Patrick’s love, light, and unwavering support!
SHANNON SHARPE (Ensemble) is so happy to be back on the BRT stage, where she was last seen in BIG! The Musical (Cynthia Benson, Junior Dance Captain, Ensemble). Other shows include: Mamma Mia! (Main/Lead Dancer, Ensemble), Beauty and the Beast (Madame De La Grande Bouche), Grease (U/S Frenchy, Main Dancer, Ensemble), Damn Yankees (Main Dancer, Ensemble), Rodgers and Hammerstein: Cinderella (Main Dancer, Ensemble). Shannon thanks everyone at BRT, her friends and family for their continuous support and encouragement. @shan_sharpe
CAMI TALEISNIK (Carla) is an Argentinian performer thrilled to make her In the Heights debut! Recent credits include The Return of Eva Perón (Isabel Perón, u/s Eva Perón –GALA Theatre), Broadway National Tour of On Your Feet! (Swing), Revoltosa (2023 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Ensemble), World Premiere of On Your Feet! en Español (GALA), The Lion King (Mexico), and Shrek: The Musical (Argentina). She also led the aerial immersive theatre experience Hombre Vertiente (De La Guarda). She would like to thank everyone she’s met along the way who has helped pave the path to this stage today! IG: @camitaleisnikwww.camitaleisnik.com
SHAN WILLIAMS II (Ensemble) excited to return to Bristol Riverside Theatre in In The Heights. Touring Credits include Baby Shark’s Big Broadwave Tour. Regional credits include Cabaret (Bristol Riverside Theatre), South Pacific and Sweet Charity (BCCPA), A Christmas Carol (McCarter Theatre) To Kill a Mockingbird and Much Ado About Nothing (Holmdel Theatre). Special thanks to his family for their unconditional love and support!
CHELSEA ZENO (Daniella) Off Broadway, Distant Thunder (Shareen, Amas & A.R.T.) Regional credits include Kinky Boots (Lauren, ACT), In the Heights (Vanessa, Gateway Playhouse, WPPAC, PA Shakespeare Festival, and TUTS), Distant Thunder (Shareen, First Americans Museum), Hunchback of Notre Dame (Esmeralda, Fuse Productions). Chelsea performs nationally with the ultimate Disney tribute band, The Little Mermen. You can catch her singing on the Distant Thunder cast recording, as well as on Davey K’s Fun Facts kid’s album. Love and gratitude to this wonderful creative team and cast. For my family and for Puerto Rico! @chelsea_zeno
Production Credits
Director: Carlos Armesto
Choreographer: Luli Brindisi
Music Director: Carlos Bauzys
Set Designer: Meghan Jones
Costume Designers: Linda Bee Stockton
Lighting Designer: J.D. Hopper
Sound Designer: Ryk Lewis
Production Stage Manager: Amy Massari
Assistant Stage Manager: Miranda Watkins
Important Event Information
Concessions available for purchase, including beer and wine
Free parking
Wheelchair accessible; assisted listening devices available
The play will take place at Bristol Riverside Theatre located at 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, PA
Sponsored by:
