In the Heights with concept, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and book by Quiara Alegria Hudes, made a splash on Broadway, scoring the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical and winning over audiences with its fresh-faced charm and vibrant music. The contemporary score pulses with hip-hop, salsa, merengue, and soul, accompanying an exhilarating journey into the lives of the residents of the Dominican-American neighborhood of Washington Heights in New York City, a place where everyone knows your business and ultimately has your back.
The Musical Theatre West production at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach is directed to perfection by Jesse J. Sanchez, with Associate Direction and exciting Choreography by Marissa Herrera and Music Direction by Conductor Rod Bagheri. The high energy musical rocks the house with the spirited cast singing harmoniously and dancing up a storm in this sung-through extravaganza about following your dreams no matter the obstacles thrown in your way.
Shining stars of the production include Rubén J. Carbajal as Usnavi, a young man who owns a small bodega coffee shop where the neighborhood congregates to gossip and hopefully buy a winning lottery ticket. Carbajal steps into this role at a meaningful moment in his life as a new father, adding a personal layer to the show’s themes of legacy, responsibility, and building a future for the next generation. When his elderly neighbor Abuela Claudia (Suzanna Guzman) wins big, she decides to share the wealth with Usnavi who dreams of returning to his parents’ island home where he can buy a place on the beach and live the kind of life he has always dreamed about. But will he really decide to leave the neighborhood as it slowly degenerates or decide to stay and help revitalize it? And what about his developing relationship with Vanessa, the hottest young woman in the neighborhood? Will he really leave her?
Another shop on the block is the limo service run by Camila (Elvira Barjau) whose deep-seated anger at having to play second fiddle to her conservative husband Kevin (Mario Rocha) comes to the surface during her emotional solo “Enough.” The two have saved their whole lives to send their only child Nina (Amanda Aceves-Lopez) to Stanford, but instead she finds comfort in the arms of their trusted employee Benny (Antwone Barnes). But her father is adamant Benny is not the right match for Nina due to his lack of education and the color of his skin. But the two know their hearts, and Act 2 opens with the young lovers Romeo and Juliet balcony love scene as “Sunrise” begins a new day in the close-knit community.
The third shop is the beauty salon where Vanessa (curvaceous Angelica Lozada Ramos) works, a young woman searching for a new apartment she cannot really afford on her salon salary. Known for dating around the neighborhood, her current sights have turned to Usnavi. Her two co-workers Daniela (Veronica Vazquez-Jackson) and Carla (Rianny Vasquez) are an incredibly entertaining duo representing women attempting to succeed in a neighborhood where most shops are owned and operated by men. But as the neighborhood gentrifies and rents increase, the two decide to close the shop and move to the Bronx. But until they do, their joyful spirits infuse each big ensemble number.
Local color is added by the vocal talents of Berto Fernández as Piragua Man, the push cart seller whose shaved ice drinks cool off the neighborhood during the summer heat wave, and Patrick “PATCHES” Viloria as Graffiti Pete. Usnavi’s employee Sonny (Adam Leiva) dislikes working and pines for Vanessa’s love, which we get a glimpse of during their trio “It Won’t Be Long Now.” And which gives Usnavi a good reason to stay and keep the vibrant neighborhood together? You’ll have to see it to find out!
In the Heights continues at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 E Atherton Street in Long Beach through Sunday, April 26 on select dates and times. Full schedule and tickets starting at $25 are available at musical.org or by phone at 562-856-1999. Available seats sold at the box office prior to each show, with student rush tickets for $15 are available at the Box Office one hour prior to showtime with a valid student ID. Campus parking is $10, available in Lot G12, directly in front of the Carpenter Center.
BroadStage, SM Festivals, and the City of Santa Monica are presenting the inaugural Santa Monica International Jazz Festival debuting May 1 – 9, 2026. This new destination event, inspired by marquee festivals like Montreux and Monterey, is the shared vision of legendary musician Stanley Clarke -a four-time Grammy winner as well as an NEA Jazz Master – and BroadStage. It also amplifies what the LA Times calls “an L.A. Jazz renaissance.”
Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, led by world-renowned pianist Hiromi Uehara, will perform in a pre-festival show on May 1 just a few miles away at the Orpheum Theatre. The festival proper will kick off at Third Street Promenade on May 3 with a free-to-the public, all-day event featuring high-quality young L.A.-based musicians and budding students on the cusp of professional careers. Acclaimed saxophonists Lakecia Benjamin (a six-time Grammy nominee) and Isaiah Collier (a Chicago Tribune Jazz Artist of the Year) are also part of the wider festival lineup. They will celebrate John Coltrane’s centennial at BroadStage on May 8.
After double 2026 Grammy wins, Kamasi Washington will headline this new destination event at its Tongva Park finale on May 9, the first full-scale concert held at Santa Monica’s premier green space. Also appearing at the festival’s May 9 finale is artistic director and BroadStage Artist in Residence Stanley Clarke, who will leadStanley Clarke and Friends. This all-star group features iconic drummer, composer and co-founder of The Police, Stewart Copeland, who will perform with Clarke for the first time in several years. This one-time only set will pay tribute to Miles Davis and John Coltrane, since 2026 marks the centennial of their births, and will alsoinclude unique versions of classic Police songs.
LA’s KNOWER will play a full band live set at the May 9 finale, and The Miles Electric Band (M.E.B.), fronted by Davis’s nephew Vince Wilburn, Jr, will take the Tonga Park stage to pay tribute to his uncle’s towering legacy.
This event also adds momentum to a burgeoning Santa Monica live event renaissance, following recent announcements of World Cup activations this summer, a Goldenvoice festival later this fall, plus an ESPN fan engagement experience in 2027 and Olympic events in 2028.
For Santa Monica International Jazz Festival tickets, VIP packages including prime seating, artist meet and greets, priority entry, and other premium experiences, go to https://www.ticketmaster.com/santa-monica-international-jazz-festival-tickets/artist/4217544. For a complete festival calendar and more information, visit https://www.smjazzfest.com/