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Top Hat opens season with ‘Heights’
By Eric McCrea
youngstown
As local community theaters begin their season, Top Hat Productions ambitiously begins with the Tony Award-winning musical “In The Heights.”
Set in the largely Latino New York City neighborhood of Washington Heights, the story follows community members as they struggle to thrive as minorities in a challenging economy.
Usnavi, played by Jesus Torruella, owns a bodega but also holds the Heights residents together. He employs Sonny (Angel Febres) and pines for Vanessa (Samantha Daisher) who works in the salon next door. Across from the bodega is Rosarios Limousine service, owned by Kevin (Jesus Rosa) and his wife, Camila, played by Santa Cruz. When their daughter Nina (Julie Palumbo) returns home from her first year at Stanford, she informs her parents, and subsequently the entire neighborhood, that she has lost her scholarship and will be unable to return to school.
A Fourth of July party leads to a brawl and a blackout, followed by a day of cleaning up. One by one, the local business owners make their decisions to close up, move or sell their company. Will this be the end of a neighborhood that’s as close-knit as a family?
Top Hat is known for taking on big productions in its small space, and this show, while impressive and powerful, is a goldilocks for them. It isn’t so large that the space seems crowded, and the very impressive and largely fixed set removes any sense of sparseness.
The cast has some very strong members, but also a few weak links. Julie Palumbo has a stellar voice, and she’s great at harmonizing with her love interest Benny, played by Anthony Villa. However, she does not make the most convincing Latina. Villa’s voice also is impressive, as are his rapping skills.
Playing Nina’s parents, Rosa and Cruz have a natural chemistry, making them convincing as a couple. Rosa’s singing is a bit weak, but he makes up for it by having some strong sentimental moments in the end. Cruz is great at being feisty, and earns the title of dictator.
Febres is pitchy when singing, but his rap parts are hands down the best. His dance abilities also are impressive, and he has a charm that can’t be ignored.
Torruella has an even harder time than Febres finding the right notes, but his lyric-filled rap pieces are nothing to shake a finger at and come close to poetry. There are times, though, that he is difficult to hear.
Daisher has a powerful voice, and it’s not wasted in this production. She’s especially impressive harmonizing with Nikita Jones as Daniela and Annalese Samuel as Carla. Jones arguably has the best voice in the show, but during the scenes, it’s Samuel who steals the show.
Director Brian Palumbo also makes an appearance as the Piragua Guy, and though his voice is strong, his role borders on unnecessary, providing no substantial plot support and primarily appearing briefly between scenes.
The rest of the ensemble is great during their dance numbers, but vocally, they are all over the place. There’s no sense of harmony or cohesion in the group songs, and the Act I finale, “Blackout” starts off great, but turns into a cacophonous train wreck. The use of pre-recorded music may have played a part in the vocal issues.
Though the use of microphones is understandable during the songs, they do not help during the scenes at all. In the small space, the actors shouldn’t have any trouble being heard in the back row, but they do. Also, the microphones gave the scenes a feeling of being dubbed, like watching a Spanish-language soap opera with English voiceovers.
Overall, the undertaking is admirable and a worthwhile evening of entertainment.
“In The Heights” runs Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. until Oct. 18 at Fairview Arts and Outreach Center, 4220 Youngstown-Poland Road.
For reservations, call 800-838-8006.