Auditions coming for QC premiere of ‘In the Heights’

Seven years before Lin-Manuel Miranda became a household name with the 2015 premiere of the musical phenomenon “Hamilton,” the multi-hyphenate genius struck gold with his first Broadway show, “In the Heights.”

With concept, music and lyrics by Miranda (about his home neighborhood), the “Heights” story is set over three days, involving characters in the largely Dominican American neighborhood of Washington Heights in Upper Manhattan, New York City.

It was nominated for 13 Tony Awards and won four, including Best Musical, and the Quad Cities premiere will be staged this summer by Countryside Community Theatre in Eldridge, June 28-July 7.

Auditions for the two summer CCT summer shows (the other is Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” July 26-Aug. 4) will be held at North Scott High School auditorium on Saturday, Feb. 3, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 4, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (with callbacks after if needed).

Cindy Ramos, CCT board president, is thrilled to finally see “In the Heights” come to a QC stage and celebrate Hispanic culture – which has been a vital, growing part of the area for decades.

“I don’t think people have known how to start the conversation and bring people in the door,” she said recently of seeking Latinx performers for local productions.

A lot of people have told her, they just have never been asked to be in a show, and Ramos recalls often being the lone Latina in shows when she was young.

She’s seen the 2021 movie version of “Heights,” but she took issue with the mother not being in it (she is a main role in the 2008 stage version).

Ramos started reaching out to the Latino community in the QC two years ago to drum up interest in the show, including to LULAC, Viva Quad Cities winners, Ballet Folklorico and area churches.

“Just going in person – it’s not enough to email,” she said of outreach. “You find that everybody is connected somehow.”

Ramos has connected with people she went to high school with who did theater, but not community theater in the years following.

“It’s kind of intimidating when nobody looks like you and you’re going into a room,” she said of auditions. Ramos is hoping to cast 17 to 25 people (including kids), and not all have to be Latino, she said.

The show’s licensing rights require local productions to cast Latinx actors in those roles, Ramos said. “It’s similar to ‘Hairspray’ – if you don’t have African-Americans, you can’t do that show.”

She hopes all the interest in “Hamilton” will boost turnout for actors to come out for “Heights.”

The CCT Facebook page says that the two 2024 summer musicals have a common theme – both “beautifully weave tales of characters chasing dreams and discovering their true selves. Whether it’s the vibrant streets of Washington Heights or an enchanting undersea world, the journey of self-discovery resonates in every note and lyric of our season,” the page says.

Audition details

If you can’t audition in person this weekend, video submission are due no later than noon on Sunday, February 4^th. For “In the Heights,” send videos to director Kris Doss at InTheHeights@cctqc.org.

Perform 16 – 32 bars of a showtune that best shows off your voice. If you wish to be considered for the role of Usnavi, also include a short rap selection from the show. Explain your dance background (if any) and tell about your “Sueñito” or favorite little dream as a child.

“In the Heights” tells the universal 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, according to CCT.

It’s a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams and pressures, where the biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions you take with you, and which ones you leave behind.

“In the Heights” celebrates, uplifts, and amplifies a Latinx community in New York City. To honor the authors’ vision and to clearly and appropriately tell that story, the roles should be cast accordingly. Company members must match the character definitions as written in the script.

For “The Little Mermaid” (directed by Tristan Tapscott), send video submissions to Tristan@TristanTapscott.com. Sing 16 bars of something magical, and a song from the show is encouraged. Auditioners are asked to detail any movement background (or lack thereof) and tell them a funny story.

For specific character descriptions in each show (including ages and vocal ranges), visit the CCT Facebook audition page HERE.

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