Characters (with Original Cast)
Usnavi de la Vega (Lin-Manuel Miranda): Usnavi is the narrator of the musical's exposition. He owns a small bodega in Washington Heights. He was named after one of the first sights his parents saw when entering America, a ship with "US Navy" on it. His parents died during his early childhood leading him to be "practically raised" by Abuela Claudia. He dreams of moving to the Dominican Republic. He is in love with Vanessa.
Nina Rosario (Mandy Gonzalez): Nina is the first in her family (and the neighborhood) to go to college. She is the "one who made it out" with massive success by attending Stanford University. She returns home for the summer and needs to tell her parents, and the barrio, that she dropped out from being overburdened to pay tuition. She was always the "good girl," but now loses patience with her father frequently. She enters into a relationship with Benny.
Benny (Christopher Jackson): Benny works at the Rosario's cab company dispatch. He is the only character is the play that isn't Latino. Benny falls in love with Nina. He dreams of opening his own buisness.
Vanessa (Karen Olivo): Vanessa works at Daniela's salon. She is stunningly beautiful and Usnavi's love interest. She eventually realizes that she reciprocates those feelings. She lives with an alcoholic mother and dreams of moving to a downtown apartment.
Abuela Claudia (Olga Merediz): Abuela Claudia is that loving matriarchal figure for the barrio. She knows everybody and is the grandmother to all. She looked after Usnavi when his parents died. She and her mother moved from Cuba to New York in 1943 when she was a young child. She worked as a maid for many years, but she never made enough to travel home with her mother.
Kevin Rosario (Carlos Gomez): Kevin is Nina's overprotective father. He comes from a long line of farmers, but he worked hard to accomplish his dream of providing for his family and own his own business in America. He owns his own taxi cab service which he sells to pay for Nina's tuition. He worries about being useless for his family and not providing.
Camila Rosario (Priscilla Lopez): Camila is Nina's strong-willed mother who always wants what is best for Nina. She works to keep her family together and happy.
Sonny de la Vega(Robin de Jesús): Sonny is Usnavi's younger, seemingly lazy, yet ambitious cousin. He works with Usnavi in the bodega. He is a big jokester, but he yearns for social justice.
Daniela (Andréa Burns): Daniela is the dramatic and gossipy salon owner. She is very bold and loud. She is close friends with Carla.
Carla (Janet Dacal): Carla works at Daniela's salon. She is young, pretty, and a little slow to pick up on others' jokes. She is close friends with Daniela.
Graffiti Pete (Seth Stewart): Pete is a graffiti artist. He is good friends with Sonny. Usnavi believes PEte is a trouble-maker and vandal. He reveals his artistic skills at the end of the show.
Piragua Guy, aka Piragüero (Eliseo Román): The Piragua Guy is the owner of a small piragua stand that competes with the local Mister Softee.
In the Heights Wikipedia, "Characters" and "Cast"
Awards Won
Original Off-Broadway Production
Drama Desk Award (2007)
- Outstanding Ensemble Performance
- Outstanding Choreography: Andy Blankenbuehler
Clarence Derwent Award (2007)
- Most Promising Male Performer: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Original Broadway Production
Tony Award (2008)
- Best Musical
- Best Original Score: Lin-Manuel Miranda
- Best Choreography: Andy Blankenbuehler
- Best Orchestrations: Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman
Grammy Award (2008)
- Best Musical Show Album