In the Heights at Hammer Theatre

The American dream is elusive, especially for those living in Washington Heights at the turn of the millennium. Hamilton writer and director Lin-Manuel Miranda sets his first musical in this Hispanic neighborhood of Manhattan at a time when the area—once identified as the “crack capital of America”—was rapidly gentrifying. Main character Usnavi de la Vega is the owner of a small bodega, which he is struggling to keep up in the face of forces beyond his control. The Tony Award-winning musical explores the Latino experience and marks the beginning of Miranda’s career as a Broadway star. Students get in for $10; the production runs through May 6. (SM)
In the Heights
Fri, 7pm, $20+
Hammer Theatre Center, San Jose