Director’s Note

It’s never easy picking a musical. There are so many factors to consider and so many pieces that have to fall into place and while I’ve never directed a musical before (*first timer!) I have directed straight shows and been a part of the Fine Arts at Leyden my entire career so I know the challenge of the perfect fit. For me it was important to choose something that the students have a connection to, something that they care about, something that will be meaningful for them. When we started considering In the Heights I knew it would be a crazy challenge but I also knew that it would be SO important to our students because it would be the first time we had done a musical that would tell a story that they could really relate to. When students submitted their video auditions way back in November they wrote the most heartfelt and personal messages about what this musical, what this story, means to them and how they relate to it. That’s when I knew that we had made the right choice. The energy we’ve had since auditions has been palpable and so exciting to watch. I can’t wait to see what we’ve created, especially their enthusiasm. It’s really thrilling. Enjoy!

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our team on this production as I could not have done any part of this without them. Stacy Cunningham is a master of the vocal arts and pulls the most amazing sound out of these students, Miranda Colin is superior choreographer whose movement in this show was absolutely essential (with much needed assistance from Lindsay Longstreth), Teslen Sadowski built a stunning set that brings so much life to our stage, Gabe Gorsline gave us fireworks INSIDE, Anthony Holmes made our students voices and the pit sound fantastic, Soozie Holm and Olivia Ruffatto brought us back to NYC in 2006 and Jake Walker maestro’d our challenging accompaniment in the pit. It’s very much been a company effort and I could not be more thankful for their expertise.

Ok, these kids. Wait until you see these kids. They are owning this show and I am so, so proud of them. With kids of my own and having been a teacher for 20+ years these kids have put their phones down, they have sacrificed their afternoons and they’ve truly immersed themselves in this crazy experience to a level that most high school kids would never even consider. Parents, be proud of these kids. They have created something really beautiful while the rest of their peers are staring at a screen. They can do amazing things, and you’re going to see that tonight. 

Finally one of the members of our ensemble, Enrique Martinez, created a video with our students. It’s not finished (because the show hasn’t gone up yet) but it’s a great video (*so far) and if you would like to see a special message from our cast you should check it out. (https://tinyurl.com/videoforlin) 

I hope you enjoy the show as much as we have enjoyed putting it all together, 

Adrianne Nix