Olney and Round House's In the Heights Raises More Than $100K for Hurricane Relief

Olney Theatre Center and Round House Theatre's recent production of In the Heights, which closed on October 22, raised a grand total of $105,231.22 for hurricane relief. The goal for the ongoing campaign was to surpass a fundraising total of $96,000, a number represented in Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes's Tony-winning musical. Funds will be distributed to the Hispanic Federation, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, and the American Red Cross. The total does not include the
pledged matching gifts from members of the boards of directors of Round House Theatre and Olney Theatre Center.

Directed and choreographed by Marcos Santana, the production starred original Broadway cast member Robin De Jesús as Usnavi, alongside a company featuring Linedy Genao (Vanessa), Mili Diaz (Nina), Marquise White (Benny), Rayanne Gonzales (Abuela Claudia), Natascia Diaz (Daniela), Michael J. Mainwaring (Sonny), Danny Bolero and Vilma Gil (Nina's parents Kevin and Camila), Juan Drigo Ricafort (Graffiti Pete), Tobias A. Young (Piragua Guy), and Scean Aaron, Eunice Bae, Sharlane Conner, Andre Hinds, Jesse Jones, Ashleigh King, Rebecca Kritzer, and Melissa Victor in the ensemble.

Featuring a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes and music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton), In the Heights tells the story of a vibrant community in Manhattan's Washington Heights. The show won Tonys for Best Musical, Best Music and Lyrics (Lin-Manuel Miranda), Best Choreography (Andy Blankenbuehler), and Best Orchestrations (Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman). The original cast recording won the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.