In the Heights nabbed the Tony awards for both Best Musical and Best Original Score in 2008, and while the Broadway production is still chugging along—American Idol winner Jordin Sparks is scheduled to join that cast next month—the national touring version launched last fall, and is now headed to Orange County Performing Arts Center, the last domestic stop before going to Japan for a couple of weeks. It’s about life in the heavily Dominican-American neighborhood of Washington Heights in Manhattan, and seeing the stage production now will put you ahead of the singing and dancing curve. Like The Producers and Hairspray before it, an In the Heights movie is in the works, slated for 2011 and helmed by High School Musical director Kenny Ortega.
Tuesdays-Fridays, 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 2 & 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 1 & 6:30 p.m. Starts: Aug. 3. Continues through Aug. 15, 2010
