South Bend Civic Theatre is looking for people of Latin American background for the cast and crew of a production ofIn The Heightsin March.
In The Heights is a musical written by Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. It follows a few days in the life of the residents of the primarily Latino Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City where Miranda grew up.
Aaron Nichols is the executive director of the South Bend Civic Theatre. He says they choose the show to encourage more people to engage with theatre.
“The Civic is for all. And specifically this show is aimed directly at our Latin American community. And how wonderful is it that we have a story that is so powerful, such a universal story that centers on the Latin American experience?”
Nichols calls it a project, rather than a performance. There will also be a symposium on race and identity in American theatre and a Latin American art exhibit going on around performance time.
He says reaching out the Latino community in South Bend is part of their goal, but just to put on the musical they have to.
“This show does require about 20 people coming from that experience just on the stage and we’re also looking not just for actors and singers but we’re looking for musicians, we’re looking for ushers, we’re looking for people to work backstage.”
Auditions are November 20th and 21st at the Civic and on the 29th at La Casa De Amistad. Nichols says no experience or preparation is necessary. Performances are scheduled March 9th through the 25th.