From its earliest version in 1999 to its Broadway debut in 2008, “In the Heights” has made audiences around the world exclaim, “Wepa!” Lin-Manuel Miranda’s precursor to “Hamilton “ revolves around a largely Latin American community in Manhattan’s Washington Heights neighborhood.
While some original cast members remain active in New York’s theatre scene, others have more massive projects while welcoming more accolades. Here’s what the original Broadway cast of “In the Heights” has been up to, 10 years later:
1. Lin-Manuel Miranda:
Undeniably the most successful original cast member, Miranda’s biggest triumph since was writing the hit musical “Hamilton,” which won 11 Tony Awards. He also received an Oscar nomination for writing music for “Moana” and is starring in the upcoming film “Mary Poppins Returns.”
2. Karen Olivo
After winning a Tony Award in 2009 for playing Anita in “West Side Story,” Karen Olivo performed in numerous Off-Broadway shows and co-starred with Miranda in the Encores! production of “Tick, Tick…Boom!” She will star in the pre-Broadway production of “Moulin Rouge” this summer in Boston, according to TheaterMania.
3. Mandy Gonzalez
After finishing her run as Nina, Mandy Gonzalez played Elphaba in “Wicked” and released her debut solo album last year. She has also collaborated with Postmodern Jukebox and is currently playing Angelica Schuyler in the New York production of “Hamilton.”
4. Olga Merediz
Since earning a Tony nomination for playing Abuela Claudia, Olga Merediz ha made several guest/recurring appearances on shows such as “Orange Is the New Black,” “Law and Order,” “Shades of Blue” and the short-lived sitcom “Saint George.”
5. Christopher Jackson
After finishing his run as Benny, Christopher Jackson earned three Emmy nominations and won one for his work on “Sesame Street.” He also received a Tony nomination for his role in “Hamilton” and won a Grammy with the rest of the “Hamilton” cast. He currently plays Chunk Palmer on the CBS drama “Bull.”
6. Andréa Burns
After originating the role of Daniela on Broadway, Andréa Burns starred in the New York premiere of Douglas Carter Beane’s play, “The Nance.” She also originated the role of Gloria Fajardo in the musical “On Your Feet!” and has guest-starred on “Jessica Jones.”
7. Janet Dacal
Janet Dacal played Carla in the Off-Broadway production and continued the role when it transferred to Broadway. After, she originated the role of Alice for the Tampa, Houston and Broadway productions of “Wonderland.” She also performed in the Broadway revue “Prince of Broadway” last year.
8. Priscilla Lopez
A Broadway veteran since 1967, Priscilla Lopez performed the role of Camila from 2008 to 2011. In 2014, she performed for a month in the Broadway revival of “Pippin.” Earlier this year, she starred with Ingrid Michaelson, Annie Potts and Bebe Neuwirth in the film “Humor Me.”
9. Robin de Jesús
After playing Sonny in the Off-Broadway and Broadway productions, Robin de Jesús received a Tony nomination for his performance. He earned another Tony nomination for playing Jacob in the 2010 Broadway revival of “La Cage aux Folles.” He played Boq in “Wicked” from 2014 to 2016 and is now starring in the Broadway premiere of “The Boys in the Band.”
10. Carlos Gómez
After playing Kevin in the Broadway production, Carlos Gómez had a regular role on “The Glades” and a recurring role on “Madam Secretary.” In 2016, he starred with Daphne Rubin-Vega (“Rent”) and Samira Wiley (“Orange Is the New Black”) in the play “Daphne’s Dive,” written by “In the Heights” co-writer Quiara Alegría Hudest.
11. Eliseo Roman
Since his turn playing the Piragua guy, Eliseo Roman has starred in the original Broadway casts of “Leap of Faith” and “On Your Feet!” He recently reprised his role as the Piragua guy in the Kennedy Center production of “In the Heights.”
12. Seth Stewart
After originating the role of Graffiti Pete, Stewart was a dancer in the film “Friends With Benefits” and the TV show “Smash.” Aside from being a backup dancer for Madonna and Jennifer Lopez, he was also Daveed Diggs’ understudy for Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson in “Hamilton.”