New York City Center has set its complete cast for an upcoming three-week gala presentation of Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes’s Tony Award-winning musical In the Heights, running from October 28 to November 15, 2026, as the opening production of the 2026–2027 Encores! series.
Complete Cast Set for New York City Center Gala
The star-studded lineup for the upcoming Manhattan engagement features Natalie Venetia Belcon leading the cast as Claudia alongside Matte Martinez stepping into the central role of bodega owner Usnavi. Jaci Calderon joins them as Nina, with Ashley De La Rosa as Vanessa, Linedy Genao as Daniela, Ishmael Gonzalez as Sonny, and Ivan Hernandez as Kevin. Rounding out the principal company are Cedric Leiba Jr. as Piragüero, Aaron James McKenzie as Benny, Ilia Isorelýs Paulino as Carla, and Veronica Vazquez-Jackson as Camila.
The broader ensemble cast brings together Gabi Campo, Adriel Flete, Amanda K. Lopez, Kate Louissaint, Ángel Lozada, Yani Marin, Alora Tonielle Martinez, Bianca Leticia Medina, Sael Antonio Nuñez, Cristian Chino Rodriguez, Kiki Rodriguez, SeQuoiia, Michael Anthony Sylvester, and Ricardo A. Zayas. Casting for the production is handled by The Telsey Office. Featuring music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a book by Pulitzer Prize winner Quiara Alegría Hudes, In the Heights blends hip-hop, Latin rhythms, and traditional Broadway sounds to tell a multigenerational story about family, ambition, and belonging. The musical unfolds over three hot July days in New York City’s Washington Heights as bodega owner Usnavi and his neighbors navigate the meaning of home in a rapidly changing neighborhood.
Creative Team and Historical Roots in Washington Heights
The upcoming staging is directed by David Mendizábal, featuring choreography by Mayte Natalio and music direction by Alejandro Senior.
“In The Heights inspired a generation of young artists to see themselves onstage and believe that a career in theater was possible for them,” said Jenny Gersten, VP & Artistic Director, Musical Theater, in a statement. “It’s incredibly meaningful to now place this beloved musical in the hands of David, Mayte, and Alejandro, who are pouring their hearts into creating a company where so many performers are having a true breakout moment—and to see that happen at City Center in the heart of New York City, where this story began, makes it all the more special.”
The casting announcement brought an unexpected rehearsal room crossover highlighted by Lin-Manuel Miranda on Instagram. Miranda celebrated the news alongside Matte Martinez and Jaci Calderon, confirming that both actors are also involved in his upcoming musical Warriors, which is slated to open on Broadway in spring 2027.
“Our new Usnavi and Nina are on Warriors too, so it’s a bit of a day here at rehearsal. Full City Center cast announcement is at [New York City Center] and it’s stacked to the rafters. It won’t be long now…”
Photo: BroadwayWorld
Lin-Manuel Miranda
While the workshop cast for Warriors featured performers including Jasmine Cephas Jones, Casey Likes, Gizel Jiménez, Donald Webber Jr., Sasha Allen, Kenita Miller, Khaila Wilcoxon, Julia Kimiko Harriman, Raúl Contreras, Tilly Evans-Krueger, Pierre Jean Gonzalez, Cody Renard Richard, Victoria David John, Warren Egypt Franklin, and Aneesa Folds, official casting for the Broadway production has not yet been announced. Based on the Paramount Pictures motion picture The Warriors and the book The Warriors by Sol Yurick, and licensed for the stage by Paramount Products & Experiences, the musical Warriors will open on Broadway in April 2027. Tickets will go on sale in October 2026. Warriors follows a fictitious New York City gang from Coney Island to the Bronx and back when they are framed for the murder of a gang leader.
A Legacy Spanning Wesleyan, Off-Broadway, and Broadway
The production marks a homecoming for a musical that first began as a college project during Miranda’s time at Wesleyan University. The show served as the now Tony winner’s debut work, playing a 2005 try-out at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center and Off-Broadway’s 37 Arts Theater in 2007 before transferring to the Main Stem.
Photo: New York Theatre Guide
The original Broadway production went on to win four 2008 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and was a finalist for the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The work also became a spiritual predecessor for Miranda’s seminal megahit Hamilton, which reunited director Thomas Kail, choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler, and music supervisor Alex Lacamoire on the creative team, along with much of the cast including Christopher Jackson, Jon Rua, Javier Muñoz, Mandy Gonzalez, and KO—formerly Karen Olivo—among others.
Performances for the special three-week engagement at New York City Center will run from October 28 to November 15, 2026.
