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Washington Heights is an Hispanic neighborhood in NYC. In the barrio, the neighbors are more like family members. They do not have much, but they love each other. Families, friends, lovers. Follow the Rosarios as they deal with relational communication throughout the show.

Next up to bat, the Rosarios
They run the cab company
They struggle in the barrio
See their daughter Nina's off at college, tuition is mad steep
So they can't sleep
Everything they get is mad cheap!

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Nina has just come home from her first year at college... but she won't be going back. She dropped out of school because she couldn't keep up with money. Now, as she comes home she has to tell her family the truth.

Relational Dialectics Theory explains the tensions that exist in every relationship. These tensions are contradicting thoughts and feelings that exist at the same time. There are three basic dialectics: autonomy-connection, openness-protection, and novelty-protection. Although dialectics are often discussed in terms of romantic relationships, they apply to every type of relationship. They also can be internal (within the individual) or external (within the relationship)

Nina struggles with both the autonomy-connection dialectic as well as the openness-protection dialectic. She failed out of college because she spent too much time trying to make money. She wouldn't ask for help from her family. She wanted to be independent from her very supportive, collectivist family.
She also struggles with openness-protection in that she doesn't want to admit this to her family. They are generally very close knit, so in this instance protection is unexpected. She doesn't really know how to tell them. Her parents are extremely hurt she didn't come to them sooner.

How do I tell them why
I'm coming back home?

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Face-Negotiation Theory explains how people from different cultures deal with a loss of face. Face is the persona you create and present to the public. When you do something that contradicts your face, you lose face and experience embarrassment. Each culture handles this loss of face in different ways.

Nina had created the face of a hardworking, brilliant, and generally perfect scholar. She left as the first person in the barrio to go to college. She was supposed to be their estrella- the star of hope.
But she failed- losing face. There are many different ways different cultures. Hispanic cultures are considered collectivist. So, when she failed, she not only failed herself, but also embarrassed her family. Nina puts on a mask to hide her embarrassment. She also avoids recognizing this fact for as long as possible, a collectivist technique for negotiating face.
2:53

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Arielle Jacobs- "BREATHE"- Live at Broadway Ballyhoo

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Arielle Jacobs played "Nina Rosario" in the closing cast of IN THE HEIGHTS on Broadway, opposite creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. She also performed the same role in the original National Touring company, around the United States and in Tokyo, Japan.

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Self-Discrepancy Theory contends that a person's self-esteem is determined by our own and others' expectations. The ideal self is the perfect "you" that you desire to be. The ought self is the you others want you to be and see you as. When these expectations do not align the discrepancy causes lowered self-esteem.

Mr. Rosario has always been determined to be successful; he told his father he would change the world. His ideal self is a strong, confident, successful man who and provide for his family. First, his father doesn't want him to be anything other than a farmer and disconnects with him when he leaves for the US.

Nina drops out of college without asking for financial help from her parents. Just before this moment, Nina basically tells him he is useless. His ought self, then, is a weak, failure who cannot provide for his family. This causes his self-esteem to be lowered, manifesting in general anger and frustration. He gets motivation to make rash decisions to correct his failure.

This isn't happening
Inutil! Useless!..
Today my daughter's home and I am useless

2:08

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I've recently discovered In the Heights, and my god is it good. This is one of the few male solo songs in the show and the first one I actually heard from the soundtrack. Fun to sing and short, I had fun.

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Communication Accommodation Theory asserts that people chose to adapt their communication to show approval or disapproval and distance or closeness. A person will adopt other style of communication when they want to establish relationships, express respect, and attain approval. A person might specifically highlight differences when they wish to distance themselves from the other.

Benny works for Mr. Rosario and is in love with Nina. Unfortunately for him, he is not Hispanic, so Mr. Rosario does not approve. In order to communicate distance and disapproval, Mr. Rosario uses more Spanish when around Benny.
Conversely, Benny seeks approval and acceptance because he cares for Nina so much. He asks Nina to teach him Spanish, so he can show that he respects and admires the culture. He is willing to work to be accepted.

What will he say
When he sees me around you?
So how do you say help me?

00:46

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Heights Millikan Middle School Performing Arts

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Dyadic Power Theory states that people with little to moderate power use more controlling, dominant communication. Power is the ability to influence, control, or dominate other people or events. Some people use controlling because they have little power in most areas, so they express power through their communication, which they can control.

The Rosarios have low socioeconomic status. They are recent immigrants running a failing company. In society, they have very little power. Mr. Rosario has moderate power in his family, however, so he uses controlling communication where he can. He often communicates anger, yells, and commands. It is either his way or no way.

On top of all of her other disadvantages, Mrs. Rosario is also a woman, which puts her lower in her familial status. She cares deeply about her family, but allows Mr. Rosario to have more power out of respect for her husband. Here, however, we see a change and she uses much more powerful and controlling communication. She has decided enough is enough.
00:18

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In The Heights Enough performed by The Ft Lauderdale Childrens Theatre in the Galleria Mall

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This page focuses mainly on the Rosarios and family. However, there is so much more to this show. Whether you want to study romantic relationships, workplace relations, or friendships, you will find them all within the Heights. Lin-Manuel Miranda is so popular in the theatre not only because he writes and composes beautiful music, but also because he creates worlds and crafts characters that are so authentic and real.

I illuminate the stories of the people in the street
Some have happy endings
Some are bittersweet
But I know them all and that's what makes my life complete

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Beck Center for the Arts
McCornack, S. (2007). Reflect & relate: An introduction to interpersonal communication. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's.
Playbill Vault

Thank you to the talented artist and Youtube for providing videos!
Thank you to Lin-Manuel Miranda for blessing the world with his amazing talents!