IN THE HEIGHTS

MANUELA AGUDELO (Ensemble) is a Colombian immigrant raised in Queens. She graduated from CUNY BA with a degree in social justice and another in performance art.  Influenced by traditional Afro-Indigenous Colombian & modern techniques, she choreographed/ directed Legado Dorado, a dance production that tells the stories of her matrilineal ancestors along with poetry, live music and film. Credits include The Running Show by Monica Bill Barnes at City Center, Xanadu at The Heights Players and choreography for Bloom at She NYC Arts.

RYAN ALVARADO* (Usnavi) is thrilled to be back in the barrio! National Tour: Hamilton: An American Musical (1st Broadway National). Regional: In the Heights (Midtown Arts Center, Westchester Broadway Theatre, Toby’s Dinner Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Portland Center Stage, Stages St. Louis); On Your Feet! (The Muny, KC Starlight) The Tempest, Antigone, and Macbeth (Classical Theatre of Harlem); American Idiot, Henry V, and The Rocky Horror Show (Roxy Regional Theatre); Salomé and Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare Theatre Company); Hair and Godspell (Seacoast Repertory Theatre); Guys and Dolls, The Music Man, and Young Frankenstein (Mac-Haydn Theatre); and Will Power’s The Seven (Columbia Stages). All love and thanks to his family and friends, te amo mucho! @_ryanalvarado_ ryanalvarado.net

JULIANA ANDREA BETANCUR (Ensemble) is a sassy Colombian-American actress born and raised in Queens, New York who is thrilled to be back in “El Barrio” with WPPAC! She was last seen in the ensemble of Mill Mountain’s production of In The Heights, and in Theatre Works USA’s tour of El Otro Oz. Juliana would like to thank her family and friends for their overwhelming support and is excited to see what the future holds. Follow her journey on Instagram! @julii_andreaa

CHRISTIAN BRAILSFORD* (Benny) Broadway National Tour: Pretty Woman (David Morse, Happy Man u/s). Off-Broadway: Oratorio for Living Things, Cleopatra, Songs of a Serpent. International: Scar in Hong Kong Disney’s The Lion King. Regional: Summer: The Donna Summer Show – The Gateway (Andrew Gaines). Christian is honored to be joining the In The Heights family! He thanks his family and friends for their unwavering love and support.

TAMI DAHBURA* (Abuela Claudia) First National Tours: Kinky Boots, Memphis, In the Heights. Off-Broadway: Manuel vs. The Statue of Liberty, The Pajama Game. Regional theatre: On Your Feet – The Muny, Half Time – Paper Mill Playhouse, In The Heights – The Engeman Theater and Stages St. Louis. NYC readings and workshops: Devotion, Real Women Have Curves, Yellow Rose. Tami has been the featured soloist with Hawaii Symphony, Sacramento Philharmonic, Maryland Symphony, and Oakland Symphony. Favorite hobby is as a Puppy Raiser with The Seeing Eye School in New Jersey. Special thanks to my parents and my team at The Hybrid Agency.

EMILY ESPOSITO (Ensemble/Camila, Abuela, Daniella u/s) is so happy to finally be doing this amazing show! Recent credits include Something Rotten (Bea), Fame the Musical; National Tour (Miss Bell), A Bronx Tale (Rosina), On Your Feet (U/S Gloria Fajardo). Thank you to Bryan and Stephen for your work on this show. Big thank you to Vince for your constant support creatively, emotionally, and mentally. Always a special thanks to Ba, Papa, Nana, and B. Thank you to Christopher for being my anchor.

ROBERT SPENCE GABRIEL (Sonny) is a Hispanic actor born and raised in Tampa, FL. He attended the Theatre Conservatory at Chicago College of Performing Arts for musical theater. Regional favorites: In the Heights (Sonny, Colorado Springs FAC), In the Heights (Piragua Guy, Mill Mountain Theatre), The Lion in Winter (John, Freefall Theatre), Picasso at the Lapin Agile (Picasso, Jobsite Theater), Taylor Mac’s HIR (Isaac,Jobsite), The Threepenny Opera (Crookfinger Jake, Jobsite). Special thanks to God and his family and mentors for their unwavering support.

JAVIER GARCIA (Piragua Guy/Ensemble) is so excited to be making his WPPAC debut and doing alongside other Latin actors. He was last seen as Don in Kinky Boots at Saugatuck Center for the Arts in Michigan and also debuting his solo cabaret show at 54 Below this past 5 de Mayo. Other recent credits include: Performing along side Kristin Chenoweth at the Hollywood Bowl, In The Heights and The Who’s Tommy. Javier received his BFA from AMDA: Los Angeles. He is grateful to his family and friends for their love and support. But most importantly he is thankful to God for this opportunity. Para mi familia con mucho amor! Follow him @yosoyjaviergarcia

KASSANDRA HADDOCK* (Nina) is excited to be back in Washington Heights! She was last seen on the 1st National tour of 1776. Select regional credits include: Pippin, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Footloose, The Phoenix Theatre Company; On Your Feet (Gloria), Arts Center of Coastal Carolina; In The Heights (Nina), Royal Caribbean International; Grease (Rizzo), The 5th Avenue Theatre; Oklahoma! A huge thank you to Hell’s Kitchen Agency, my incredible friends, and my endlessly supportive mother and fiance! TikTok: @singwithkass IG: @kassandra_haddock .

CAROLINE HUERTA (Daniela) is thrilled to be making her WPPAC debut! Off-Broadway: Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical (Joyce/Will, Original Cast), Bubble Boy (Slim, NYC Premiere), Urinetown (Little Becky Two-Shoes), The Handmaid’s Musical: A Dystopian Tale (Rita). Select Regional Theatre: In The Heights (Daniela), West Side Story (Rosalia), Xanadu (Melpomene), Hairspray (Tammy), The Merchant of Venice (Jessica). All my love to Jake, Mom, and family! @carolinehuerta, www.carolinehuerta.com, Proverbs 3:6

MICHAEL MARRERO (Ensemble) Thank you to Vincent, Bryan, Stephen, the cast, and everyone involved at WPPAC! Credits: SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical (Swing), Evita (Ensemble), 42nd Street (Ensemble). B.F.A. Ithaca College. Pantera/Murphy the Agency! To my family and friends — Mmmwah!  For Nick Pratico. michaelmarrero.me @mmarrero28

RUDY MARTINEZ (Kevin) WPPAC debut. Rudy is glad to be joining this cast for his third time in the dispatch as Kevin Rosario, a role he will play again this coming Winter in Chicago. Other roles include Man of La Mancha (Don Quixote), Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd), The Addams Family(Gomez), Fiddler on the Roof (Tevye), Into The Woods (Baker), A Christmas Carol (Scrooge), Evita (Che, Peron and Magaldi), Assassins (The Balladeer) and The Fantasticks (El Gallo). When not performing, he is the man behind custom cake company Man Bakes Cake, has appeared on Cake Wars and was the winner of Food Network’s Halloween Baking Championship. @manbakrscake

CELINA POLANCO (Camila) In the Heights (National Tour, City Springs Theatre, Madison Theatre, Mason Street Warehouse, Engeman Theater, Hangar Theatre, Cabrillo Music Theatre), (Mami) The Upside Down Boy (Tour/Premiere) by US Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, The Rose of Corazon at CATF written and directed by Pulitzer Prize Nominee Keith Glover, and approximately one million new musical workshops. For Mom, Mi Reina y nuestros angeles

RYAN REYES (Graffiti Pete/Usnavi u/s) is a proud Puerto Rican actor from New Jersey who is very excited to be playing the role of Graffiti Pete! Ryan’s previous roles: !Americano¡ as Fro Valdovinos (Off-Broadway), In The Heights (Usnavi) at the Rubicon Theatre with director Luis Salgado,West Side Story (Chino) at Florida Repertory Theatre, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Ritchie Valens) at North Shore Music Theatre. When not on the stage, Ryan is a horse trainer and a stuntman for western independent films. A huge thank you friends and family for their endless support! Be sure to follow him on Instagram @iam_ryanreyes

JONATHAN REYES (Ensemble) is thrilled to be making his White Plains debut! Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas he made the move to NYC two years ago and is just getting started! Regional: Newsies (The Gateway), Sister Act, Cats (Interlakes) NY: His Story (Jeff Calhoun) TV: Saturday Night Live! Jonathan wants to thank his family for all their love and support! ig:@jonathan.m.reyes

RODOLFO SANTAMARINA (Ensemble) born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Based in New York City since 2018. Graduated from the San Martin Contemporary Dance School. His credits include National Tour: On Your Feet! Regional: Cabaret (VA), On Your Feet! (LI), On Your Feet! en Español (DC), The Littlest Tree (PA), Joseph (NJ), FAME, The Musical (DC), Sugar (Arg), El Gran Final (Arg), Disney Momentos Mágicos (Arg), Colección Primavera-Verano (Arg), Cinderella (Arg); TV: Argentina’s Got Talent, Susana Gimenez Tv Show, AM Antes del Mediodía; Movies: High School Musical, El Desafío (Arg & Mex version), Felicitas; Choreography: Infernal The Musical (NYC), Malaui, Un Ciello Lleno de Estrellas (Arg), Super-Tropa Showchoir (Arg); Dance: Accent Dance NYC (NYC), Royal Caribbean International, Dardo Galleto Tango Dance Company (NYC), Abruzzo’s Jazz Dance Company (Arg), Proyecto 2 (Arg). @rodosantamarina

COLE SISSER (Ensemble) is beyond excited to make his New York and WPPAC debut! Regional: Cinderella (Fred Kavli Theater). Into The Woods (Freud Playhouse). Sweet Charity (Freud Playhouse). UCLA BA Theater 2023. For mom, dad, Ella, my family, and Pau Pau. @colesisser

MARINA VIDAL (Ensemble) is ecstatic to join the company of In The Heights.  Having built a prominent career in her native country, Brazil, Marina moved to the USA to expand her artistic skills. She’s a New York Film Academy Musical Theater graduate and was recently seen on the 2nd Broadway National Tour of On Your Feet!. Favorite Credits: In The Heights (Penn Shakespeare Festival), A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the UkraineRevival (J2 Spotlight Company). On Your Feet! (Engeman Theater), Reveillon Branco (Lortel Theatre). Other credits: Legally Blonde, Carrie: The Musical, Theater of Dreams (Broadway Cares/Equity Fight AIDS). Marina is a proud and active member of the LGBTQI+ community as well as a Queer comic on TikTok. IG & TikTok: @_marinavidal. Vai Brasil!

RACHEL ZAMORANO (Carla, Nina u/s) is thrilled to be making her WPPAC debut! She is so excited to revisit her best gal Carla, as her favorite recent credit is Carla in In the Heights at CSTC. BFA University of Miami. Always for Ellie. Gracias Nicole and FSE! Endless thanks to my family and friends. @rachel_z_bonet

CHELSEA ZENO* (Vanessa) Regional: In the Heights (Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival), Distant Thunder (First Americans Museum), In the Heights (Theatre Under the Stars), Hunchback of Notre Dame (Fuse Productions). Chelsea sings nationally with the ultimate Disney Tribute band, The Little Mermen, and with pop artist, Emergency Tiara. Thank you friends and fam! I’m so blessed to have your support. For C4.