For In The Heights' Quiara Alegria Hudes, bringing it all back home

West Philadelphia native c Quiara Alegria Hudes wrote the book for Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical In The Heights. The show won multiple Tony Awards (including Best Musical) and Hudes was nominated for best book. The show was also short-listed for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, making it the second time that Hudes has been cited for that prestigious award. (The first was in 2007 for Eliot: A Soldier's Fugue). Hudes's new show Barrio Grrrl!, aimed at young audiences, premiered at Kennedy Center last fall and is currently on tour.

The playwright reflected on returning to her hometown with the national tour of In The Heights that runs through Sunday at the Academy of Music.

Seeing the show in Philly

EDGE: What does it feel like mounting In the Heights at the historic Academy of Music in your home town?

Quiara Alegria Hudes: In 1995 my name was announced, I walked across the stage of the Academy of Music and received my high school diploma. Central High School, 254th graduating class. So In the Heights in Philly will not only be a homecoming, I'll be reliving a major rite of passage! In many ways Central shaped me into the woman who could articulate the story of In the Heights.

EDGE: Would you say that diversity and community are central themes in this musical and your other plays?

Quiara Alegria Hudes: In my adult life, the two have merged and I find that my activism, and my need to speak on behalf of people, comes through in the playwriting. At Central, I was both an artist and an activist. I wrote plays and poems for the literary magazine. I also organized a large group of students every year at the Philadelphia AIDS Walk and was the president of PEACH (Peer Education Against Contracting HIV).

Surprised by ’Heights’ success?

EDGE: What was it like at the Kennedy Center where your children's musical Barrio Grrrl! Premiered last fall. Were they in-synch with your commitment to serious themes geared to younger audiences?

Quiara Alegria Hudes: The Kennedy Center is like the stretch limo of producing theaters. They are very generous and committed to a high production value. We got an outstanding cast to tell this story about a girl from El Barrio in Philly. But in reality, she's just one girl. She finds very real and practical ways to become a positive force of change in her community.

EDGE: Your play Elliot: A Soldier's Fugue was also hit at the Walnut Street Theater. What was that experience like?

Quiara Alegria Hudes: Jose Aviles directed it and gave me a gift: my first professional production in my hometown. The play is set in North Philly and is about a young Puerto Rican Marine who goes to Iraq. They did such a beautiful production. One of the characters was based on my aunt, Eugenia Burgos, who in real life led a gardening movement in the abandoned lots near Norris Square in North Philly. She passed about a year ago, so seeing the play in Philadelphia was an emotional experience for me. I'll never let go, but in some ways, it was a release.

EDGE: What did it mean to you being a two-time finalist for the Pulitzer in drama?

Quiara Alegria Hudes: To be honest, it means I don't have to spend my time secretly hoping that one day I'll get a major honor. Now what I have to do is continue telling stories, to follow my vision and relax into the decades worth of plays I have yet to write.

EDGE: What was it like collaborating with Lin-Manual Miranda on In the Heights?

Quiara Alegria Hudes: Lin and I worked in the room together and the ball was always in the air. I'd edit his lyrics, he'd edit my scenes. We cannibalized from each other--the first draft of the songs "Sunrise" and "Finale" were scenes. Then he'd show up the next day with the song version. At other times, I'd turn his song into a scene. The back and forth of it was exhilarating.

EDGE: Were you surprised at the success of In the Heights on Broadway?

Quiara Alegria Hudes: I am very lucky to have worked with producers like ours as my first commercial experience in the theater. They believe in original new stories. That's what they do. I saw the success they had with Rent and Avenue Q before us and thought, "This group knows how to guide us to creating a strong piece of theater."

EDGE: What has been the response to the show in other cities?

Quiara Alegria Hudes: We recently went to Puerto Rico and that was just thrilling. The plane touching down in San Juan was just like a simple, "Ding" in my soul: a dream come true moment, plain and simple. Hearing the crowd react every time a flag was waved, and hearing the seeing standing ovation at the end gave me a huge adrenaline rush.

In The Heights continues through January 23, 2011 at The Academy of Music, 1420 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA. For more information visit the Kimmel Center website.