'In The Heights' Movie Holds Digital Casting Call

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — Talented Washington Heights residents have an opportunity to represent their neighborhood on the big screen in the upcoming "In The Heights" film, and auditioning just got easier.

The musical's creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, a Washington Heights native, announced that the film will hold a digital casting call — no fancy Hollywood agent with industry connections necessary. All somebody has to do to audition is select one of four characters, record an audition tape and upload it to the casting website.

Miranda announced the casting call with a bi-lingual rap.

"Lights up on Washington Heights up — and the break of day I wake up I got all these roles someone was made to play. Necesito que represente mi gente. Could it be you — pues depende?"

Auditions are being accepted from all over the world, but casting details reveal that actors with a familiarity speaking Spanish are "ideal." Auditions are open for two male roles — a streetwise, yet goofy, teen and a driven, charismatic man — and two female roles — a starry-eyed intellect and a sassy and strong woman who loves to gossip.

Audition videos must be uploaded by Nov. 7, according to the casting site.

Hollywood studio Warner Bros. set a summer of 2020 release date for the adaptation after acquiring its rights from the disgraced Weinstein Company in May, Variety first reported. The movie has been in the works for many years and the musical's book writer Quiara Alegría Hudes is attached as the screenwriter, according to the report.

"In The Heights" catapulted Washington Heights-born Miranda to national prominence when it won the 2008 Tony Award for best musical. Miranda, who wrote the musical's songs and also starred in the lead role, was nominated for best actor.

The musical's plot revolves around the owner of a Washington Heights bodega who inherits his grandmother's fortune and decides to close his store. The original Broadway cast included Miranda, Christopher Jackson, Arielle Jacobs and Andrea Burns.

Check out the casting site by following this link.

Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images