The original Hip-hop musical features area native
Mark Garvin
Rayanne Gonzales and Perry Young in Walnut Street Theatre’s “In the Heights.” (Photos courtesy of the Pittsburgh CLO.)
MARY N BEVERLY
Greensburg native Billy Mason will portray the role of Piragua when Pittsburgh CLO presents “In the Heights” July 7-16. (Photo courtesy of Pittsburgh CLO.)
Mark Garvin
(Front) Breanna Bartley, Lisa Finegold, Perry Young, Sandy Alvarez; (Back) Ceasar F. Barajas, Danny Bolero, Joshua Keith, Gabriella Sorrentino and Melanie Cotton in Waltnut Street Theatre’s “In the Heights.” (Photo courtesy of Pittsburgh CLO.)
Billy Mason, originally from Greensburg, knew he wanted to be an actor at an early age.
“I think I was 16 years old, and I was doing a show in Apple Hill Playhouse in Delmont, and I think that is when I got the bug,” he said.
Since then, Mason has been a part of several Pittsburgh area performances including Pittsburgh CLO’s “The Toxic Avenger,” “Shrek the Musical” by Pittsburgh Musical Theater, “Seussical” by Pittsburgh Musical Theater and more.
He has also been involved as a principal vocalist for the albums “Christmas Memories” and “Just Go to the Movies” and more.
Mason will be returning to the Pittsburgh stage next month as he portrays the role of Piragua in the musical “In The Heights” produced and presented by the Pittsburgh CLO.
“His character name is Piragua, which is named after the product he sells which is a frozen summer ice treat that is found in New York in the Washington Heights area,” explained Mason. “He is the heart of what these people are doing. He is the guy that comes out and sells this product. He helps to lighten the mood and move the story forward a little bit. It is a beautiful little feature and I love it.”
Mason said that when he first saw the role performed on stage about five years ago he thought the actor was amazing.
“And now I get to do that,” he said about his excitement over the role.
One of his favorite aspects of the role for Mason is his personality.
“His song, I don’t know how to describe it, it is just a very happy song. He is just that guy on the street corner that smiles when you go by and greets you with a kind word. His song is written that way, which he sells his wears and moves you to that happy place,” he said. “I know later in the show he helps boosts everyone’s national pride. There is a beautiful section where everyone raises a flag representing their country where they are from and it is just this beautiful part of the show.”
“In the Heights,” with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda of “Hamilton” fame, tells the story of a tight-knit community living in Washington Heights.
Usnavi, owns a bodega and cares for an elderly Cuban lady living next door. Every day he falls more in love with a girl working in the neighborhood beauty salon and has big dreams of winning the lottery and moving back to his native Dominican Republic.
Nina, a friend of Usnavi since childhood, returns home from college, that she was able to attend due to her parents scrimping and saving over the years, to share news with them.
According to Mason, “In the Heights” is different than other musicals.
“The show is what they call the first hip-hop musical. From that view alone from the way we approach music would be different. My character also predominately speaks Spanish. That is a new thing for me on stage, I speak Spanish, but I have never had to do it on stage before,” he said. “I think just the story is so unique. There isn’t another story out there like this. It is one of those things that if you don’t love musicals, you can watch it and be entertained by it. It is accessible that way.”
“In the Heights” is part of the PNC Spotlight Series and will be performed at the Benedum Center July 7 through 16.
Tickets start at $25.75 and can be purchased online at trustarts.org, by calling the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Box Office at 412-456-6666 or by stopping at the box office at Theater Square.
“I would say that I would hope the audience takes away a new love of musical theater and that they also just really walk away with these rhythms and songs and their heads and loving the story,” he said.