exist in the highlandsCara works for Daniela at the salon in Washington Heights, but the movie adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit musical puts a new twist on their relationship. While the differences between the two character iterations may be insignificant compared to some of the larger changes in the adaptation, they are crucial to the larger effort to update the musical for the play. run in 2021.
in the highlands Always deal with major social issues around community and gentrification. Daniela’s salon is considered one of the highlights of this, as her prices are sky-high and she has to stay away from her clientele. But the adaptation attempts to address other cultural issues, most notably by introducing stages about DACA and undocumented immigrants.
In the original musical, Kara mainly played a supporting role for Daniela, in the script just called “Work in a beauty salon.‘ She tends to support Daniela in her conversation and gossip”Who is doing what and why.‘ But the movie gives them a certain romantic entanglement. From the opening scene we see Daniela, played by Daphne Rubin-Vega (best known for her role as Mimi on stage) rent), when she wakes up to a kiss on the cheek from Kara, played by Stephanie Beatrice (who became bisexual in 2018). Although the physical relationship is public throughout the film, with them spending time hugging and hugging each other and Kara rejecting a male dancer who seems to have a crush on Daniela, their partnership is nothing short of a hit. big. The other characters don’t comment on relationships, right before Barrio’s Masquerade Festival We see a noticeable change in the text regarding their relationship when Carla refers to Daniela as “My love.“
The fortuitous nature of this relationship is part of an effort to promote wider acceptance of LGBTQ+ representation as usual. Rubin Vega talks about the relationship (via encourage) That thing”we [Daniela and Carla] love each other… [it’s] Normal, not extraordinary.‘ She also notes that including this element, along with other social issues, is part of an effort to push back against longstanding cultural assumptions that stories can be used to ask questions.What other ways do we deal with ongoing structural oppression? How do we move it?“
Likewise, Beatriz stated (via Posters)”As a gay man, it’s comforting to see this relationship in the movie become part of the fabric of the community and become normal, happy and functioning normally and part of the blanket they share. create […] Much of this movie is about where and who is your home. For Carla, Daniela is at home. Wherever Daniela is, Carla will feel at home.“Basically: include this additional representation in in the highlands Because musicals always seek to speak out against a larger system of oppression and bring together disparate groups.
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