Doreen Montalvo was the first actress to audition for In The Heights in the basement of the Drama Book Shop in 2002. The first one. She sang La Lupe's Qué Te Pedi and embedded herself in my heart in an instant. Her voice was had that tear in it--that lágrima. Inimitable & hers. 
She played Benny's mom Alma that first year. We cut the role. So she played Camila, then Daniela, then Abuela, and by 2007 she was so invaluable to us that she covered all those roles both Off and On Broadway, in addition to her onstage role, who @quiarahudes named "Cuca."
If you know In The Heights, you KNOW her voice. She sings,
"Mira, Nina, no me preocupo por ella" in Breathe.
She sings, "No te vayas,
Si me dejas,
Si te alejas de mi, seguiras en mis recuerdos para siempre.
Para siempre. Para siempre..."
"Mira, Nina, no me preocupo por ella" in Breathe.
She sings, "No te vayas,
Si me dejas,
Si te alejas de mi, seguiras en mis recuerdos para siempre.
Para siempre. Para siempre..."
In 2010 she happily became Doreen Montalvo Mann--I DJ'd the wedding. She and Michael held it around the corner from the theater and every incarnation of our cast was there. Michael was the light of her life and everyone who knows Doreen is holding him in their prayers.
Everyone who met Doreen became her new friend. She held her friends so dearly and easily. You'd go to her cabaret show and see people YOU hadn't seen in years; but Doreen stayed in touch. Everyone stayed in touch with Doreen.
It is monstrously unfair that we did not get more time with her. More shows with her. More music with her. More life with her. When someone brings that much joy and love to everyone they meet, that much commitment to the craft they love... it's unfair. And heartbreaking.
A small consolation: Doreen is all over the In The Heights movie.
We'll see her sing "Mira, Nina, no me preocupo por ella..."
We'll hear her sing
"No te vayas
Si me dejas
Si te alejas de mi
Seguiras en mis recuerdos para siempre...para siempre..."
We'll see her sing "Mira, Nina, no me preocupo por ella..."
We'll hear her sing
"No te vayas
Si me dejas
Si te alejas de mi
Seguiras en mis recuerdos para siempre...para siempre..."
The scratch in the record is my favorite part.
Love you forever Doreen.
Love you forever Doreen.
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