COLUMN AWARD WINNER
MAKES PHILADELPHIA DEBUT AT WALNUT STREET THEATRE

Congrats to COLUMN AWARD WINNER & Fort Worth native Michael Anthony Sylvester who will make his out of state professional debut at one of America's oldest and prestigious theater companies in Philadelphia, the Walnut Street Theatre.

Michael will be portraying the role of "Ensemble & Graffiti Pete Understudy" in their upcoming production of the Tony Award winning musical, IN THE HEIGHTS. The very roles he recently portrayed in the critically acclaimed production at Arts De La Rosa Theater earlier this season in Ft Worth.

Other of Michael's credits include: Tour: Todrick Hall’sOz the Musical. Regional: Joseph…Dreamcoat, Hairspray, Whorehouse, Damn Yankees. Favorite roles: Footloose (Ren), West Side Story (Chino), and Joseph..Dreamcoat (Asher)! Film: Rising Stars now available on Netflix and in stores!

Michael danced in the opening number at the 2012 COLUMN Awards which Tony Award winning legend Chita Rivera served as Co-host. He also co-choreographed & performed in the 2013 COLUMN Awards opening number of La Cage Aux Folles which had Tony Award nominee Orfeh serve as their guest star.

IN THE HEIGHTS runs at the Walnut September 3 through October 20. PNC Arts Alive is the Walnut’s Community Partner for IN THE HEIGHTS. Media Sponsor is NBC 10.For tickets and information, call 215-574-3550 or 800-982-2787. Tickets are also available online 24/7 by visiting www.WalnutStreetTheatre.org or Ticketmaster.

IN THE HEIGHTS was conceived by Lin-Manuel Miranda in 1999 while in his sophomore year at Wesleyan University, where the show had its world premiere. After revisions it was presented at the 2005 National Music Theatre Conference in Connecticut. In 2007, IN THE HEIGHTS had its Off-Broadway premiere, where it received nine nominations for Drama Desk Awards, winning two. Its Broadway premiere came in 2008 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre where it ran for 1,184 performances. The show was recognized with four Tony Awards from its 13 nominations, a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. It was critically acclaimed, with Ben Brantley of The New York Times noting IN THE HEIGHTS as “an exuberant animated shrine to the importance of family ties and being faithful to where you come from.”

The 2012 Pulitzer Prize winner, and Philadelphia local, Quiara Alegría Hudes wrote the book for IN THE HEIGHTS. This is not the first time Hudes’ work has been produced by the Walnut. In 2010 Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and the first in a trilogy of plays, was produced in the Walnut’s Independence Studio on 3. It was the second play in this trilogy, Water by the Spoonful, which received the 2012 Pulitzer Prize. The third play will be produced later this year in Chicago.