APTOS >> For those looking to break into the world of musical theater or wanting to expand their acting resumes, Cabrillo Stage has an opportunity to do so: By transporting its actors to a diverse New York neighborhood as envisioned by one of America’s most celebrated modern playwrights and songwriters.

The company will be holding auditions this weekend for its summer production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “In the Heights.”

“In the Heights” is the debut play of Miranda, who has since created the Tony Award-winning phenomenon “Hamilton,” written the soundtracks for the Disney films “Moana” and “Encanto” and won numerous awards ranging from five Grammys and two Emmys and a Pulitzer Prize Award.

Conceived as far back as 1999 during Manuel’s college days and making its Broadway debut in 2008, “In the Heights” focuses on the lives of those living in Washington Heights, a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, on the hottest day of the year. The various interlocking stories include a family that runs a bodega, a Stanford University student who drops out after working two jobs to fund her tuition, a salon employee who dreams of becoming a fashion designer, and more. Along the way, the neighborhood’s inhabitants experience power outages, the threats of robbery and romance, all expressed through music.

The director for Cabrillo Stage’s production will be Estrella Esparza-Johnson who previously directed “Thanksgiving Play for the Western Stage” and has a long history as an actress and producer with El Teatro Campesino in San Juan Bautista and other companies. In a statement, Esparza-Johnson said she would be bringing a level of truth and authenticity to the production.

“You will experience full Latino characters, not caricatures,” she said. “Our ethnic identity is rooted in our ideals of family, home, community and industry. The audience will have an entertaining, joyous and uplifting experience at the theater.”Chris Marcos will direct the choreography for the production, which will include hip-hop and Latin movements such as salsa and Bachata.

“The choreography is not just visual eye candy, it’s a tool to express feeling and emotion,” he said in a statement. “The movement serves as a bridge between music and story with the cast as vessels to push the narrative forward in all directions.”

Rounding out the rest of the production team are Musical Director Michael McGushin, who worked on last summer’s production of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame;” hip-hop dramaturg and Assistant Vocal Director Ron Johnson and Stage Manager Alina Goodman who worked on Cabrillo’s 2018 production of “The Producers.”

Vocal auditions will be held by appointment 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and 1-3 p.m. Sunday at the Crocker Theater at Cabrillo Stage, 6500 Lower Perimeter Road, Aptos. Prospects may be called back for a dance audition later in the day, which is 3-6 p.m. on both days. Callback emails will be sent out Monday, and callback auditions will be held 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 9 and 10. Casting calls will take place within a week or two of the callbacks. For information on what is needed for auditions, go to CabrilloStage.com/Auditions.

“In the Heights” will be performed July 11 to Aug. 4 at Crocker Theater.