IN THE HEIGHTS Awards $17K to Rutgers Student

Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical In the Heights in partnership with CLEAR CHANNEL NY awarded the first "Graduate to New Heights Scholarship" to Rebecca Cunarro of Stockholm, NJ. Cunarro will receive $17,177.44 to continue her studies at Rutgers University. She was surprised with the news at the curtain call of the Thursday, July 29, performance of the Tony and Grammy Award-winning Best Musical.

Based on the struggles that many families face to afford college, and inspired by Nina's story in the 2008 Tony Award-winning Best Musical, In the Heights partnered CLEAR CHANNEL NY to create the "Graduate To New Heights Scholarship" to help a deserving student achieve their dream of higher education. Last September nominations were accepted for deserving students. The nominees were given to a panel that anonymously judged entries based on sincerity, need and an honestly persuasive story. To fund the scholarship, In the Heights, with CLEAR CHANNEL NY, auctioned five once-in-a-lifetime prize packages on the radio stations 106.7 Lite fm, 103.5 KTU, Power 105.1, Q104.3 and Z100.

When Cunarro's mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, she put her college plans on hold to care for her mother. Cunarro attended a local community college to be near her mother and faced academic struggles while working 3 jobs and caring for her mother. Cunarro's incredible determination and perseverance landed her a spot on the Dean's List and she transferred to Rutgers University where she just finished her first year. Cunarro has taken full responsibility for her college costs, and the "Graduate to New Heights Scholarship" will help her pay tuition and expenses so that she may continue her dream of a college education.

In the Heights won four 2008 Tony Awards including Best Musical, and opened to critical acclaim on Broadway on Sunday, March 9, 2008, at the Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 West 46th Street). With music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes and conceived by Lin-Manuel Miranda, IN THE HEIGHTS is directed by Thomas Kail and choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler. IN THE HEIGHTS is produced by Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller, Jill Furman Willis, Sander Jacobs, Robyn Goodman/Walt Grossman, Peter Fine and Sonny Everett/Mike Skipper with associate producers Ruth Hendel and Harold Newman.

Tickets for In the Heights range from $41.50 to $121.50, and can be purchased at the Richard Rodgers Box Office or at www.ticketmaster.com. The playing schedule for In the Heights is as follows: Tuesdays and Sundays at 7pm, Monday, Wednesdays - Saturdays at 8pm, with matinees Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm.

For more information visit www.intheheightsthemusical.com.