Bleu's final performance will be Aug. 17. Beginning Aug. 19, as announced, In the Heights will star American Idol winner Jordin Sparks as Nina.
Seth Stewart will return to the role of Graffiti Pete, the part he originated, for four weeks only, June 7-July 3.
Bleu joined the cast Jan. 25. He became an international name as "Chad Danforth" in the Emmy Award-winning Disney Channel Original Movie "High School Musical," its sequel "High School Musical 2" (the highest-rated Disney Channel Original Movie in history and overall highest-rated program in cable history), and the 2008 feature film "High School Musical 3: Senior Year."
Bleu was recently seen on the CW's "The Beautiful Life" starring opposite Elle Macpherson, Mischa Barton and Sara Paxton.
Read Playbill.com's recent Leading Men interview with Bleu. In the Heights, a romantic musical comedy snapshot of a couple of days in the life of a Latino neighborhood in Manhattan, is the winner of four 2008 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Lin-Manuel Miranda won the 2008 Tony for Best Music and Lyrics, Andy Blankenbuehler won the 2008 Tony for Best Choreography, and Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman won the 2008 Tony Award for Best Orchestrations.
A national tour is currently on the road, and a Universal film version is being developed.
In the Heights has a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes and is conceived by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Miranda was the original leading man of the Off-Broadway and Broadway productions, as was Tony-nominated as Best Actor in a Musical. He will recreate the role on film. Thomas Kail directs the Broadway production.
As of June 7, In the Heights will star Bleu, Andréa Burns, Janet Dacal, David Del Rio, Marcy Harriell, Christopher Jackson, Priscilla Lopez, Olga Merediz, Rick Négron, Courtney Reed and Stewart leading a cast of 28 that features Tony Chiroldes, Dwayne Clark, Rosie Lani Fiedelman, Marcus Paul James, Nina Lafarga, Jennifer Locke, Doreen Montalvo, Noah Rivera, Eliseo Román, Gabrielle Ruiz, Luis Salgado, Rickey Tripp, Blanca Camacho, Allison Thomas Lee, Alejandra Reyes and Marcos Santana.
For more information, visit www.intheheightsthemusical.com.
