Justina Machado assumes the role of 'Daniela' from 29 Jun 2009, for an eight week engagement through to 23 Aug 2009 in the Broadway musical In The Heights, winner of the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical. She assumes the role from original cast member Andréa Burns.

Machado is best known as 'Vanessa Diaz' from the critically acclaimed TV series 'Six Feet Under.' With her 'Six Feet Under' co-stars, Justina won a 2004 SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. This past television season she was featured on 'Ugly Betty' as 'Cousin Clara' and on the final season of 'ER' as 'Claudia Diaz.' Recently she was featured in the films 'The Accidental Husband' and 'In the Electric Mist.'

In The Heights now stars Justina Machado (Daniela), Janet Dacal (Carla), Robin De Jesús (Sonny), Rick Negrón (Kevin), Mandy Gonzalez (Nina), Christopher Jackson (Benny), Priscilla Lopez (Camila), Olga Merediz (Abuela Claudia), Javier Muñoz (Usnavi), Marcy Harriell (Vanessa) and Seth Stewart (Graffiti Pete).

In The Heights opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on 9 Mar 2008, following previews from 14 Feb 2008, and is currently selling tickets through to 28 Nov 2009.

The show opened on Broadway to mostly good to luke-warm reviews: "There is no more joyful musical to see this season." (New York Theatre Guide); "What it lacks in story and believability it makes up for in a vibrant rap- and salsa-flavored score." (NY Daily News); "Delivers a festive time that plenty of people will enjoy." (Star-Ledger); "Not a great musical. But it's about as impossible to dislike as an adorable puppy." (USA Today); "Deeply flawed and deeply pleasurable." (NY Sun) and "an uncalculated charmer. (Variety).

In The Heights: A quintessential New York musical about a vibrant and tight-knit community at the top of the island of Manhattan. The music pulses with the hopes and dreams of three generations as they struggle to forge an identity in a neighborhood on the brink of transition.

The musical is directed by Thomas Kail, with choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, scene design by Anna Louizos, costumes by Paul Tazewell, lighting by Howell Binkley and sound by Acme Sound Partners.

In The Heights is the winner of four 2008 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Choreography and Best Orchestrations.

In The Heights is produced on Broadway by Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller and Jill Furman, who also produced the Off-Broadway production.

The show began life off-Broadway at 37 Arts Theatre, where it ran from 8 Feb - 15 Jul 2007, playing 33 preview and 182 regular performances.

That production won the 2007 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical and Outstanding Choreographer, the 2007 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography and Outstanding Ensemble Performance, Outer Critics' Circle Award for Outstanding Musical and Outstanding Choreography, Obie Award for Outstanding Music and Lyrics, and finally a Theatre World Award for Lin-Manuel Miranda.