A Detailed Synopsis of the Play that Outlines Each Act and Scene

In the Heights is based on the lives of several characters in the working class, living in the neighbourhood of Washington Heights, on the northern tip of Manhattan. Usnavi is the main character and is a bodega owner who is looking after an elderly Cuban lady, as well as longing for the girl working in the beauty salon nearby and he dreams of winning the lottery and escaping to the shores of the native Dominican Republic.

Act 1:

Usnavi is the first onto the stage and introduces the main characters. Last on is Nina, who has come back from Stanford University. She is worried though, as she has dropped out and is frightened of telling her parents.  

Meanwhile, Nina's parents, Kevin and Camila, need an emergency loan to keep their struggling taxi dispatch afloat, temporarily leaving Benny, a young employee and friend of Nina's, in charge.

 

As well as this, in the hair salon across the street, Vanessa, Usnavi's love interest, dreams of escaping to a studio apartment, despite not earning much money. When Vanessa stops by Usnavi's bodega,  Sonny (Usnavi's cousin) asks her out to a romantic evening on Usnavi's behalf, and she accepts.

 

Later, when Nina's parents return, she reveals how she lost her academic scholarship and dropped out of Stanford. Nina's father, Kevin, is devastated and angry so Nina seeks comfort from Vanessa, but the salon owner and local gossip, Daniela, sits Nina down for a makeover, talking Vanessa into admitting that she cares about Usnavi's 'sexual decisions'. Nina then reveals that she has dropped out of Sanford.

 

Usnavi discovers that he has sold a winning lottery ticket worth $96,000 and everyone on the block imagines life with that money and how they would spend it. Abuela Claudia is introduced after this, and basically brought up Usnavi as a young orphan. She tells us about her journey from Cuba to New York in 1943 (as a child) which then tells us that she actually holds the winning lottery ticket.
 

Next, Nina and Benny go around the neighbourhood and talk about the memories they have and they grow closer and potential feelings arise. The following scene is set at a dinner party, where Kevin announces that he has sold the family car service in order to pay for Nina's eduction. Vanessa and Usnavi go on their date to a dance club, but Benny arrives and is annoyed because he likes Vanessa and is now unemployed. Nina is also there but tensions rise on the dance floor because Vanessa and Usnavi are attempting to make each other jealous. 
In the final scene for Act 1, there is a power cut and everyone breaks into a huge fight. the characters all search for each other in the club, apart from Sonny and Graffiti Pete (from scene 1) who are setting off fireworks. The final moments of Act 1 are Nina and Benny arguing then making up and Abuela Claudia telling Usnavi that she's the one with the winning lottery ticket. 

Act 2:

It begins in the morning time and it is clear that Benny and Nina have spent the night together. Nina teaches Benny some Spanish phrases, and they talk about how anxious he is over what Kevin will think of their new relationship. Meanwhile down the street, Usnavi's bodega has been looted during the night. Abuela Claudia thinks she can help by suggesting to Usnavi that they should use her winnings to move to Usnavi's homeland: the Dominican Republic. Usnavi agrees.
 

Nina's parents have been searching for her all night, and when they learn that she has been with Benny, Kevin is furious. Kevin vows that Benny will never be a part of the Rosario family because he is not Latino, but Camila ends the family fight. Everyone is feeling frustrated by the extreme heat / power cut. They manage to get enough energy for a last celebration before the bodega, salon, and dispatch shut their doors for good.
Then, Usnavi publicly announces that Abuela Claudia won the lottery, and he and she will soon leave for the Dominican Republic, leaving Vanessa heartbroken whilst the neighbourhood celebrates.
Then Kevin makes a shocking, sudden announcement over the taxi radios, stating that Abuela Claudia has suddenly died. The neighbourhood holds a memorial ceremony for her.
 Usnavi and Nina rummage through boxes of Abuela Claudia's things. As Nina discovers photographs from her own high school graduation, she decides to accept her father's sacrifice and return to Stanford.

Daniela closes her salon down and at the same time she announces that she will co-sign on Vanessa's dream apartment in the West Village. Vanessa brings a bottle of champagne to thank Usnavi who helped her make the decision. He is still all over the place after Claudia's death and does not see that Vanessa is flirting with him. Eventually she kisses him.
Benny worries about his relationship with Nina, since her decision to go back to University, and as the sun sets they stand together, uncertain of their future together.

The next morning, Usnavi begins to close the shop. Usnavi is sad because he imagines that the block will be completely different in no time at all, but Sonny has asked Graffiti Pete to paint a mural of Abuela Claudia on the bodega's grate. Sonny rolls down the bodega grate in front of Usnavi, revealing the memorial. Usnavi is completely stunned that they completed this all in one night and he orders his cousin to tell everyone that he has changed his mind and wants to stay. He also promises to make Vanessa happy, and he realises that the block is his true home and he does not want to be anywhere else.