The production will be directed by Luke Sheppard (associate director of Matilda in the West End and on Broadway, as well as Singin' in the Rain in the West End) and choreographed by Drew McOnie (who recently choreographed Chicago at Leicester Curve and is currently represented in London by Drunk, the inaugural production of his own McOnie Company).

In the Heights is described in press materials as "a journey into Washington Heights, one of Manhattan's most vibrant communities – a place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. It's a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams and pressures, where the biggest struggle can be deciding which traditions to take with you, and which ones to leave behind. It is about what it takes to make a living, what it costs to have a dream, and what it means to be home."

In a press statement, Southwark Playhouse artistic director Chris Smyrnios commented, "In the Heights is a celebration of community and identity, but it is also a chronicle of the challenges facing a neighbourhood on the cusp of change. With Southwark Playhouse sitting at the heart of a passionate community faced with significant redevelopment, it's an inspiring place to be debuting a new production of this bold piece."

Other creative credits include musical supervision by Tom Deering and lighting design by Howard Hudson. It is produced by Runaway Entertainment Ltd. and Paul Taylor Mills Ltd., and presented by arrangement with R&H Theatricals Europe. Casting, which is still to be announced, is by Will Burton.

To book tickets, which are on sale now, contact the box office on 020 7407 0234 or visit www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk.