Kenny Ortega to helm ‘In the Heights’ film adaptation

Here’s the thing about Kenny Ortega. He doesn’t really look like a smash-hit choreographer. He looks like a plumber. Or maybe an accountant. Come on, you know you’re thinking it, too.

But he’s obviously a genius because he’s got the likes of “High School Musical” and “Michael Jackson’s This Is It” to his name, not to mention a whole bunch of other box office hits.

Now he’s attached to direct Universal’s adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical “In the Heights.” The story follows three days in New York City’s Dominican-American neighborhood of Washington Heights, and features hip-hop, salsa, merengue and soul music.

It’s always dicey when you take a successful Broadway musical and adapt it for the screen, and the pressure is on with this one, since it was nominated for 13 Tonys, winning the award for best musical.

I think Ortega is up to the task, though.

Image: Bauer-Griffin