Froyo and ‘In the Heights’: Revisiting a romance that blossomed at Eisenhower Auditorium

Since opening in 1974, Eisenhower Auditorium has put on almost 200 events per year, drawing in people from throughout central Pennsylvania to immerse themselves in and bond over the performing arts. Whether that be on its stage, behind the scenes or in its audience, some have found love in and through the performing arts.

State College native Anne Higgins said she had a love of the theatre from a young age.

“We went to see touring shows while I was growing up,” Anne said. “I remember seeing ‘Mamma Mia’ with my dad when I was 12; we saw ‘Cats’ when I was 8. I was in a children’s choir that performed ‘The Nutcracker’ there every year. Eisenhower is a great piece of State College and a great piece of Penn State.”

In 2011, Anne was a Penn State sophomore studying theatre stage management, and Joaquin Breedlove was a freshman print journalism major from Philadelphia. That summer, they met working at Kiwi Yogurt, a frozen yogurt shop that formerly was in downtown State College.

Bonding over their shared love of musicals, Anne said they spent the summer talking, hanging out and messaging over Facebook. That fall, “In the Heights” came through Eisenhower Auditorium, so Anne and Joaquin went to go see it together.

“We went to that show, and we loved it,” Anne said. “We listened to the soundtrack for two weeks straight afterwards.”

Six years later, they got married.

In all that time, they continue to make the time for what they love: each other and the arts.

“Throughout our relationship, we’ve visited New York City, we’ve gone to shows,” Anne said. “He, of course, came to all the shows that I was involved with at Penn State. The performing arts are a big part of our relationship.”

The couple both worked various performances at Eisenhower Auditorium while at Penn State. Anne worked as an assistant stage manager for Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass” in the spring of 2013, and Joaquin worked as a stagehand for some time as well.

In 2021, Anne and Joaquin went to see the “In the Heights” film in theaters—four years married and seven months pregnant, almost 10 years after seeing it in Eisenhower. Today, the couple lives in Hatfield with their son.

“Musicals were something that were really, you know, a big part of my life,” Anne said. “And it still kind of is. I don’t do theatre professionally at all anymore. But it’s something that [Joaquin and I] have continued to share a love for.”

Find your next favorite performance at Center for the Performing Arts online.

Alex Fischer is a communications intern for the Center for the Performing Arts.