The story of the Buena Vista Social Club, the musical ensemble composed mostly of Cuban musicians (many of them elderly) whose acclaimed 1997 debut album became a global sensation, will come to Broadway early next year, producers Orrin Wolff, John Styles and Barbara's Broccoli announced on Monday (September 16).
The musical BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUBwhich made its world premiere off-Broadway in December 2023, will begin preview performances at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater (36 West 45th St) in New York on Friday, February 21, 2025, before officially opening on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.
With a book of his Marco Ramirez inspired by true events, the Saheem Ali-The staged performance will feature an ensemble of international musicians to tell the legendary story of the artists who brought the original album to life. BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB will feature music from Cuba's golden age, with choreography by Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck and a music group led by David Yazbek and music supervisor Dean Sharenow.
The Broadway company includes Natalie Venetia Belcon as Omara Portuondo, Julio Monge as Compay Segundo, Mel Semé as Ibrahim Ferrer and Jainardo Batista Sterling as Rubén González — with Isa Antonetti, Da'von Moody, Wesley Wray and Leonardo Reyna, respectively. . Renesito Avich will play Eliades Ochoa and Ashley De La Rosa will play a young Haydee. Also starring Angelica Beliard, Carlos Falú, Hector Juan Maisonet, Ilda Mason, Marielys Molina and Sophia Ramos, among others.
The musical group will consist of Marco Paguia (piano, musical direction, composition and arrangements), David Oquendo (guitar, additional arrangements), Gustavo Schartz (bass), Hery Paz (wind instruments), Eddie Venegas (trombone), Jesús Ricardo ( trumpet), Javier Díaz (percussion, additional arrangements), Mauricio Herrera (percussion) and Román Díaz (percussion).
Buena Vista Social Club was formed in Cuba in 1996, in a project organized by World Circuit executive Nick Gold, produced by American guitarist Ry Cooder and directed by Juan de Marcos González, who named the band after a popular venue music in Havana in the 1940s. To perform popular styles of the time, such as son, bolero, and danzón, they recruited a dozen veteran musicians, some of whom had been retired for years.
The group's self-titled debut album was released in September 1997 and quickly became an international sensation. at Bulletin board charts, it reached No. 1 on Tropical Albums, where it remained at the top for 24 weeks and spent a total of 266 weeks on the chart. It also reached No. 1 on the Top Latin Albums and World Albums, and spent 19 weeks on the Billboard 200. In 1988, it won the Grammy for Best Tropical Latin album and the Billboard Latin Music Award for Tropical/Salsa album of the Year from a group.
“It was an honor to help develop Buena Vista Social Club into a new musical alongside Marco Ramirez, Saheem Ali, Patricia Delgado, Justin Peck and David Yazbek — all performers at the top of their game,” producer Orin Wolf tells a press. release. “From our trips to Cuba to meet the incredible artists who created the album to our Off-Broadway premiere, the artistic process has been as refreshing as the energy and music that will begin pouring out of the Schoenfeld Theater next year. ».
“I first heard Buena Vista Social Club as a precocious child growing up in Nairobi, wearing the original album from my father's CD collection,” adds director Saheem Ali. “Even though we spoke Swahili and not Spanish, I memorized the lyrics with my broken accent. I felt connected to the beautiful songs that embody the spirit of a distant culture. Decades later, I am excited to join Orin, Marco and the entire creative team on the journey to bring this extraordinary, one-of-a-kind musical to Broadway.”
Book author Marco Ramirez says, “In 1968, my grandfather left Cuba and got a job washing dishes a block away from the Schoenfeld Theater. Almost 60 years later, we will play his favorite songs there. Along with some of the best artists – and people – I've ever met, I'm humbled by the opportunity to forge connections between two of the most iconic musical islands the world has ever known – Cuba and Manhattan.
BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB Produced on Broadway by Orin Wolf, John Styles, Barbara Broccoli, Atlantic Theater Company, Luis Miranda, LaChanze and John Leguizamo, with Allan Williams executive producing. The Off-Broadway production was nominated for Best Musical by the Drama League and Outer Critics Circle.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/buena-vista-social-club-broadway-musical-2025-1235775835/
