Interviews: The Opening Night of Buena Vista Social Club

The electrifying rhythms of Cuba have arrived on Broadway with Buena Vista Social Club, a celebration of the legendary artists behind the groundbreaking 1997 album. With a book by Drama Desk Award winner Marco Ramirez (The Royale), the production is helmed by Tony Award nominee Saheem Ali (Fat Ham) and features dazzling choreography by Patricia Delgado and Tony Award winner Justin Peck (Illinoise, West Side Story). Featuring a powerhouse ensemble and a band of world-renowned musicians, the show transports audiences to the golden age of Cuban music.

On opening night, I spoke with the cast about their roles, the power of this music, and what makes Buena Vista Social Club such a unique theatrical experience.

Natalie Venetia Belcon (Omara) - Belcon brings the legendary Omara Portuondo to life in Buena Vista Social Club. A Lucille Lortel Award winner and Drama Desk nominee, she’s known for originating the role of Gary Coleman in Avenue Q, as well as her work in Matilda and Rent.

Julio Monge (Compay) - Monge takes on the role of Compay in Buena Vista Social Club. A seasoned performer and director, he has graced Broadway in On Your Feet, Fosse, The Capeman, and Jerome Robbins’ Broadway. He also served as an artistic consultant for West Side Story (2021).

Mel Semé (Ibrahim) - Semé brings his soulful artistry to the role of Ibrahim. Born in Camagüey, Cuba, he studied at the University of Arts in Havana and is now a renowned multi-instrumentalist blending Cuban rhythms with pop, folk, and jazz influences.

Jainardo Batista Sterling (Rubén) - Sterling embodies Rubén in Buena Vista Social Club. A Puerto Rican singer and percussionist with deep roots in jazz and Latin music, he has toured internationally as a Jazz Ambassador with Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Isa Antonetti (Young Omara) - Antonetti makes her Broadway debut as Young Omara in Buena Vista Social Club. A Carnegie Mellon BFA student, she has performed in Evita (NYCC) and Macbeth (CMU). She grew up singing with her father’s Latin band, making this role deeply personal.

Da’von T. Moody (Young Compay) - Moody makes his Broadway debut as Young Compay in Buena Vista Social Club. His credits include MJ the Musical (National Tour), Man of No Importance (Off-Broadway), and The Outsiders (La Jolla Playhouse).

Wesley Wray (Young Ibrahim) - Wray is making his Broadway debut as Young Ibrahim in Buena Vista Social Club/ Originally from Miami, FL, he is currently a junior studying Musical Theatre at the University of Michigan.

Leonardo Reyna (Young Rubén) - Leonardo Reyna brings his musical legacy to Young Rubén in Buena Vista Social Club. Born in Havana, he is an award-winning pianist and composer whose family has shaped Cuban music for generations.

Ashley De La Rosa (Young Haydee) - Rosa plays Young Haydee in Buena Vista Social Club. She has appeared on Broadway in Mean Girls and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, as well as in Hamilton and RENT (National Tours).

Justin Cunningham (Juan de Marcos) - Cunningham stars as Juan de Marcos in Buena Vista Social Club. Known for his work in theater and television, he brings depth and passion to this iconic role.

The Buena Vista Social Club band features music supervision by Dean Sharenow; orchestrations, arrangements, and music direction by Marco Paguia; additional arrangements by Javier Diaz and David Oquendo; music consultation by Juan de Marcos; and creative consultation by David Yazbek. Comprising the band are Paguia, Oquendo, Gustavo Schartz, Hery Paz, Eddie Venegas, Jesus Ricardo, Díaz, Mauricio Herrera, and Román Diaz.

The production also has scenic design by Arnulfo Maldonado; costume design by Dede Ayite; lighting design by Tyler Micoleau; sound design by Jonathan Deans; and wig, hair, and makeup design by J. Jared Janas. Arabella Powell serves as production stage manager.

Buena Vista Social Club is both the name given to this extraordinary group of musicians and the album, recorded in just seven days in 1996. The trio of Cuban bandleader Juan de Marcos González, American producer and guitarist Ry Cooder, and British producer and label owner Nick Gold assembled an impromptu group of Cuban musicians in Havana’s 1950s vintage EGREM studios. The album would become a worldwide phenomenon: awarded a Grammy in 1997 and, at over eight million copies, outselling any other record in the same genre. The acclaim of the album has elevated the artists (including Ibrahim Ferrer, Rubén González, and Omara Portuondo) to superstar status and inspired an award-winning film by Wim Wenders.

The producing team is led by Orin Wolf, John Styles, Jr., Barbara Broccoli, Atlantic Theater Company, Viajes Miranda, LaChanze, Yazbek, and John Leguizamo. Allan Williams is executive producer.

For more information on Buena Vista Social Club, visit www.BuenaVistaMusical.com.