Buena Vista Social Club musical expands to Mexico and US

The Tony and Grammy award-winning musical inspired by the legendary Buena Vista Social Club is expanding its reach. In Mexico, the production by Ocesa Teatro will debut at the Teatro de los Insurgentes on November 12. This marks the first time the production is being replicated outside of the United States, featuring a Mexican cast including Analy as Omara and Héctor Sandarti as Compay.

The musical celebrates the lives of Cuban musicians such as Omara Portuondo, Ibrahim Ferrer, Compay Segundo, and Rubén González, who experienced a significant career resurgence following the success of the Buena Vista Social Club album in the 1990s.

In the United States, the production is performing at the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) in North Carolina. Choreographer Patricia Delgado, the first Latina woman to win a Tony Award for Best Choreography, noted that the production focuses on the emotional connection of the music and the personal histories of the artists who found new opportunities late in their careers.