It鈥檚 never too late for a second chance. That鈥檚 a theme of the new musical Buena Vista Social Club, but it鈥檚 also one for its leading lady, Natalie Venetia Belcon, who was last on Broadway in 2016. 鈥淚n a way, it鈥檚 my second chance also,鈥� she remarks. 鈥淚 haven鈥檛 done a Broadway show in about 10 years.鈥� Belcon originated the role of Gary Coleman in Avenue Q, but she admits that Omara, which is a more dramatic role filled with regret and pathos, 鈥渋s much different than Gary Coleman.鈥� Then she adds with a smile, 鈥渁nd it鈥檚 not a farce.鈥�
Instead, Buena Vista Social Club is a thrilling and moving exploration of the power of music. Buena Vista Social Club is based on the best-selling Cuban album of the same name, which took the world by storm in 1997, selling millions of copies worldwide and winning a Grammy. The name of the album was a reference to the Havana clubs that were a key place for mingling, dancing, and performing live music鈥攚hich were shut down following the Cuban Revolution in 1959.
For the artists who performed on Buena Vista Social Club (who had been successful in Cuba in the 鈥�50s but who found themselves struggling after the revolution), the album introduced them and the songs of a bygone Cuba to a worldwide audience鈥攚ho adored the music even if they didn鈥檛 completely understand the Spanish lyrics. The success of the Buena Vista Social Club album led to U.S. tours, offshoot projects from its members, an Oscar-nominated documentary from Wim Wenders, a Carnegie Hall concert, and a resurgence in interest in son and bolero music.
It is a testament to the global appeal of that album that Belcon, who was born in Trinidad and does not speak Spanish, knew of the music long before she auditioned for the show. 鈥淚 knew the album. I have musicians for parents. So, I grew up around all kinds of music.鈥�
This new musical, with a book by Marco Ramirez, dramatizes the recording of that album and how all those musicians reunited for one final shot at glory鈥攖hough Belcon admits it鈥檚 not striving for complete historical accuracy. Belcon plays Omara, a star singer who is based on the real-life Omara Portuondo. 鈥淵ou have to think about it as a fable. While the characters are loosely based on real people, there are a lot of liberties.鈥� Not too many liberties though since real-life Buena Vista bandleader Juan de Marcos Gonz谩lez is a consultant on the musical.
The musical, developed and directed by Saheem Ali, premiered in late 2023 Off-Broadway at Atlantic Theater Company. It was such a hit that it was extended twice.
The Buena Vista Social Club musical is a love letter to Cuban music, while also introducing it to a new generation. That鈥檚 reflected in newcomer Isa Antonetti, who plays the younger version of Omara as she begins her career in the 1950s. The show flashes back and forth between the young, hopeful Omara played by Antonetti and the more disillusioned one played by Belcon鈥攁nd how the singer heals her old wounds through music.
As someone who grew up singing in Spanish, once Antonetti heard the songs, she was hooked. 鈥淛ust the fact that they were doing the music authentically鈥攖he music was in Spanish, it wasn鈥檛 changing it to English for people to understand...I was like, 鈥業 want to be in it,鈥欌€� she exclaims, with visible excitement. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to just watch it. I want to be inside of it.鈥�
Yes, the songs in Buena Vista Social Club are entirely in Spanish, with no subtitles. For Antonetti, who grew up singing Spanish music in her own family band, Orquesta Antonetti, Buena Vista felt familiar. Her father owns a social club in Rochester, New York, where community members could come dance鈥攁 fortuitous connection that Antonetti didn鈥檛 make until this reporter pointed it out.
鈥淭here is this moment where I come into the social club [in the musical], and I am supposed to feel this overwhelming sense of joy and love. And this music is filling up every part of my body. And I felt that so many times in my family band that I grew up with,鈥� explains Antonetti.
Though Belcon does not speak Spanish, she sang so well in the Off-Broadway run of Buena Vista (winning a Lucille Lortel Award for her performance) that many thought she was a native speaker. Being an immigrant, Belcon says she's naturally "sensitive" to accents. But she also credits the show鈥檚 dialect coach Rosie Berrido.
鈥淭here was a Cuban couple outside the stage door, and she was speaking to me in Spanish, asking me if I鈥檓 Cuban,鈥� recalls Belcon, chuckling. 鈥淪he just stood there staring at me, gagged, gagged. It鈥檚 the best compliment I could possibly get.鈥� When Belcon was learning the songs, she would write down the English translation next to the words she was singing. She also wrote down each Spanish line phonetically鈥攍earning the correct pronunciation and the emotions at the same time.
And though she鈥檚 singing in Spanish, she鈥檚 not worried about audiences not being able to understand her. Music can transport listeners to a different time and place; to make them feel emotions that go beyond words. "You could be so tired, but as soon as that downbeat hits, you're up!" Belcon exclaims. "It's a different feeling entirely when you hear that first note for the show."
After all, the Buena Vista album was able to connect people across nationalities. The new musical hopes to do the same. "That music just communicates so much," says Antonetti. "I want people to come in, feel the music, hear the music, and open themselves up to a world that they forgot about because they're doing their everyday routine. To sit down and to be taken into another world that they can connect to."
鈥淭his show is absolutely undeniable,鈥� Belcon says emphatically. 鈥淚 am so proud of it and proud to be a part of this. This is a one-of-a-kind thing.鈥� And she hopes audiences will get on their feet at times and dance along with the performers on stage. After all, that鈥檚 the point of a social club. 鈥淚 hope they serve rum shots as the first note hits. Rum shots for all!鈥�
