Find out what is being said about the new musical which is currently booking until the 4th January 2026.
The Guardian: *** “Buena Vista Social Club also lacks the advantage of songs written directly for this story; naturally, it draws from the famous record to use songs that predate the events of the 50s-set section. This means retrofitting the fictionalized versions of the musicians to these tunes, rather than relying on songs to express deeper characterization. What tunes, though, and what a thrill to see these particular live performances. Obviously there are plenty of venues for live music in New York and elsewhere, but the precise experience of watching actors, dancers and a full razor-sharp band all integrated on stage together is difficult to replicate.”
Vulture.com: “Thinning the book of Buena Vista, however, has left the other aspects of the production expand in its absence, and that’s where the show is on its surest feet. First, there is the music: Those standards from the original album, a grab bag of genres and styles from a Cuba several decades ago, no surprise, still kill.”
Variety.com: “Though the entire cast deserves its cheers, the final bow is given appropriately to the band itself, eager to share this isolated country’s music for yet another rediscovery. As Juan says to the audience, “A sound like this? It tends to travel,” which holds great promise for its Broadway run — and many roads beyond.”
Theatrely.com: “A terrific ensemble transforms Buena Vista Social Club into a dazzling feast for the eyes and ears. This music has been enchanting audiences for decades, and now a whole new generation will get to dive head first into this world, and for that, we should all be thankful.”
amNewYork: “The book (by Marco Ramirez), which tries to combine the making of the album with flashbacks to the musicians’ younger days, is thin and cheesy. It resembles a makeshift variation on the Sondheim musical “Follies,” which also involves older performers returning to their roots and being haunted by their younger selves (who are portrayed by separate performers).”
Broadway News.com: “Marco Ramirez’s musical — a transfer from Off-Broadway — skims over pre- and post-Revolution Cuban life, but vividly displays what came of it: incredible music.”
Theater mania.com: “music director Marco Paguia is serving up a feast for the ears, breathing new life into a well-known album with his clever arrangements and resourceful orchestrations. Some of the best moments in the show feature Avich on tres and David Oquendo on guitar leading the band, like in the second act opener “El Cuarto de Tula,” which invites band members to improv both musically and lyrically with what contemporary drag queens might call shade. Every song is its own little story, with a beginning, middle, and end—which again prompts the question: Why can’t this just be a concert?”
Time Out: “Credit, then, to the music team for this production, led by creative consultant David Yazbek, music supervisor Dean Sharenow and musical director, arranger and orchestrator Marco Paguia. And credit, too, to the terrific ten-piece band that evokes the original ensemble’s artistry so excitingly. Resenito Avich, playing tresero Eliades Ochoa, has a breathtaking solo in the second act, but each of the instrumentalists gets a chance to shine, and they take the show’s final bow together as a group. They’re true to the feeling. The son remains the same.”
newyorktheater.me: “It’s hard to think of another Broadway musical that has lavished so much attention on individual musicians.”
New York Theatre Guide: “Unapologetically sentimental, the slender story gets the job done. Choreography by Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck is explosive. Director Saheem Ali’s production mambos across time, all while showcasing the BVSC music.”
To find out more visit: https://buenavistamusical.com/