Buena Vista Social Clubis one of themost Tony Award-nominated showsof the 2024-25 Broadway season — and with good reason. The new musical, which garnered 10 nods (the most-nominated show alongside the musicalsDeath Becomes HerandMaybe Happy Ending, which also each received 10), is inspired by the real-life ensemble of Cuban musicians who created the 1997 studio album of the same name. Toggling between 1950s and 1990s Havana, the musical zeroes in on singerOmara Portuondo's connection to the artists of her country amid the Cuban Revolution of 1959. Tensions rise when she's faced with the decision of signing a recording contract and fleeing to the United States or staying with the ones she loves in the place that she calls home. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 "Across the board, our goal for the show was to celebrate and honor not just the music, but the culture," choreographerPatricia Delgadoexclusively toldParadeas part of therecent cover storyspotlighting Broadway's diverse and star-studded season. "In the casting process, we really all worked together to find authentic representation. And it was so beautiful to see the amount of people that came out and who were so hungry to just be a part of the show because they could finally be themselves on stage," she continued. "And I think the process of collaborating with artists like that who just have this in their blood and have just been waiting for a moment like this was so inspiring to us because there's this constant back and forth of creation and working together to create the final product that we have." Delgado, who choreographed the show alongside husbandJustin Peck, feels that the theater community is "ready to be pushed in this direction" of celebrating people of all races and cultural backgrounds. "And I feel like we should just keep going," she said, "because there's so much we have to say, and there's a space for all of us. It's a huge moment." The show's Tony-nominated starNatalie Venetia Belcon, who plays Omara in the '90s, toldParadethat it's "really something special to be in a room with [these artists] and then seeing it all on the stage," adding that the Broadway landscape "didn't used to be that way." Related:Once Upon a Time, They Considered Giving Up. Now They're 2025 Tony Nominees (Exclusive) "It's a feeling I can't describe," she said. "I don't really have words for it." Making it that much more meaningful is the positive response she sees from audiences nightly at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. "That's the stuff that makes you want to keep going," she continued. "There's so much beyond just this show this season as well, so we're honored to be a part of this," said co-choreographer Peck. "It's been just as joyous to go out and see a show and look at it and say, 'Wow, that's incredible and completely opposite ofBuena Vista Social Club.' And that's so great that they can all exist side by side." Hosted byWickedstarCynthia Erivo, the 78th Tony Awards will celebrate excellence during Broadway's 2024-25 season. They will air live on CBS and can be streamed on Paramount+ (live for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs). For more interviews with your favorite Tony-nominated stars, check back toParadeuntil the Tony Awards airs live Sunday, June 8, on CBS. And followParadeon Tony Awards night for live updates from the red carpet, press room and afterparties. 'A Space for All of Us' — How Cuban Culture Comes Alive in 'Buena Vista Social Club' (Exclusive)first appeared on Parade on May 25, 2025
