16-05-2025
‘Buena Vista Social Club' director Saheem Ali and writer Marco Ramirez on creating ‘a joyful experience' out of the ‘beautiful' Cuban record
'Right now, we need joy. We need to be in a space with other human beings who are having a joyful experience,' says director Saheem Ali about why the new Broadway musical Buena Vista Social Club has been resonating with audiences.
Set in Cuba in 1956 and 1996, the musical tells the story of how the Grammy-winning album of the same featuring iconic Cuban performers came to fruition, while also looking at the tumultuous period of history from which many of those songs were born. Ali and librettist Marco Ramirez spoke with Gold Derby and other journalists at the 2025 Tony Awards Meet the Nominees press event.
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Before embarking on the project, Ali knew that the original album was special. He recalls, 'I grew up in Kenya, and my first language is Swahili. When I was a teenager, my dad brought the CD home and I was obsessed with the album and I memorized all the lyrics and I could not stop listening to the music. I felt that this album that has had such a beautiful, prevalent place in the world could exist in its original form in a Broadway musical.'
SEE 'Beyond a blessing': Natalie Venetia Belcon on starring as Omara Portuondo in 'Buena Vista Social Club'
Ramirez feels similarly about the music. Asked if he knew that the Broadway musical would create so much joy for its audiences, he replied, 'I couldn't anticipate it, but I could hope that the show we put together would muster some of the same reaction to the music itself.' When he started writing the book for the musical, he said, 'So many people told me, 'Oh God, the Buena Vista Social Club is one of my favorite records, I used to listen to it at' insert life event: funerals, weddings, dinner parties, when I was depressed, when I was happy, when I was sad. It just feels like the record and the music itself is kind of this balm even for people who don't speak the language.'
Buena Vista Social Club is the most Tony nominated Broadway production of the year, tying Maybe Happy Ending and Death Becomes Her with 10 citations.
Gold Derby's current odds predict the musical will win four awards, including Best Featured Actress for Natalie Venetia Belcon, Best Orchestrations, Best Choreography, and Best Sound Design. Its next strongest category is Costume Design, where it ranks third. Although it is tied for the most nominations of any musical, it places fourth in our projections for the top honor of Best Musical, and fifth place in the categories of Best Director for Ali, Best Musical Book for Ramirez, and scenic and lighting designs.
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