The history of Havana’s Buena Vista Social Club dates back to the 1930s. By the 1950s it was known as an ensemble of musicians. In 1998, the ensemble received a GRAMMY Award for a recording of its work. Making that record is part of the premise of the musical.
And in 2000, a documentary about Buena Vista was nominated for an Oscar. And the show that’s still running on Broadway received five Tonys.
All that history and I forgot to say how much fun the show is. The musical performances by the band are brilliant. And while no one was up in the aisles dancing, the woman sitting in front of me was dancing in her seat.
The story revolves around Omara, a singer who never left Cuba, and her sister who did. The consequences of whether to take one of the last flights out of Havana are staggering.
While the story takes place in and around the Buena Vista Social Club, the action is set in pre-Fidel 1956 and communist 1996. The two times are intricately interwoven.
Karmine Alers as older Omara and Isabel Gonzalez as younger Omara work together so well that watching their performance … performances … is a joy.
The book is by Marco Ramirez and the music is credited to Buena Vista Social Club. It’s music that you’ve probably heard and love, but if not, you’ll hear and fall in love with. If you’re hesitating about getting tickets because the songs are in Spanish, I promise you won’t notice. And if you’re curious what a bilingual musical may be, this one’s a shining star.
The show runs through Nov. 15 at the Music Hall in Fair Park.
— David Taffet