Buena Vista Social Club' Brings Broadway to WNYC

Summary

All Of It: “Buena Vista Social Club Brings Broadway to WNYC” – Detailed Summary

Podcast Information:

• Title: All Of It
• Host: Alison Stewart
• Producer: WNYC
• Description: ALL OF IT explores culture and its consumers, engaging thinkers, creators, and audiences in discussions about the what and why of their work. The show aims to build a community centered around diverse perspectives, celebrating the cultural vibrancy of New York City.

Episode Overview: Released on June 25, 2025, this special episode of "All Of It" features an in-depth conversation with the Tony Award-winning band from Broadway's Buena Vista Social Club. Hosted by Alison Stewart, the episode delves into the intricate blend of Cuban musical traditions with contemporary Broadway theater, highlighting the collaborative efforts that brought this spectacular production to life.

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1. Welcome and Introduction (00:27 - 07:43)

Alison Stewart kicks off the episode live from the Green Space in Soho, introducing the Otoni Award-winning band from Buena Vista Social Club. She highlights the show's inspiration from the legendary album and its transformation into a Broadway musical that intertwines themes of Cuba, love, and revolution. Stewart proudly announces the band's accolades, including five Tony Awards, and sets the stage for an engaging hour-long discussion with key contributors and cast members.

Notable Quote:

“Inspired by the legendary album, it's now a spectacular musical about Cuba and love and revolution.” – Alison Stewart [00:27]

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2. Meeting the Band (07:43 - 10:22)

Stewart welcomes Marco Paguilla, the band's music director, who shares his personal connection to the Buena Vista Social Club. Marco recounts discovering the album during his college years in the 90s, a pivotal moment that shaped his musical journey. He emphasizes the educational experience of working with the band and his role in fusing Cuban musical heritage with Broadway's theatrical demands.

Notable Quote:

“Being with this band has been an incredible education and a gift to me as a musician.” – Marco Paguilla [08:46]

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3. Bridging Traditions: Music and Theater (10:22 - 14:23)

The conversation shifts to the challenges and triumphs of melding Buena Vista Social Club’s rich musical traditions with the narrative structure of Broadway. Marco elaborates on fostering collaboration between Cuban musicians and theater professionals to create a harmonious and emotionally resonant production. Renesito Abich, a band member who performed with Kompaí Segundo, speaks about preserving the authenticity of the music while adapting it to a theatrical format.

Notable Quote:

“It's not just a concert, it's a theater piece.” – Marco Paguilla [09:39]

Renesito Abich adds:

“We had the privilege to work with Mitro Marco to try to preserve the authenticity of the music in the Broadway language. That was a big challenge. I think we got it.” [10:31]

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4. The Role of the Cuban Guitar (11:43 - 12:35)

The discussion turns to the unique Cuban guitar featured in the production. Renesito explains the instrument’s significance, detailing its structure and the foundational role it plays in Cuban and Caribbean music, particularly the "tumbao" pattern. This segment underscores the cultural depth and musical complexity integrated into the show.

Notable Quote:

“It's also a way to carry your culture with you.” – Renesito Abich [11:44]

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5. Live Performances and Cast Introductions (14:23 - 16:33)

Stewart introduces performances by cast members Mel Semi and Wesley Rae, who play characters Ibrahim Young and Not So Young. Their rendition of “Sa pap wa bella” showcases the vibrant energy of the production. The live performances serve as a testament to the seamless integration of music and theater that defines the show.

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6. Choreography and Dance: Conversations with Justin Peck and Patricia Delgado (17:38 - 26:18)

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to the choreography behind Buena Vista Social Club. Choreographers Justin Peck and Patricia Delgado join the discussion, sharing insights into their creative process and the fusion of various dance styles inspired by Cuban heritage.

Justin Peck explains his connection:

“This music has just been in my blood from in the womb.” [17:57]

Patricia Delgado on the role of dance:

“Dance taps into the subconscious, and it's something that expresses a kind of emotion or feeling when words or singing can't.” [20:24]

The duo discusses the research and creative efforts involved in developing choreography that honors the 1950s Cuban dance scene. They highlight the absence of visual documentation from that era, which led them to draw inspiration from contemporary Cuban movements and blend styles like Afro-Caribbean, ballet, salsa, and mambo to create a unique dance language for the show.

Notable Quote:

“We wanted to pay tribute to the full range, the full spectrum of dance as it exists in Cuba.” – Mel Semi [22:36]

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7. Costuming and Movement (23:58 - 25:17)

Patricia Delgado delves into the collaboration with costume designer Dede Ayite, emphasizing the importance of costumes that complement the choreography. They discuss the technical challenges of creating flowing skirts that move gracefully on stage, requiring dancers to exert more strength and control to achieve the desired visual effect.

Notable Quote:

“We actually spent time in the theater during tech, working with the quality of the movement, whether it be like putting more effort in the turn than you ever had to do in the rehearsal studio.” – Justin Peck [23:58]

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8. The Making of “Chan Chan” (25:04 - 27:13)

The episode explores the collaborative efforts involved in staging the iconic song "Chan Chan." Justin Peck describes the iterative process of refining the choreography, with over 20 versions created to capture the song's repetitive and meditative essence while conveying a narrative without dialogue. The dedication of the cast and crew to perfecting the performance exemplifies the show's commitment to authenticity and emotional depth.

Notable Quote:

“It's a testament to the collaborative spirit of making a musical.” – Justin Peck [26:18]

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9. Additional Performances and Cast Experiences (27:13 - 43:58)

Following the choreography segment, the podcast features more performances by cast members Mel Semi and Sophia Ramos, showcasing songs like “Silencio” and “La Negra Tomasa.” The conversation shifts to personal experiences of cast members transitioning to Broadway roles, highlighting their backgrounds and the emotional connections they bring to their characters.

Issa Antonetti shares her journey:

“When I received the email from this theater, I was like, what does that have to do with me other than Buena Vista? And then I saw all these people on the other side of the call... I just went for it.” [38:04]

Patricia Delgado on character development:

“Omara has the strength with her voice. That's who she is. Her shoulders are back, her chin is up.” [42:20]

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10. Vocal Training and Authenticity (43:36 - 45:17)

Marco Paguilla discusses the importance of vocal training for actors, ensuring that performances resonate in a Broadway theater setting. Emphasizing the need to adapt band-style singing to a larger venue, he explains the collaborative efforts to maintain the music's authenticity while enhancing its emotional impact.

Notable Quote:

“Everybody was able to throw in ideas and stay true to the authenticity of the music within the show.” – Marco Paguilla [43:41]

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11. Final Performances and Closing Remarks (46:53 - 52:00)

The episode concludes with final performances of “Silencio” and “La Negra Tomasa” by the cast, encapsulating the show's vibrant energy and cultural richness. Alison Stewart wraps up the episode by thanking the performers and highlighting the enduring legacy of Buena Vista Social Club in contemporary theater.

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Conclusion:

This episode of "All Of It" masterfully intertwines interviews, behind-the-scenes insights, and live performances to paint a comprehensive picture of Buena Vista Social Club’s Broadway adaptation. Through engaging discussions with musicians, choreographers, and cast members, Alison Stewart reveals the intricate collaboration required to honor Cuban musical traditions while crafting a compelling theatrical experience. Notable quotes and firsthand accounts enrich the narrative, offering listeners a deep appreciation for the cultural fusion that makes the production a standout in New York City's vibrant theater scene.

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Notable Quotes Recap:

• “Being with this band has been an incredible education and a gift to me as a musician.” – Marco Paguilla [08:46]
• “It's not just a concert, it's a theater piece.” – Marco Paguilla [09:39]
• “Dance taps into the subconscious, and it's something that expresses a kind of emotion or feeling when words or singing can't.” – Patricia Delgado [20:24]
• “We wanted to pay tribute to the full range, the full spectrum of dance as it exists in Cuba.” – Mel Semi [22:36]
• “It's a testament to the collaborative spirit of making a musical.” – Justin Peck [26:18]
• “When I received the email from this theater, I was like, what does that have to do with me other than Buena Vista? And then I saw all these people on the other side of the call... I just went for it.” – Issa Antonetti [38:04]

This detailed summary encapsulates the essence of the podcast episode, offering listeners a rich and engaging overview of the creative journey behind Buena Vista Social Club’s Broadway incarnation.

Transcript

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[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart live in the green space in Soho with a special episode of all of It. For the next hour, we'll be joined by the Otoni award winning band from Buena Vista Social Club. Let's give them a warm welcome. Inspired by the legendary album, it's now a spectacular musical about Cuba and love and revolution. It earned five Tony Awards, including a special Tony Award for the musicians who make up the band who are right behind me right now. If you're not here with us in the green space, sorry, but you can watch us [e-mail] it's a live stream of the broadcast. The band includes the show's music director, Marco Paguilla, who will also won the Tony for best orchestrations. Yay. We'll talk to him in just a moment. And later we'll speak with the show's Tony winning choreographers, Justin Peck and Patricia Delgado. And throughout the hour, we'll be joined by a bunch of the the cast members. Mel Semi, Wesley Rae, Devon Moody, Issa Antonetti. Did I say that right? Yes. And Sophia Ramos. But first, this event is part of New York Music Month, so let's hear some music. Here is the band from Broadway's Buena Vista Social Club, Live in the Green. Sa pap wa bella.

[Renesito Abich]

Ladies and gentlemen, Renesito Abich.

[Alison Stewart]

That was a band from Broadway's Buena Village. Welcome to the East Social Club. We are live in the green space. Marco Paguilla.

[Marco Paguilla]

Hi. Yes, hi.

[Alison Stewart]

Is it working?

[Marco Paguilla]

Hello. Hello.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, well, we'll get it working. I wanted to ask you. First of all, come on down. It's live radio. What'd I tell you? I wanted to ask you before we started out, could you please shout out the members of the band?

[Marco Paguilla]

Yes, of course. To my left here is Davido Kendo on the guitar and the vocals, Renesito Avicz on the tres and vocals. On bass with us today is Pedro and on congas and vocals, Javier Diaz. And a percussion bongo and campana, Roman Diaz.

[Alison Stewart]

Do you remember the first time you heard of the Buena Vista Social Club?

[Marco Paguilla]

I do. So. I heard the album when it came out in the 90s and I was in college. So I Guess that. You can guess my age. And it was a real formative time for me as a musician, you know, listening to lots of different music. And really I was sort of exploring a lot of Latin jazz kind of combinations. And the album was super incredible to listen to in the 90s. And so when I started working on this about three years ago, I was revisiting the album and kind of digging deeper. And being with this band has been an incredible education and a gift to me as a musician. So, yeah, it's been an amazing journey with the show.

[Alison Stewart]

You've had to put together the traditions of Buena Vista Social Club with a Broadway show. You had to meld the two traditions. How did you go about that?

[Marco Paguilla]

So, yeah, I've spent the last. I've spent. This is my 25th year in New York, and I've spent primarily doing a lot of theater, although I have a background really as a musician first. So, yeah, I feel like that was sort of my task. With the creative team with Patricia and Justin and Sahim Ali and Marco Ramirez, the book writer, was sort of to bring the theater to the Cuban musicians and the Cuban musicians to the theater and sort of bridging that gap and finding a way to use this amazing legacy of songwriting and. And music making and bringing it to a story and having emotional stakes within the show. So it's not just a concert, it's a theater piece.

[Alison Stewart]

David, let's bring you into the conversation. Is it true that you knew original members of the Bueno Vista Social Club?

[Renesito Abich]

First of all, good morning.

[Alison Stewart]

Good morning.

[Renesito Abich]

In the afternoon. All right. For me, it's a great pleasure to be here, and I have a big responsibility to carry to my shoulder the legacy that I received from my ancestors, from the originals, too, because I had the pleasure to perform with Kompai Segundo for many years when I was 21. And unlike a link between both generations around the great talent, all of them young people with a lot of experience, too, and the privilege to work with Mitro Marco to try to preserve the authenticity of the music in the Broadway language. That was a big challenge. I think we got it.

[David]

You think so?

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah. Renacito, let's bring you into the conversation. Could you please explain the beautiful instrument that you're playing?

[Issa Antonetti]

Of course.

[David]

This is a national guitar from Cuba. The name is the Cuban dress. It has three perfect strings, three double strings. And if you are a guitar player or, you know, music is tuning C major chord open, it's G, C, E. And with these three notes, big part of the Cuban Music and the Caribbean music was born actually an important pattern called tumbao. So it's also a way to carry your culture with you. So that's what we do every night at the show.

[Alison Stewart]

Well, we see you in the show and you come downstage and you give a wild performance on your knees, on your back. First of all, is that improvised or is that planned?

[David]

I have to say yes, it is improvised. But also, I think this show has opened to me a door that never seek before. I never had the space to do this that you see on stage. So I have this entire theater for me at that time to. You just communicate each other, just to share energy. And that's what we do you do.

[Alison Stewart]

You feel the energy of the audience? Oh, yeah.

[David]

Oh, yeah.

[Justin Peck]

Every night.

[Alison Stewart]

Is it different? Every night it is. Is it different?

[David]

But I have to say, we're so grateful and I'm speaking on behalf of everyone about the love.

[Patricia Delgado]

It's.

[David]

But the love is constant. It's every night there is love, a.

[Issa Antonetti]

Lot of love for us.

[David]

And we take that and then we give it back to you.

[Alison Stewart]

Marco. Master, can you come back up? Come on, back up. It was interesting. So he's res incito started to play and David got in there and it was like in the show, the gentlemen come together and it's like they haven't seen each other in a while, but then they immediately, they gravitate toward one another and they start to play together. Were rehearsals like that?

[Marco Paguilla]

Well, we were just talking about this. Our first time getting together. We did a production down at the Atlantic Theater last year, and before that we had a workshop in the summer. And the first time the band got together, mostly we were strangers. I think there was a few of us that knew each other from the past, but there was a spark right away. You could feel it. Some of us took videos of that moment. I think just being a musician and the sharing of the culture and seeing what each other has to offer is evident in the way we play. And yeah, right from the beginning, it just. It was magic.

[Alison Stewart]

We're going to hear another song. We're going to bring up two cast members. Mel and Wesley, you're going to perform for us. All right, let's get out of the way. This is the Buena Vista Social Club Jazz.

[Issa Antonetti]

Thank you so much.

[Renesito Abich]

Thank you.

[Alison Stewart]

That was Mel Seme and Wesley Ray. They play Ibrahim Young and Not so Young. We are with the Broadway cast of Buena Vista Social Club. We have more music to come your way. Stay with us. This is all of it. This Is all of it on wnyc? I'm Alison Stewart. We are live in the green space at WNYC with the team from Broadway's Buena Vista Social Club. It's a special live broadcast. If you're listening on the radio, you can go to wnyc.org to watch a live stream. Now, if you go see Buena Vista Social Club on stage, guaranteed you will be dancing in your seat. But nothing compares the choreography. Joining us on stage is a Tony Award winning choreography created by Justin Peck and Patricia Delgado, who join me now. It is really good to meet you.

[Mel Semi]

Thank you for having me.

[Alison Stewart]

I have to tell you, when I went to see it, there was a gentleman in front of me who was dancing in his chair the whole time, to the left, to the right. And then the whole row started dancing. When did you first hear of Buena Vista Social Club, Patricia?

[Justin Peck]

I think I knew this music before I knew it was the Buena Vista Social Club. I was born in Miami, but Cuban American. My parents were both born in Cuba. So this music has just been in my blood from in the womb.

[Mel Semi]

Yeah, for me, I heard it as a kid. When the album first came out, my family was super into it and. And I always remember it as being this like, timeless album. But you know, when you look back at the history, it's like, oh, that album just came out. And of course it's this collection of these historic songs, but done in this kind of lightning in a bottle way. So it's just an album that always stuck with me for decades.

[Alison Stewart]

Up until this point, during your Tony speech, you said that you had Buena Vista Social Club as your first dance at your wedding.

[Marco Paguilla]

We did, yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

What song?

[Mel Semi]

First of all, it was Pueblo Nuevo. And we even choreographed a little thing to incorporate Patricia's family into. So that was our first workshop for this musical.

[Alison Stewart]

I guess I was gonna say, well, I guess you choreographed together then. But have you done it professionally ever, or was this the first time?

[Mel Semi]

This was our first time with this dynamic. Of course, we've worked in many different projects together. Patricia's danced in my work, she's assisted me, she's been an associate. But this is the first time where we felt like the best approach was to tackle this as partners on it.

[Alison Stewart]

So were you like sitting at dinner and saying, wait, I have an idea. Get up and dance with me?

[Justin Peck]

Yes.

[Alison Stewart]

Really?

[Justin Peck]

Many times it would just be like listening to it in the background. And even just in the morning sipping our coffee, just our daughter's there with, with watching us and he'll just like get an idea and just pick up, pick it up. And the whole. So much of the show is based on dancing with two people together. So it actually felt like such an organic and natural process for both of us, whether we were in our living room or in the studio, to just listen to this music. Like, what a gift to be able to create choreography to this music. Like you said, even if you're sitting in your seat, you're dancing. So to be able to, like, create the vocabulary and the nuance and just, just then, once it's made, get to pass it on to our incredible cast has been just a really true gift of a process.

[Alison Stewart]

Justin, what is the role of dance in Buena Vista Social Club, the musical?

[Mel Semi]

Well, dance taps into the subconscious, and it's something that expresses a kind of emotion or feeling when words or singing can't. And I think with Buena Vista Social Club, there's so many complex ideas and feelings that run through this, and emotions run high. And I think when we need some sort of release or relief, that's when dance comes into play. And the other thing I'll just say is that something I'm really proud of with this musical is that all of the songs are sung in Spanish. And so dance became a way to help to tell the story. Dance is, of course, a universal language. It's something that we can all connect with. And when you're in a theater, experiencing it in real time and feeling the energy of movement, it can do so much and it can say so much.

[Alison Stewart]

It takes place in the 1950s. What kind of research did you do about dancing in the 50s?

[Justin Peck]

Yeah, it was sort of like the challenge, but also the freedom that we got when we started researching it. There's no photos or video documentation of. Of the actual Buena Visa Social club in the 50s in Cuba. So a lot of it came from research, from our trips down to Cuba, and just observing that everyone in Cuba moves, whether it's like a stylized and codified, like, type of dance, whether it be, like, Afro Caribbean or ballet, or even just like, social dance, salsa, mambo. So to try and get the blend of all of those styles and create a new language that would be unique to this show, I think that was our dream, and I think we're very proud of it.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah, Justin, by anybody who can't see you right now, you have perfect posture. You clearly was a ballet dancer.

[Mel Semi]

Try, try.

[Alison Stewart]

And it's interesting in the choreography. You can see how ballet has seeped into the choreography for Buenos Vista Social Club. Can you tell me a little More about that?

[Mel Semi]

Well, I think it's can elaborate a little bit on what Patricia was saying in that, like, there was this huge pool of dance influence to pull from for the show because of all the dance that exists in Cuba. And we wanted to not pigeonhole it into one singular style, but we wanted to pay tribute to the full range, the full spectrum of dance as it exists in Cuba. And that means everything from Afro Cuban to ballet and everything in between. And I think, like, we thought a lot about how to build the vernacular of the show that could pay tribute to all those different styles on the spectrum. And it's also about evoking a kind of feeling. You know, it's like the. The feeling of walking into the club for the first time as someone who's never been there. You know, Issa's character when she enters the club as young Omada, like, what does that feel like? And how can we create choreography and dance to evoke the feeling of that? So there's another layer of it, because it is a musical, in how we're communicating with the audience.

[Alison Stewart]

Patricia, how did you work with the costume designers for your dance? Because the costumes move beautifully with your movements.

[Justin Peck]

Yes. Early on, we actually asked our ladies to wear skirts because of the way the lift would kind of move the skirt. But I think Dede Ayite. Did I say that right? Dede Ayte is an incredible collaborator, and she has a dream and a vision and an idea of what she wants. And then she watched a lot of the choreography, and she knew, like, how do we not just create a skirt, but have layers within the skirt so that it would actually billow and flow? And then once the dancers put the costume on, the challenge was there was weight to the costume. So we actually spent time in the theater during tech, working with the quality of the movement, whether it be like putting more effort in the turn than you ever had to do in the rehearsal studio. Because in order to create that flow of skirt, you had to give it more oomph. Right. More strength. And so I think it was a true collaboration of Finding Dream and the idea to have it look a certain way and then work on the dance to match it to create that illusion.

[Alison Stewart]

We're going to hear the song Chan Chan, probably the most famous from the album. And you said that Chan Chan was a song that all departments had to work together. So that include costuming? Who else?

[Justin Peck]

Well, we used to call it the homeroom, because oftentimes our director, Sahim Ali and Marco Paguilla and Justin and myself as well as our amazing book writer, Marco Ramirez. We'd kind of come together, whether it was after a day of rehearsal or on a zoom during the day off and just brainstorm how to fully take this song, which is actually very repetitive and meditative and at the same time holds this pressure, this weight of like the song that so many people know and what do we do with it? How do we make it something that tells a story without having dialogue? Tells a story that has like a beginning, middle and end. We like to say it's the dream ballet of our musical because so much is said with just expressions of movement. But we did like, I don't know, 20 versions of it.

[Alison Stewart]

20 versions of it.

[Justin Peck]

We had so many versions of it even before we got into tech. And then once we started previews, we were constantly changing it because we wanted to get it right. And sometimes also the response from the audience during a preview period can share so much. And it wasn't until the very moment we froze the show that we had our final version. And kudos to our cast that kept going with our changes over and over again. They believed in us, they stayed. But I think it's also a testament to the. The collaborative spirit of making a musical. It's sort of my favorite thing from the whole process because no matter what Justin and I create, no matter what the music is telling us, no matter what the book says, no matter what the director's vision is, it's really the conversations amongst all of us and the tension that lies between the ideas that all of us want to create that really gets it to the point that, you know, is the final moment.

[Alison Stewart]

And before I let you go, Justin is your daughter. Does she move? Does she have moves?

[Mel Semi]

Oh, yeah. Well, we would be dancing a lot together in the living room and she would have a lot of opinions.

[Alison Stewart]

I'll just say that Justin and Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck, they are the choreographers from Buena Vista Social Club. Thank you so much for being with us.

[Mel Semi]

Thank you so much.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's hear the band. They're playing. Chan Chan. It's Jama Sai. That was the band for the Buena Vista Social Club. We'll be right back with more music. Live from the green space. This is all of it. I'm Alison Stewart. We are live in the green space at WNYC with the band the five Tony award winning band of the Buena village, the Social club. And now to perform for you, we have Mel and Sophia. You're singing. What are you singing today?

[Justin Peck]

Silencio.

[Alison Stewart]

Silencio. Let's Listen, NASA sa.

[Issa Antonetti]

Silencio.

[Alison Stewart]

Los Nardos.

[Issa Antonetti]

Thank you so much. Give it up for Sophia.

[Alison Stewart]

That was Silencio. We are live in the green space with the band. I'm going to ask a couple people to stick around. Issa, and would you come back on stage? This is Issa Antonetti. She plays Amara. You've met Mel Sesame, who plays Ibrahim. That was Sofia Ramos, by the way. I wanted to give a shout out. Issa, this is your. This is your big Broadway debut. That's exciting. First of all, you graduated from school. What has it been like to go from school to Broadway?

[Patricia Delgado]

Yes, I was. I went straight from one semester at Carnegie Mellon to Broadway. Right. Right after the New Year. And it's been a beautiful change. I mean, it's. Broadway is hard, and it's worth every. Worth every exhausting moment. And so I. It's been very easy with these people. So they are the people who pushed me through.

[Alison Stewart]

It's your Broadway debut as well.

[Issa Antonetti]

Yes, it is.

[Alison Stewart]

But you were initially a little hesitant about taking the role. Initially. What brought you around?

[Issa Antonetti]

Yes, it's my first theater experience, really, when we did it at the Atlantic Theater. I'm a touring musician. I grew up in Cuba, graduated from music university in Havana. And then, you know, I have my band in California. We put together like, 10 years ago. And I was just touring, and I live in Spain. I just landed from Spain. I actually, that's why my voice is like this today. I got married on Saturday.

[Justin Peck]

You got married?

[Issa Antonetti]

So, yeah, landed last night at midnight. And, you know, I've been living in Spain for the last 20 years. So when I received the email from, like, this theater, Buena Vista show in New York, I was like, what. What does that have to do with me other than Buena Vista? And so, so, you know, I answered, and then they wanted to have a zoom call with me. And then I saw all these people on the other side of the call, like the director, the producers. Marco was there. And I'm like, listen, guys, I'm in Spain. I'm a touring musician. I've never done theater before in my entire life. I'm not sure if I am what you guys are looking for, but they explained what this was about. They invited me for the workshop. And when I got here for the workshop and I got to meet Patricia and Justin and the musicians, and I'm a big fan of west side Story movie and west side Story in general, but the west side Story movie, I've seen, like 20 times, Justin Peck's choreography and many of the people in the, you know, ensemble, the dancers are, you know, were as well, the movie. And then I started seeing familiar faces and obviously familiar music, and. And he just grabbed me and I just went for it.

[Alison Stewart]

As you approached your character Amara, what does music mean to Amara?

[Patricia Delgado]

What doesn't music mean to Amada? That is, it's what starts the show, and it's what starts her seeking this. This new music, this new way of singing music. It's what launches her. It's a deep feeling that I don't think she even has the words to explain. So it's. It's. I mean, this music, to me, I don't think I have the words to explain. I'm over here, like, closing my eyes while everyone is singing, and I'm just, like, living in the moment, and I'm just like, how do you express that? Like, how do you explain that? So that's what music means to her.

[Alison Stewart]

Your character goes to the same place and he sings every day. Why does he sing?

[Issa Antonetti]

It's what keeps him alive. And he had a big disappointment on what his life was through music. And this was his anchor to life. And so that was, you know, his purpose just to be able to connect to that moment of his life and the people that would just walk by. And so I feel very related in my real life with that, because when I arrived in Barcelona, I was illegal for two years because the Cuban consulate took my passport, and so I had to busk. I was singing in the street, and I was graduated from, you know, classical. I was playing with symphonic orchestras and things like that. So suddenly I was busking and singing. So when I started learning about the character, it felt so much like redemption, because this is something that I feel very identified with. When you have the purpose to still do what really anchors you to the present moment, because it's what you love, and that's what you are.

[Alison Stewart]

You're singing songs that are legendary to so many people, but you have to put your own spin on them, your own self into the character. How did you find your voice playing Omara?

[Patricia Delgado]

I was having rehearsals and sessions with Marco and David in Javier. And just everyone that has been in the room with me, especially learning who Omara is. And she. I remember David was like. Except for, I think, one song. He was like, she doesn't do head voice. She doesn't do head voice. She is all from the chest. She is all from the guest gut. And she. That is.

[Alison Stewart]

That.

[Patricia Delgado]

That's who she is. And that informed a lot for me. And of Course, doing Broadway every day, you have to do it healthily. And so with that, it was like, that's where that character comes from, is that she has the strength with her voice. That's who she is. Her shoulders are back, her chin is up. And that is how I found her is through the voice.

[Alison Stewart]

How did you find your voice in playing this character?

[Issa Antonetti]

It was actually a big challenge for me because I thought one of the reasons why I was being cast was because of my voice, but I never had voice lessons or I had zero training. And so when Marco came to me and was like, all right, in this moment of the song, just give me this long, sustained note vibrated at the end, and please match the volume of the band. I'm like, what is happening right now? You know, and so I've been, you know, I've been coached. I've been. There's been a beautiful accompaniment of my process of understanding Broadway and not just singing like my falsetto, which is my, you know, my kind of like magic wand in terms of singing and, you know, discovering all these new tools, you know, my breath expanding, you know, the possibilities. And it's been an incredible journey. And now I got it.

[Alison Stewart]

That's why I invited Marco up to the microphone. Tell us a little bit more about working with these actors.

[Marco Paguilla]

Yeah, Mel, that's so funny that that was your perspective on all that. I felt like one of. Especially with folks who had never done Broadway. In Mel's case, an amazing singer and his band is incredible. And it's a different kind of singing. Also, singing in a Broadway theater is a different muscle. You know, playing singing to the back of the house. So what may seem small on a record or something in a club setting like this may not read in a thousand seat theater. So you. You need to find a way to scale up that emotion. Even though it's small, but it still has resonance. And so we've, you know, we have an amazing vocal coach that we also work with Amaz and with Mel and then many of the cast members too, just finding that muscle and working and strengthening that and bringing that to help tell the emotional story within the song. So it's been amazing because also I didn't grow up with the music, so having the perspective of the band and the actors who have lived the music, and it's always a conversation. Even with creating a new musical, everybody was able to throw in ideas and stay true to the authenticity of the music within the show. So that's always just. That's been part of all of it, of It.

[Alison Stewart]

We talked to Patricia and Justin earlier about the choreography. What's been special about the choreography to you?

[Patricia Delgado]

Them. They are special. They are.

[Alison Stewart]

They seem kind of special.

[Patricia Delgado]

You have no idea. No, but genuinely, it's also how it, how they're able to put it into other people's bodies as well. Like, everyone is so talented but like they do transfer that and I think that's like through blood. I think that's, that's their like, that's their emotion, that's their energy. And they are beautiful cast. Our dancers are amazing and they just, they take all of that, they use their skills and they put that emotion on the stage every day. And I'm telling you, their Chan Chan, which we just performed, I'm packing a suitcase during that scene and all the dancing is happening behind me and it's taking everything in me not to just watch the entire time, but I have to, I have to stay focused because. But I can see sometimes in the monitors, I can just see them dancing and you just see the skirts, you see the height, you see this like breath and it is breathtaking.

[Issa Antonetti]

I just wanted to add to that that when I first came to the workshops, when I first came to, you know, to know what was this about, I remember Justin explaining how to move a chair. And I'm just like innocently watching what's going on in this theater structure. And it's like you guys do like this and. And I teared up and I'm like, I looked to the window and I'm like, am I tearing up because someone's moving a chair?

[Alison Stewart]

We're gonna hear one more song. First of all, let's thank Melsame. Thank you for being with us. And we're gonna bring on stage Wesley Ray and Devon Moody. All right, what song are we gonna hear?

[Patricia Delgado]

Issa La Negra Tomasa.

[Alison Stewart]

All right. You have been listening to a special broadcast of all of it with the Bu China Vista Social Club. Take it away. I'm Sam Sa Sa.

[Patricia Delgado]

For 140 years.

[Alison Stewart]

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[Progressive Insurance]

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