Hit show with Miami ties hits the Arsht — with a surprise ending

Who needs the lights of Broadway?

Biscayne Boulevard had its very own star-studded premiere of “The Buena Vista Social Club” Wednesday night at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Miami.

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Celebrities came out in force on the red carpet before taking in the five-time Tony winning musical that has serious local ties. At one point during the step-and-repeat, power couple Gloria and Emilio Estefan linked up with Hialeah native turned Hollywood heavy-hitter Marco Ramirez, who wrote the book the play was based on.

The musical follows the titular characters, the Buena Vista Social Club, a Cuban ensemble who released the hauntingly unforgettable album of the same name in 1997. The group was primarily made up of retired, veteran musicians who resurrected the popular genres of the 1940s and ‘50s, such as son and bolero.

Set in Havana, the show tracks their path to making the landmark record that includes the folkloric, romantic ballad “Chan Chan,” still played on loop today. While songs are sung in Spanish, the dialogue is in English.

The Estefans turned the premiere into a bit of a family affair, arriving with their daughter, accomplished drummer Emily, and teenage grandson Sasha, whose dad is their son Nayib. On Instagram, Emilio shared some footage from the sold-out show from inside the packed Ziff Ballet Opera House.

In the post, the famed producer thanked the cast, who, for the grand finale, paid homage to the Miami Sound Machine by playing their 1985 classic, “Conga.”

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“The curtain call was a special nod to the Estefans for joining us on opening night,” said Arsht rep Gino Campodonico. “The crowd loved it and so did the Estefans, of course.”

Other Miami natives involved with the production showed up for the cameras, like the play’s choreographer Patricia Delgado, a Coral Reef Senior High graduate.

“I didn’t know that I knew the ‘Buena Vista Social Club’ music,” Delgado told the Miami Herald last month. “It was always playing in my grandparents’ house, my parents, my cousins. Growing up, there was this soundtrack.”

If you go

What: “Buena Vista Social Club”

Where: Ziff Ballet Opera House at the Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami

When: Through Sunday.

Tickets: From $52.65 at www.ArshtCenter.org.

Next: It then moves to the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale Oct. 13-18, before going on a national tour through summer 2027.

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This story was originally published October 2, 2026 at 12:27 PM.