José Iglesias’ Broadway Debut in Buena Vista Social Club Is a Homecoming

Can you say "OMG?" Former New York Mets second baseman and current Latin pop artist José "Candelita" Iglesias is making his Broadway debut in Buena Vista Social Club. Set in Iglesias’ hometown of Havana, Cuba, stepping onto the stage of the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on August 27 felt less daunting and more like a homecoming for Iglesias, who spoke to The Broadway Show ahead of his first performance.

When opportunity comes calling, you pick up. “My phone rang, and then I couldn’t believe it at the beginning,” Iglesias recalls. “I was like, ‘I’m just making sure you’re talking to the right guy.’ And it’s like, ‘We know exactly who we’re talking to.’” Making his Broadway debut as Buena Vista’s narrator was an automatic yes.

It’s not just the setting of Buena Vista that speaks to Iglesias. The fact that the show is a musical provides another point of connection for the singer. “Music is in my veins,” he says. “Coming from Cuba, it’s there. I get to experience it.” After the release of his 2024 hit “OMG,” the doors to the music industry blew open, eventually leading him to the bright lights of Broadway.

This milestone marks a real “pinch me” moment. “I can’t believe it,” says Iglesias. “Sometimes I’m like, ‘This is not real. This is not happening.’” The combination of a story set in Cuba, a rich score with musicians working at the top of their game and the honor of representing his home country might seem too good to be true. For six weeks, however, the dream is a reality. “I know that I’m going to enjoy every single second.”

Get tickets to Buena Vista Social Club!