Havana's melodious vibes make their way to Broadway with 'Buena Vista Social Club' performance
The Broadway musical "Buena Vista Social Club" has been captivating audiences nightly since its opening in March, playing at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre in New York City[2]. The show, inspired by the 1997 album of the same name, has won five Tony Awards, including Best Sound Design of a Musical for sound designer Jonathan Deans[3].
The innovative onstage sound design approach used in the musical involves a system that delivers custom monitor mixes to the cast without the use of in-ear monitors (IEMs)[1]. This is achieved by placing 27 speakers in the stage deck facing upward toward the performers, combined with advanced sound technologies like TiMax stagetracking and Meyer Sound Spacemap Go[1].
This setup allows musicians and cast members to have personalized audio mixes on stage, essential for their movement and interaction during the show[1]. Sound designer Jonathan Deans emphasized that the system lets the entire onstage band receive evenly distributed sound by feeding all speakers the same or split signals as needed[1]. This approach not only supports the musicians' performance and staging dynamics but also enhances the overall sonic experience for both actors and the audience, contributing to the musical’s Tony Award for Best Sound Design[1][3].
The show features a live band of 10 musicians who play real music in real time, with a focus on the musical rapport between them[4]. The audio team for the show includes sound designer Jonathan Deans, FOH mixer/A1 Timothy Jarrell, backstage A2 Darren Shaw, head house electrics/sound Sandy Paradise, sound programmers Daniel Lundberg and Thomas Ford, production sound Mike Tracey and Daniel Lundberg, and assistant sound designer Tate Abdullah[5].
The sound design for the show was envisioned to be honest and authentic to the style and heritage of the music[6]. The cast is outfitted with DPA mics tied to Shure Axient Digital RF systems for capturing sound[7]. The audio system for the show uses a TiMax TrackerD4 stagetracking tag, Meyer Sound Galileo Galaxy network platforms, and d&b audiotechnik e5 stage floor monitors, along with the Ultra-X40 and Ultra-X20 compact point-source loudspeakers[1].
The musical focuses on the musicians in 1996, recording at Havana's EGREM Studios after decades apart, and their younger selves in 1958, facing life-changing decisions inside the namesake club as their country teeters on the brink of revolution[8]. The performances of the show have been described as emotional and fantastic[9]. The audio system has evolved throughout the run as the musicians continue to explore new musical aspects[9].
References: 1. Tech Designer 2. BroadwayWorld 3. Playbill 4. Playbill 5. BroadwayWorld 6. Tech Designer 7. BroadwayWorld 8. Playbill 9. Playbill
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