Mel Semé
Biography
MEL SEMÉ (Ibrahim) Born and raised in Camagüey, Cuba, Mel Semé’s passion for music led him to the prestigious University of Arts in Havana. He now divides his time between Barcelona, Los Angeles, and New York’s vibrant theatre scene. Influenced by Cuban rhythms, pop, folk, and jazz, his music is a captivating blend. With a sultry voice and masterful multi-instrumentalist skills, Mel Semé transcends borders, uniting audiences worldwide. His music is a bridge between cultures, showcasing the unifying power of melody.
Credits
Buena Vista Social Club
Related Cast Members
Justin Cunningham
Currently in: Buena Vista Social Club
Justin was most recently seen as one of the series leads in the NBC comedy series Grand Crew. Previous roles include a lead in When They See Usfor Ava DuVernay/Netflix and guest spots on Succession and Blue Bloods. In theatre, he starred on Broadway in King Lear as well as The Winter’s Tale for The Public. Justin is a 2017 graduate of The Juilliard School.
View Full Profile
Héctor Juan Maisonet
Currently in: Buena Vista Social Club
HÉCTOR JUAN MAISONET (Ensemble) is proud to return to Broadway with this beautiful show. It is truly an honor to be part of something this special. I dedicate this to my family here and back home in Puerto Rico. Mami y Papi, Los AMO con todo mi ser! Represented by LWC Film: Kiss of the Spiderwoman, Off-Broadway: Buena Vista Social Club (Ensemble/Dance Captain). Broadway: On Your Feet! (Ensemble/Swing/Assistant dance captain). 1st National Tour: On Your Feet!. West End: On Your Feet! (Associate Choreographer), West Side Story- Puerto Rico (Pepé)
View Full Profile
Jainardo Batista Sterling
Currently in: Buena Vista Social Club
JAINARDO BATISTA STERLING (Rubén) Puerto Rican singer and percussionist Jainardo Batista comes from a family with a long tradition in music and theater in Puerto Rico. As a Jazz Ambassador of Jazz at Lincoln Center, he has toured Central and Northwest Africa as well as South America and the Caribbean. Additionally, he has performed in the Jerusalem Jazz Festival with Roman Diaz and Grupo Agolona; Essaouira Gnawa Festival (Morocco) with Colette Michaan’s Querencia; and Grammy-nominated Raices Haberas at New York’s Town Hall. Jainardo maintains an active performance schedule in NYC.
View Full Profile
Martín Solá
Currently in: Buena Vista Social Club
Martín Solá is a versatile actor, singer, and teacher based in New York City. His Broadway credits include How to Dance in Ohio, On Your Feet, The King and I, Coram Boy, and Baz Luhrmann’sLa Bohème. He has also established a strong connection at The Public Theater, appearing in Suzan-Lori Parks’ Plays for the Plague Year, Miss You Like Hell, Giant, Pirates of Penzance, and he was a member of the prestigious Shakespeare Lab. In addition to his Broadway and Off-Broadway work, Martín has been featured with the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall and has performed in numerous productions with New York City Opera and City Center Encores. Recently, Martín turned his interests to on-camera work, appearing as Father Russo in the NETFLIX series Archive 81, and guest-starring on FBI (CBS) and Law and Order SVU (NBC). During the pandemic, he wrote, directed, and starred in his first short film, May I Take It Your Plate, which earned Best Short Film and Best Actor awards at both the International Puerto Rican Heritage and the New York City Downtown Film Festivals. With over 30 years of experience, Martín has taught singing and coached actors for auditions, with many of his students performing on Broadway and in theaters across the country. He has taught at Yale University, Lafayette College, and the Institute for American Musical Theater.
View Full Profile
Julio Monge
Currently in: Buena Vista Social Club
JULIO MONGE (Compay) is an actor and director, whose role in the critically acclaimed Playwrights Horizons/MCC Theater’s production of John J. Caswell Jr’s Wet Brain, earned him a Lucille Lortel nomination. Broadway performing credits include On Your Feet, Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, Fosse, Paul Simon’s The Capeman and Lincoln Center’s Twelfth Night, among others. Monge directed the US premier of Baipás, a play by Puerto Rican filmmaker and writer Jacobo Morales. Recent tv and film credits include For Life (ABC) and Come Find Me (Indie Film). Monge served as artistic collaborator and consultant in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story (2021). He was honored with the Performing Arts Lifetime Achievement Award, conferred by the Puerto Rican Day Parade Committee (2017).
View Full Profile
Isa Antonetti
Currently in: Buena Vista Social Club
ISA ANTONETTI (Young Omara) (she/her/ella) is overjoyed and humbled to be making her Broadway Debut in Buena Vista Social Club! She is a Latinx, Indigenous, Mixed Race LGBTQIA+ actress and singer from the Greater Rochester, New York area. She is currently completing her BFA in Musical Theatre at Carnegie Mellon University. Previous credits include Evita (NYCC), Macbeth (CMU), and A Chorus Line (OFC Creations). She also stars as the lead in her film debut, Gift of Fear (On Native Ground). Making her debut in Buena Vista Social Club is especially meaningful for Isa, as it reflects her own experiences growing up performing with her father’s Latin band, Orquesta Antonetti. For Isa, music is synonymous with family, and this milestone is a tribute to everyone who has been a part of her journey. Isa would like to thank her representation at Rebel Creative Group and IAG, those at Tara Rubin Casting, and the Buena Vista Social Clubteam for their tireless work and trusting her with this role.
View Full Profile