Coming to the Straz Center October 6–11, the Tony and GRAMMY Award-winning Buena Vista Social Club takes audiences into the heart of Havana through a story of memory, legacy, and music that reshaped Cuban culture. The production follows legendary singer Omara Portuondo as she returns to the studio after years away from the spotlight. Once known as the Queen of Feeling, her voice defined an era before she disappeared from public view. When a young producer offers her a rare chance to return, she must confront the past she left behind.
On the national tour, Holiday plays Juan De Marcos, the musician and visionary whose determination helped unite the artists who would become the Afro-Cuban All Stars. Holiday connected with De Marcos’ discipline and structure, building daily routines, running scenes, and immersing himself in the music De Marcos produced.
“I understand he is a hardworking guy. He is a person who has discipline. This is a person who has structure.”
That preparation extended into the music itself. “I was creating playlists specifically around music that he wrote, like boleros and specific Cuban music, guajira, guaracha,” he said.
Holiday also uncovered surprising details about De Marcos’s relationships with the musicians featured in the show. During rehearsals, he learned that De Marcos had not grown-up knowing Ruben Gonzalez personally. “He said, ‘Actually, I did not know him. He was a friend of my dad’s. I just really like his music.’” The revelation gave Holiday a deeper understanding of De Marcos’s influence and the relationships behind the album’s creation.
One of the moments that resonates most with Holiday is the scene surrounding “Candela,” when De Marcos must convince Omara to embrace his vision. “I only get one shot to impress Omara Portuondo,” he said. “He has these three legends in the room, and he is trying to get this one, the one who is going to push this story forward the most.”
For Holiday, balancing the real de Marcos with the demands of the stage is part of the challenge. “I have to fight as hard as Juan De Marcos,” he said. “I have to hold all of that information as an actor, but I have to deliver it with expertise as the character himself.”
That struggle mirrors Holiday’s own experience as an actor. “How much I literally as an actor have to audition to get the part and how much Juan De Marcos is actually auditioning himself as the best producer,” he said. He recalled flying in from Spain for his final audition. “I was selling myself. I am pitching myself to a group of people to trust me to bring this story to the world.”
For Holiday, De Marcos’ story carries a broader lesson about what it takes to turn belief into impact. He hopes audiences leave with a renewed sense that passion grows stronger through steady effort, curiosity, and commitment.
“When you are passionate about something, when you truly believe in something, the more you work at it, the more you become knowledgeable at it,” he said. “There is an audience for your passion.”
And what will he carry with him from portraying De Marcos de Marcos? Holiday points to the people and relationships at the heart of the experience. “I love storytelling. I love listening to stories. The community that he brought is something that I will always take with me.”
Buena Vista Social Club is October 6-11at Straz Center. Learn more and buy tickets at strazcenter.org.
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