The chorus of the Broadway musical “Buena Vista Social Club” has been named the 2025 recipient of Actors’ Equity Association’s Advisory Committee on Chorus Affairs (ACCA) Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus, Equity announced Wednesday.
Presented by the ACCA, the annual award recognizes the contributions of original chorus members in a Broadway musical. Equity is the national union for professional actors and stage managers.
The eight performers honored for their work in “Buena Vista Social Club” are Angelica Maria Beliard, Carlos E. Gonzalez, Héctor Juan Maisonet, Ilda Mason, Marielys Molina, Carlos Sanchez Falú, Anthony Santos and Tanairi Sade Vazquez. The Tony Award-nominated musical “Buena Vista Social Club” opened on March 19 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre.
“This season is an incredibly special one for the chorus,” said Al Bundonis, Equity’s second vice president and ACCA chair. “Equity has designated 2025 as A Chorus Year, and the ACCA Award is just one milestone event in our yearlong celebration.”
Of the awarded performers, Bundonis said, “They bring to life the distinct personality of Buena Vista Social Club. They use their voices, their bodies and their incredible artistic skills to make audiences feel the heat of Cuba, the heart of its people and the soul of the period. Their contributions are essential to the storytelling of this production."
Tony Award-nominated co-choreographers Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck also commended the performers. “Congratulations to the cast of ‘Buena Vista Social Club,’ an exceptional group of artists with undeniable talent, courage and passion,” Delgado and Peck said in a joint statement. “You bring this powerful story to life with so much honesty, care and warmth. We love you all!”
Voters for the award included Equity chorus councilors, ACCA members and past recipients of the union’s Legacy Robe. Nominations were evaluated based on creative and technical demands, artistic execution and the chorus’ overall contribution to the production.
The ensemble will receive the award at the Actors’ Equity Foundation Awards Ceremony on June 23 in New York City. The event will be livestreamed; details will be announced at a later date.
Past recipients of the ACCA Award include the original ensemble members of “The Heart of Rock and Roll” in 2024 and “New York, New York” in 2023. The ensemble of “Legally Blonde” accepted the inaugural award in 2007.
