Lin-Manuel Miranda Surprises San Juan Crowd
Entertainment: Puerto Rico
Key Facts
- Who. Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of the Broadway musical Hamilton, appeared unannounced at the show’s second performance on 24 October.
- Where. Buena Vista Social Club, a Broadway musical, plays in Spanish at the Antonio Paoli Festival Hall in San Juan.
- Why it matters. The Broadway co-producers call it the first Puerto Rico staging licensed independently while the original still runs.
- As of 25 October 2026, 22:30 GMT
Miranda made a surprise appearance at a San Juan theatre on Saturday evening, 24 October. The audience gave him a standing ovation during the Spanish-language Puerto Rican production of Buena Vista Social Club.
The Lin-Manuel Miranda surprise appearance came at the second performance of Buena Vista Social Club in Puerto Rico. The run opened on 23 October 2026 at a theatre in Santurce, a district of San Juan.
What Happened at the Performance
Miranda appeared unannounced at the Sala de Festivales Antonio Paoli, the Antonio Paoli Festival Hall, on Saturday evening, 24 October. The hall is part of the Centro de Bellas Artes de Santurce, or Santurce Performing Arts Center, in San Juan.
Ender Vega, the producer at BAS Entertainment, the company staging the show, recognised him publicly. Vega thanked Miranda for supporting the production’s arrival in Puerto Rico, and the audience gave him a standing ovation.
In Spanish, Miranda said “Gracias por apoyar el teatro”, meaning “Thank you for supporting theatre”. He added that bringing one of his favourite shows “con un elenco boricua, en español”, or with a Puerto Rican cast in Spanish, left him “sin palabras”, or speechless.
A Spanish-Language Show With a Puerto Rican Cast
The musical celebrates the legacy of the Buena Vista Social Club, the Havana music collective whose 1990s album and film made the Cuban music style son famous worldwide. This production is performed in Spanish, with an all-Puerto Rican cast and musicians.
Choco Orta plays Omara, Michael Stuart plays Ibrahim and Ernesto Concepción plays Compay. Modesto Lacén is Juan de Marcos, René Monclova is Rubén, and Luis Sanz plays Eliades on the cuatro, a ten-string Puerto Rican instrument similar to a guitar.
Why It Matters for US Readers
Puerto Rico is a US territory, and its residents are US citizens. Buena Vista Social Club is a Tony-winning Broadway musical, now staged in Spanish on US soil.
The Broadway original opened on 19 March 2025 and won four Tony Awards, Broadway’s top prizes, plus a Special Tony, an honorary award, for its band. It had 10 nominations, and its cast album won the 2026 Grammy, a leading US music award, for Best Musical Theater Album.
Miranda and his father, Luis A. Miranda Jr., are co-producers of the Broadway original. They issued a joint statement calling the Puerto Rico run an important milestone for the island’s professional theatre community and its relationship with Broadway.
According to the Broadway co-producers, it is the first production on the archipelago granted an independent performance licence while the Broadway show is still running. BAS Entertainment stages the Puerto Rican premiere by special agreement with the Broadway producing team.
What Is Not Known
It is not confirmed whether Miranda attended any other night of the run. It is also not known whether he will attend future performances.
Ticket availability beyond the listed dates is not confirmed. The upcoming performances listed so far are 31 October and 1 November 2026.
What It Means for Visitors and Fans
Upcoming performances are listed for Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November 2026 at the Antonio Paoli hall. The producer says tickets are sold through Ticketera.com, a ticketing website.
Availability is not confirmed, so visitors should check with the venue before planning a trip. Expect a Spanish-language show with a Puerto Rican cast.
For now, the Puerto Rican staging has drawn public support from a co-producer of the Broadway show. What happens after 1 November is not yet confirmed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Lin-Manuel Miranda attend Buena Vista Social Club in Puerto Rico?
Yes. He made a surprise appearance at the second performance on Saturday evening, 24 October 2026, at the Antonio Paoli Festival Hall in San Juan.
Who is in the Puerto Rican cast?
Choco Orta, Michael Stuart, Ernesto Concepción, Modesto Lacén, René Monclova and Luis Sanz are among the cast. The cast and musicians are all Puerto Rican, and the show is performed in Spanish.
When are the next performances and how do I buy tickets?
Performances are listed for 31 October and 1 November 2026. The producer says tickets are available through Ticketera.com, and availability should be checked with the venue.
Is the Puerto Rico production approved by the Broadway team?
Yes. BAS Entertainment produces the Puerto Rican premiere by special agreement with the Broadway producing team.
Sources
Centro de Bellas Artes de Santurce · BAS Entertainment (producer) · Ticketera
Sources: Rio Times reporting from San Juan; event producer BAS Entertainment; Centro de Bellas Artes de Santurce.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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