Hispanic voices and art are ever-present in the Broadway community. As we end Hispanic Heritage Month, here are 8 Broadway musicals based on the experiences of latines.
Buena Vista Social Club
Inspired by the 1997 Grammy-winning album, Buena Vista Social Club tells the story of the Cuban artists and musicians who created it. With a book by Marco Ramirez, director Saheem Ali leads an ensemble of artists, including a band of renowned musicians from across the globe to tell the story of the artists who recorded the original album. Buena Vista Social Club features the music of Cuba’s golden age, choreography by Patricia Delgado, and Tony Award winner Justin Peck. The five-time Tony Award winning show is currently playing at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre.
Real Women Have Curves
Based on the play by Josefina López, Real Women Have Curves follows the story of Ana García, an aspiring writer and daughter of a latinx, immigrant family. The show features direction and choreography by Tony and Olivier Award winner Sergio Trujillo, music and lyrics by Grammy Award-winning artist Joy Huerta and composer/lyricist Benjamin Velez and book by Lisa Loomer with Nell Benjamin. The two-time Tony Award nominated show closed on June 29, 2025 after 31 previews and 73 regular performances at the James Earl Jones Theatre.
West Side Story
Adapted from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the critically-acclaimed story of star-crossed lovers from two rival gangs in New York: the Jets and the Sharks. It was one of the first Broadway shows to feature Hispanic characters. The creative team for the original Broadway production of West Side Story in 1957 included composer Leonard Bernstein, playwright Arthur Laurents, choreographer Jerome Robbins, costume designer Irene Sharaff, and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. The most recent film adaptation of the iconic musical was directed by Stephen Spielberg and released on December 10, 2021.
In the Heights
The four-time Tony Award-winning musical is centered around a Latinx community in Washington Heights, a Manhattan neighborhood. The musical features music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. In The Heights closed on January 9, 2011 after 29 previews and 1,185 regular performances. The film adaptation of the musical was directed by Jon M. Chu and released both in theaters and on HBO Max on June 11, 2021.
Kiss of the Spider Woman
The seven-time Tony Award-winning production about two Argentine prisoners, one of which recounts tales of the movies to distract from the world outside their shared cell. Kiss of the Spider Woman features music by John Kander, lyrics by Frank Ebb, book by Terrence McNally, and direction by Harold Prince. The show closed on July 1, 1995 after 16 previews and 904 regular performances at the Broadhurst Theatre. The film adaptation starring Jennifer Lopez will be released on October 10, 2025.
Evita
The seven-time Tony Award-winning production about an ambitious actress who became the first lady of Argentina, Eva Perón. The show features music by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber with book and lyrics written by Tim Rice. The original Broadway production of Evita closed on June 26, 1983 after 17 previews and 1,567 regular performances at the Broadway Theatre. The show has since been revived once on Broadway. The most recent West End Revival directed by Jamie Lloyd and starring Rachel Zegler closed on September 6, 2025.
Man of La Mancha
The five-time Tony Award-winning musical is based on Miguel de Cervantes’s retelling of Don Quixote and his quest. The show features music by Joe Darion, lyrics by Mitch Leigh, and book by Dale Wasserman. The original Broadway run of Man of La Mancha closed on June 26, 1971 after 21 previews and 2,398 regular performances at the ANTA Washington Square Theatre. The musical has since been revived 4 times in 1972, 1977, 1992, and 2002 respectively.
On Your Feet!
On Your Feet! is a jukebox musical that tells the story of Gloria and Emilio Estefan’s rise to stardom using songs from Miami Sound Machine’s and Gloria Estefan’s discography. The show features music and lyrics by Gloria and Emilio Estefan, book by Alexander Dinelaris, and Tony Award-nominated choreography by Sergio Trujillo. The show closed on August 20, 2017 after 34 previews and 746 performances at the Marquis Theatre.
