Julio Monge
Biography
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).
Credits
Buena Vista Social Club, On Your Feet!, Man of La Mancha, Fosse, Twelfth Night, The Capeman, Victor / Victoria, Chronicle of a Death Foretold
Related Cast Members
Carlos Gonzalez
Currently in: Buena Vista Social Club
Carlos E. Gonzalez. Associate Choreographer / Swing / Understudy Juan de Marcos, Young Compay & Young Rubén / Dance Captain. Carlos was born and raised in Bayamo, Cuba. He emigrated after his mother won the United States visa lottery and went on to graduate from Montclair State University with a BFA in Acting. After graduation, Carlos performed in several shows, including the national tour of In the Heights and the Off-Broadway sensation Fuerza Bruta. On Broadway, he was part of the workshops and original casts of On Your Feet, and the Ivo Van Hove revival of West Side Story. Other credits include the film versions of In the Heights, Tick…Tick…Boom! and Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. Carlos’ relationship to the performing arts has continued to deepen in Cuba as well. He returned to Cuba in a creative role for the productions of Carmen La Cubana and Rent—which was the country’s first Broadway musical produced by an American company in more than 50 years and is featured in the documentary Revolution Rent on HBO. He has also begun leading trips to Cuba with the purpose of connecting and enriching artists, under the name @TravelTheArtistWay. Being part of the BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB™ production is a dream come true for Carlos, especially as it unites his roots in hearing these songs in the countryside of Cuba and getting to collaborate on the choreography as the associate to Justin Peck and Patricia Delgado. To step onto the Broadway stage to the words of these history-making songs in Spanish, representing his culture and homeland, will be an honor. Carlos is grateful to his husband for supporting him in doing this show and would like to dedicate this performance to his daughter Marina as she begins her journey in this world, and to the many creative artists who still find ways to create in Cuba today.
View Full Profile
Leonardo Reyna
Currently in: Buena Vista Social Club
LEONARDO REYNA (Young Rubén) Born in Havana in 1985, Leonardo is an internationally acclaimed pianist, composer, and educator. The legacy of Cuban music runs deep in his family; his grandfather, Rodolfo Reyna, was a violinist and arranger with the Orquesta Sensación, and he passed this passion to Leonardo’s mother, a pianist who first guided him on the piano. Leonardo has studied at prestigious institutions in Latin America and Europe and has trained under prominent teachers from the lineage of the legendary pianist Claudio Arrau. Leonardo merges his Caribbean heritage with a robust technique in both classical and jazz music. His versatility is evident in his wide-ranging work as a soloist, chamber musician, accompanist, and composer. He has garnered over 15 international piano awards and has contributed music to notable film projects across Europe. His debut album, Vibraciones Clásicas, featured Afro-Cuban fantasies composed by him, encapsulating many of his musical interests and artistic explorations. Recently, he completed a new album focusing on significant global piano repertoire while also honoring Cuban composers who have shaped popular Cuban music since the 19th century. Additionally, Leonardo is an innovator in electronic music production and a proactive entrepreneur in the arts.
View Full Profile
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
Da’Von T. Moody
Currently in: Buena Vista Social Club
DA’VON T. MOODY (Young Compay) is making his Broadway Debut with BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB but has also had the pleasure of being a part of many other projects. National Tour: MJ the Musical (Alejandro). Off-Broadway: Man of No Importance. Regional credits include: The Outsiders (Dallas Winston) at La Jolla Playhouse, RENT (Benny) at the Signature Theatre, Gun & Powder (World Premiere), Ain’t Misbehavin’. Olney Theatre: A.D. 16- World Premier (Simeon); Ford’s Theatre: The Wiz, Christmas Carol, Amazing Grace (Mr. Tyler); Constellation Theatre: Aida! (Mereb); ArtsCentric: Hair (Berger) and Dreamgirls (C.C. White). Film: Once Again for the First Time.
View Full Profile
Andrew Montgomery Coleman
Currently in: Buena Vista Social Club
(he/him) Broadway debut! Hailing from Raleigh, North Carolina, Drew is a Brooklyn-based, proud alum of North Carolina A&T State University and the British American Drama Academy. He recently starred as King Louis in The Three Musketeersand Collins in Rent at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Select credits include Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors (North Shore), Omari in Pipeline (American Stage), Taylor in Prelude to a Kiss (World Premiere, Milwaukee Rep), and Eddie in Sister Act (New Stage, Derby Dinner). He currently stars as Jamal in the web series FortheBoys, available on YouTube. Shout out to Hudson Artists Agency, Tara Rubin Casting and his incredible family, mentors, and community who unwaveringly hold him up. Thank you, God!
View Full Profile
Mel Semé
Currently in: Buena Vista Social Club
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.
View Full Profile