Starring in Broadway’s Buena Vista Social Club is a sentimental experience for Natalie Venetia Belcon.

The Trinidadian-born actress and Broadway veteran — known for originating the role of Gary Coleman in Avenue Q — is nominated for her first ever Tony Award for her featured performance in the musical, which charts the making of the 1997 Grammy Award-winning album of same name and the legends who lived the story. But as powerful as that milestone is for her, the actress tells PEOPLE she feels like a winner each night she steps on stage.

That’s because she still can’t believe she gets the chance to be a part of the production.

“Who would’ve thought that the Buena Vista Social Club would be on Broadway?” Belcon, 56, remarks, at the 2025 ‘Meet the Nominees’ event on May 8. “It still hasn’t quite sunk in.”

The record has long been credited for reigniting worldwide interest in Cuban music. But it holds a particularly special place in her heart. “Both of my parents were musicians,” she says, explaining that her mother was a classic pianist and her father was a trumpet player. “They introduced my siblings and I to the Buena Vista album when we were kids.”

Her father in particular stays with her when she’s performing in the show.

“My father passed in 2017, so he’s in my head for all of it,” Belcon shares. “I stand outside of my body a lot during the show, just thinking about the moments with my family and the album. Here I am, on stage, doing this thing. It’s really surreal.”

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An instant hit, Buena Vista Social Club has been nominated for 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Appropriately, the production’s on-stage band is also the recipient of a Special Tony Award.

The musical — currently playing at the Schoenfeld Theatre in New York City — includes several songs from the original album, including “Chan Chan” and “Dos Gardenias.” The show has drawn attention from an abundance of celebrities, including John Leguizamo, Luis Miranda and LaChanze, who are on the producing team. 

Belcon portrays the middle-aged version of famed Cuban singer Omara Portuondo in Buena Vista Social Club (actress Isa Antonetti also plays Portuondo, in her teen years). Though a real person, the show’s story is mostly fictional — though Belcon studied Portuondo to capture her intimidating essence.

“She’s very composed and moves with intention — every head-turn, every glance, every wave of the hand is small yet specific,” Belcon says. “And I love that she takes no shorts, as we used to say back in the day, from anyone. She’s fully in her power at all times.”

“Can I tell you how therapeutic that is? To be on stage and just glare at people?” Belcon laughs. “Because wouldn’t you love to do that in real life? I live vicariously through cats. When they swat at something, or just glare at you with that mean mug. Don’t you wish you could just do that sometimes? So I love that about her.”

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As for that Tony nomination, Belcon feels grateful to be getting the recognition this long into her career.

“It’s everything to me.” she says for the honor. “This show is about these incredible artists, these unsung heroes who are finally getting their flowers. And I’d taken some time away from Broadway, and now I’m back. And how old was the youngest person in Buena Vista? 60-something? I’m almost that age. So this nomination, it really hits me.on so many levels.”

“There’s so much going on for me mentally and emotionally with the show,” Belcon continues. “There’s so many things that I just stop and think about, like, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe I’m here.’ It’s very powerful.”

The actress — whose Broadway credits also include Rent and Matilda the Musical — notices that the audience tends to have an emotional response to the work, as well.

“Either people come to the show because, ‘Oh my God, it’s Buena Vista,‘ and they know the music. Or there’s the exact opposite: people who are discovering it for the first time,” she says. “So when I’m at the stage door, it’s either people thanking me and sharing their special memories, or people who are like, ‘Thank you for showing me this band that I had no idea even existed.’ And in both cases, the reaction has just been so meaningful.”

“I’m really proud of this one,” Belcon says.

Tickets to Buena Vista Social Club are now on sale. The 2025 Tony Awards air live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City Sunday, June 8, on CBS.