Number 51 on 45th Street, Bernie Williams Joins the Buena Vista Band

Bernie Williams, the Yankees center fielder whose No. 51 the team retired in 2015, is playing guitar on Broadway in Buena Vista Social Club at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre through Sunday, November 29.

He made his Broadway debut on Thursday, October 22, sitting in with the show's band, according to Broadway.com. It is a six-week stand.

West 45th Street has seen stranger casting. It has rarely seen a better batting average in the band.

Who Is Bernie Williams the Musician?

He is a trained guitarist with two albums and a music degree. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Williams trained as a classical guitarist, Broadway.com reports. His debut album, The Journey Within, came out in 2003. The follow-up, Moving Forward, in 2009, earned a Latin Grammy nomination and featured Bruce Springsteen, Jon Secada and Dave Koz.

He went back to school after baseball. BroadwayWorld reports that he earned a Bachelor of Music in jazz performance from the Manhattan School of Music in 2016 and now sits on its board of trustees. He played Carnegie Hall in January 2026, the same report says.

The baseball line is the one most New Yorkers know. Sixteen seasons, all with the Yankees. Five All-Star games, four World Series titles, four Gold Gloves, the 1998 American League batting title and the 1996 ALCS MVP award. The number came off the market for good in 2015.

Why This Show?

The music is from his childhood. "I am excited about the opportunity to join Buena Vista Social Club because the music was part of my childhood growing up," Williams said when the run was announced in September. He went on to recall his mother playing these songs on Sunday afternoons, according to BroadwayWorld, and called performing them on Broadway a dream come true.

The music was part of my childhood growing up.

Buena Vista Social Club is inspired by true events and by the Grammy-winning 1997 album of the same name. The musical follows the musicians behind that record against the Havana music scene. Saheem Ali directs from a book by Marco Ramirez, with choreography by Tony winners Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck.

The show's own site bills it as the winner of five Tony Awards. BroadwayWorld's gallery of Williams's debut says six. We go with the producers' count.

Who Else Is on Stage?

It has become a ballpark of a cast. José "Candelita" Iglesias, the former major leaguer and recording artist, narrates. BroadwayWorld calls him the first Latino MLB player to debut on Broadway and reports that his run, which began August 27, was extended through November 15.

Gina Torres, of Suits and Firefly, plays Omara through November 29, the same closing date as Williams, BroadwayWorld reports. We covered her arrival in our story on Torres's return to Broadway. Rick Negron plays Compay, Mel Semé plays Ibrahim and Jainardo Batista Sterling plays Rubén, according to Broadway.com.

Several of the musicians are played at two ages. Broadway.com lists Isa Antonetti as Young Omara, Da'Von T. Moody as Young Compay, Wesley Wray as Young Ibrahim and Jesús Pupo as Young Rubén. Chris Myers plays Juan de Marcos.

One more change lands this week. Swing and understudy Tanairi Sade Vazquez takes over as Young Haydee from October 27 through November 15, during Ashley De La Rosa's planned leave, BroadwayWorld reports.

The show may travel. A June BroadwayWorld story, linked from its photo gallery, said lead producer Orin Wolf was eyeing a West End run in 2027.

Photographer Andy Henderson shot Williams's first nights with the band for BroadwayWorld's gallery.

What to Know Before You Go

The Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre is at 236 West 45th Street. This week's schedule on the show's official site lists a 7 p.m. curtain Tuesday, two shows Wednesday and Thursday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., a 7 p.m. show Friday, a 2 p.m. Halloween matinee Saturday, October 31, and 3 p.m. Sunday.

The show's site sends buyers to Telecharge. BroadwayWorld lists seats from $59.

Williams plays in the band, not in the cast of characters. His last night is November 29.

He spent sixteen years in the Bronx at the plate. For six weeks, he is in Midtown with a guitar.