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The Three Kings & Their Queens Set to Transport NYC to 1950s Palladium
- Damian Ali
- Oct 23
- 4 min read
Updated: 2 hours ago
A theatrical concert celebrates the Golden Age of Mambo Music.
The Three Kings & Their Queens key art features Palladium Ballroom marquee: Courtesy of Leah Grammatica / Lehman Center.
In New York City, you can still stumble on live music anywhere, maybe during a subway ride or outside the right bodega at just the right time, and catch a taste of that big-band spirit. But this fall, the full orchestra sound of that era comes together inside Lehman Center for the Performing Arts. On Saturday, November 8, 2025, at 8 p.m., Lehman Center will present The Three Kings & Their Queens, a theatrical musical concert celebrating the city's Latin big-band legacy.
The production marks part of Lehman Center's 45th anniversary season and is produced by David Maldonado Entertainment, with Joe Conzo Sr. as associate producer. Directed by Waddys Jáquez, written and narrated by poet, playwright, and actress Caridad De La Luz (La Bruja), and conducted by musical director Steven Oquendo, the show features a live big-band orchestra and a cast portraying the icons who shaped the golden age of mambo.
The cast brings a cross-generational mix of Latin music talent to The Bronx stage. Grammy-winning percussionist Bobby Allende embodies "El Rey del Timbal," Tito Puente, while Latin Grammy-nominated salsa star Michael Stuart takes on the smooth style of Tito Rodríguez. K7, frontman of the Freestyle trio TKA, channels the charisma of Latin jazz great Machito, joined by powerhouse vocalist Yaharia (Miss YaYa) Vargas as Graciela and dynamic performer Grizel "Chachi" Del Valle as La Lupe.
Actress and singer Anissa Gathers, celebrated for her portrayal of Celia Cruz in Celia: The Musical, completes the lineup alongside guest vocalist Frankie Figueroa, an internationally acclaimed sonero and former lead singer for Tito Puente's orchestra.
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Image Courtesy of Lehman Center for the Performing Arts
During a recent appearance on BronxNet's OPEN, host Rhina Valentin spoke with cast members Yaharia Vargas, Caridad De La Luz, and K7 about the upcoming performance. "We want people to come and have a good time," said Vargas, who plays Graciela. "Listen to great music. Listen to the foundations of where music is today." K7 added, "It'll change your playlist because it's changed mine." (See full interview here)
The Palladium Ballroom opened in 1946 on 53rd Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Known as the "Home of the Mambo," it became the central hub for the mambo music and dance craze, uniting New Yorkers from every background under one rhythm.
It was where the "Big Three" bandleaders, Tito Puente, Tito Rodríguez, and Machito, led large orchestras that combined Afro-Cuban percussion with the horn-driven swing arrangements that had defined the city's earlier jazz era, and where famous dancers like Augie and Margo Rodríguez, Millie Donay, and Pedro "Cuban Pete" Aguilar turned the mambo into a worldwide dance phenomenon. The result was a sound and style that reshaped popular music and paved the way for salsa.
The marquee of the Palladium Ballroom in New York City, photographed by Augie Rodriguez, lists Latin music legends Tito Puente, Tito Rodríguez, and famed dancers Augie and Margo. Inset: Palladium owner Maxwell Hyman with star dancers Augie and Margo Rodriguez, photographed by Harry Fine: Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Note: Image of Palladium marquee lightly restored for clarity.
Producer David Maldonado described the production as "a full-circle moment." "I grew up with this music; it connected my family, my community, and my culture," he said. "It's not just nostalgia, it's a celebration of who we are, where we come from, and the timeless joy that Latin music continues to bring to the world." Maldonado added that he hopes audiences "feel the unity that defined the Palladium era," recalling how "at a time when society was divided, the dance floor erased all boundaries."
That legacy lives on in The Three Kings & Their Queens, giving a new generation of New Yorkers the chance to celebrate Latin music royalty thanks to the cast and crew bringing its history to life.
The Three Kings and Their Queens Trailer: Courtesy of Jenny Pulido
The event also reflects Lehman Center's continued mission to support arts programming through community partnerships with organizations such as the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the Bronx Delegation, the New York State Council on the Arts, and sponsors including Goya Foods, Con Edison, and Havana Café.
While it's always special to hear our favorite neighborhood musicians playing outside the bodega, this event gives New Yorkers a rare chance to experience every instrument and every voice coming together under one roof. It's a true Quantum Leap moment back to the 1950s Palladium Ballroom, the Home of the Mambo, where the Kings and Queens of Mambo come alive once more.
Follow:
The Three Kings & Their Queens
Lehman Center for the Performing Arts
David Maldonado Entertainment
Lehman Center Ticket Info
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