A New Mambo Musical
SALT & PEPPER
| JESSE AYALA | JUSTINO TESORO |
|---|---|
| Book & Lyrics | Music & Lyrics |
When his bandmate and lifelong buddy falls for a woman during their final Vegas show, Luis must decide whether to follow or finally step into the spotlight of his own life.
HEAR THE MUSIC
HEY MAMI, YOU WANNA MAMBO?
WATCH "SALT & PEPPER MAMBO"
At their final Vegas show before a national tour, lifelong musical partners Luis and Ollie face a threat to their inseparable bond when two seductive women enter the picture.
WATCH "MAMBO MEN"
When Ollie announces plans to marry Ana, Luis desperately scrambles to save their friendship and the future of their band.
The story
BE the one who leads...
Luis and Ollie are Salt & Pepper, a mambo duo on the eve of their biggest tour. Then Ana and Carmen walk into the Flamingo Lounge: two sharp, ambitious performers with plans of their own. As the night spirals into dancing, flirting, and unexpected commitments, Luis faces a choice bigger than show business: keep following his lifelong friend or finally take center stage.WARNING: Ana and Carmen didn’t come for the mojitos...
Every hit starts somewhere
DEVELOPMENTAL HISTORY
Salt & Pepper made its first Off-Broadway appearance at the Jerry Orbach Theater as part of the 2026 Making It Happen Musical Theater Competition, winning its semifinal round and advancing to the finals on September 9.
MAKING IT HAPPEN FESTIVAL TEAM
CREATIVE -
ANDRES LARREA, Director
JUSTINO TESORO, Music Director
CAST -
VICENTE TOMÉ, Luis
SANTOS SANCHEZ, Ollie
CAMILA ROMERO, Ana
ADAMARIS LOPEZ, Carmen
BAND -
EMMA KROLL, Percussion
AWAN RASHAD, Bass
THE NEXT CHAPTER
THIS SHOW’S GOT LEGS.
What began as a short musical is now being developed into a full-length theatrical work.
CURRENT STAGE >
Expanding from short-form to a full-length musical
SEEKING >
Workshops, readings, residencies, developmental partnerships and future producing collaborators
MATERIALS >
Script, score, available performance footage and development information
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE MAMBO
THE WRITERS
| JESSE AYALA |
|---|
| Book & Lyrics |
First-generation Latino storyteller trained at the BMI Workshop, Berklee, and Harvard. Musicals include Marlise! (Dir. Joe Barros, The Players Theatre, 2026; New Musicals Project finalist), June Moon (SparkFest 2026), Madame X (NAAP Discover New Musicals 2026), Salt & Pepper, and Twin or Lose. His documentary films have premiered at Tribeca, Cannes, and SXSW. Broadway investor (The Wiz, 2024), Managing Editor of TheaterLife, and member of the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences.More at JesseAyala.com
| JUSTINO TESORO |
|---|
| Music & Lyrics |
Composer, lyricist, and performer; graduate of Wagner College and Berklee NYC, and a composer in the BMI Workshop. His music has been featured at Carnegie Hall (Transport Group), Lincoln Center, Sony Music Hall, and The Green Room 42. Works include Marlise!, June Moon (Lincoln Center, TADA! Youth Theater), and Salt & Pepper (Jerry Orbach Theater). Co-founder of Punch-Up! Theatre Co., with 28K+ TikTok followers for his song-a-day series. Queer and on the autism spectrum, he writes for anyone who has felt “othered.”More at JustinoTesoro.com
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