Broadway Theater Review: On Your Feet!

Josh Segarra and Ana Villafane. Photo: Matthew Murphy

The Rhythm of This Show is Gonna Get You

By Lauren Yarger
Another jukebox musical has hit the Broadway boards this year, but this time, the music will probably get you.

On Your Feet! Is the story of the relationship and music careers of seven-time GRAMMY® winning international superstar Gloria Estefan (Ana Villafañe) and her husband, 19-time GRAMMY® winning producer-musician-entrepreneur Emilio Estefan (Josh Segarra).

With a book by Alexander Dinelaris (Birdman, The Bodyguard Musical), we follow how the two meet, rise to the top of charts with their band, the Miami Sound Machine, and make it through life’s challenges including Gloria’s near-fatal car crash.

The two meet in Miami, where Gloria’s mother Gloria Fajardo (and excellent Andrea Burns), a woman who once dreamed of making it big as a singer, discourages her daughter’s ambitions in the hope that she will have a more secure future. She also just doesn’t like Emilio and isn’t behind that relationship. Her mother, Consuelo (a delightful Alma Cuervo) goes behind her daughter’s back to encourage the romance.

Dinelaris’ book, which tends in the way of too many biographical stage scripts, includes far too much information and countless scene changes and flashbacks (with little Gloria and Emilio played by Alexandria Suarez and Noah Johnston and younger Emilio played by  Eduardo Hernandez, who also doubles as the couple’s son, Nayib). Director Jerry Mitchell might have insisted on a few cuts to tighten up the production.

Trying to tell every single thing that ever happened to these folks for more than 30 years in just under two and a half hours cobs up the storytelling a bit, but the really glamorous costumes by Esosa, the combustible choreography by Sergio Trujillo (assisted by Maria Torres and Marcos Santana) and the pace of the Cuban-flavored music, played on a stage by a large great-sounding band (some of whom are original members of the Sound Machine) directed by Lon Hoyt, keep us fully entertained. A conga line for which members of the audience are snatched concludes the first act, but folks are bopping and enjoying the music throughout.

Hits like “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You,” “Conga,” “1-2-3,” “Get On Your Feet,” “”Mi Tierra,” “Don’t Want To Lose You Now,” and “Reach,” are included as well as an original song written by Gloria and her daughter Emily Estefan.

It’s a feel-good musical and we can’t help but admire the spirit and triumphs of Gloria and Emilio Estefan (both portrayed well here with great vocals to match) and feel grateful that they have shared their story with us.

On Your Feet! rocks out the Marquis Theatre, 1535 Broadway, NYC. Performances are Tuesday and Thursday at 7 pm; Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 8 pm; Wednesday and Saturday at 2 pm; Sunday at 3 pm. Tickets are $55 - $199: onyourfeetmusical.com; 877-250-2929.

Full Creative:

Featuring Music Produced and Recorded by Gloria and Emilio Estefan and Miami Sound Machine; Book by Alexander Dinelaris Direction by Jerry Mitchell; Associate Direction by Andy Senor, Jr.; Choreography by Sergio Trujillo, Associate Choreography by Maria Torres and Marcos Santana, Scenic Design by Eugene Lee, Set Design by David Rockwell, Projection Design Darrel Maloney, Costume Design by Esosa, Wig and Hair Design by Charles G. LaPointe, Lighting Design by Kenneth Posner, Sound Design by SCK Sound Design, Music Direction and Arrangements by Lon Hoyt, Orchestrations by Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Additional Orchestrations by Jorge Casas and Clay Ostwald, Dance Music Arrangements and Dance orchestrations by Oscar Hernandez. 

Additional cast:

Fabi Aguirre, Karmine Alers, Yassmin Alers, David Baida, Natalie Caruncho, Henry Gainza, Linedy Genao, Carlos E. Gonzalez, Nina Lafarga, Genny Lis Padilla, Omar Lopez-Cepero, Hector Maisonet,Marielys Molina, Doreen Montalvo, Liz Ramos, Eliseo Roman, Luis Salgado, Marcos Santana, Martín Solá, Jennifer Sanchez, Brett Sturgis, Kevin Tellez, Eric Ulloa, Tanairi Sade Vasquez and Lee Zarrett…. Ensemble

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