On Your Feet the Musical Review
Yesterday I went with my mom to see On Your Feet!. If you are a huge fan of Gloria Estefan then you already know what this musical is about. This musical tells the story of Gloria Estefan's journey of becoming a sensation performer. Written by Alexander Dinelaris, an Oscar-winning co-screenwriter of 2014's Birdman, director Jerry Mitchell known for Kinky Boots and Legally Blonde and Sergio Trujillo, choreographer brings her life story to life.
The musical had its world premiere at the Oriental Theatre in Chicago from June 2, 2015-July 5, 2015. Broadway previews began on October 5, 2015, at the Marquis Theatre. The show opened on November 5, 2015, and closed August 20, 2017, having 34 previews and 746 performances. The fall of 2017 the United States touring started.
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| Image from Variety.com |
It contains two dozen song numbers of Gloria’s work. In 1985, Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine’s “Conga” was released. This was the first of its kind to rock the world. Emilio helped paved the way for future Afro-Cuban style.
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On Your Feet ran on Broadway for two years and now is touring. This musical hits on many topics including the struggles of life, love, setbacks, family issues, race issues, and faith.
Act one opens with Emilio looking for a singer for his band, the Miami Latin Boys. Seventeen-year-old Gloria auditions singing “Anything for You.” Two years later they got ready for their South America tour. Estefan’s first big hit, “Conga” takes center stage but Phil, the Sony executive, rejects the song because it is in English and Latin music can’t be mixed in English. Emilio responses with “This is what an American looks like.” Phil tells them to change the name if he wants to crossover, but Emilio turns it down and goes about doing it his way.
Emilio has a bunch of people handing out records, having Gloria play at Italian weddings and mitzvahs. Act one finishes with Gloria hitting it big. They exit through the audience dancing and singing to her song “Conga”.
Second act opens up with Gloria and Emilio arguing about getting back on the road. She tells him she is tired and needs just a day for rest. He didn’t listen and they were back on the road. The main focus of act two is the 1990 bus accident that almost paralyzed Gloria. The doctors thought she might not ever walk again. She pushes herself in physical therapy. Emilio kept pushing her into getting back on stage. After reading fan mail she decides to perform on the 1991 American Music Award with the song “Coming Out of the Dark.” Even though the story ends 27 years ago, her career still flourishes. Jerry Mitchell’s generous staging feels complete.
Christie Prades who plays Gloria has an amazing voice and great infectious presence. She had star power. She played the understudy for the role of Gloria on Broadway. Her accent was on and off.
Eddie Noel who plays Emilio also had a powerful voice. You would have never known this is his first national tour with On Your Feet! .
Eddie and Christie did a wonderful job at showing Emilio and Gloria chemistry towards each other. They did an amazing job of blending during their duets.
My favorite person is Gloria’s mother played by Nancy Ticotin. The audience gets an idea Gloria’s mother has a little bit of jealousy going on because she was close to working with 20th Century Fox as Shirley Temple’s Spanish singing voice, but her father wouldn’t let her do it. The flashback to her performance at the Havana nightclub singing “Mi Tierra” was visually beautiful as well as powerful vocals.
Choreographer Sergio Trujillo’s created some amazing footwork and seductive salsas and mambos. As they are singing and dancing “On Your Feet” I wanted to get up and jump up and down too.
Emilio Sosa did an amazing job with costumes. She brought to stage the real Gloria Estefan’s famous concert outfits. In the show, there are so many very fast quick changes it was hard to count.
David Rockwell created several moving and rotating panels for projection of posters and streetscapes. A scrim is sometimes shown with a projection of a tree (that looks like Gone with the Wind tree when Tara was on fire) and fireworks. The stage is framed with rotating concert lights. The backdrop at times disappears to reveal the onstage band.
I love how we have the technology but I do miss the day when there were massive beautiful set pieces. On Your Feet! has a lot of projection with minimal set pieces. During the restaurant scene the set got pulled off and as it was pulled off the table with the candle and glasses fell and the poor ensemble waiter dancer had to try to gracefully pick it up as fast as possible.
I felt bad for the performers because eighty percent of the audience wasn’t engaged. They had the hardest time getting the audience to clap and whistle and yell. Even at the end for the curtain call and the ending song.
This show is a lot of fun and well casted. Plan on walking out of the show with Gloria Estefan’s songs stuck in your head.
Musical Numbers:
Act One:
“Rhythm Is Gonna Get You”
“Cuando Sali de Cuba”
“Tradicion”
“Anything For You”
“1-2-3”
“I See Your Smile”
“Mi Tierra”
“Con Los Anos Que Me Quedan”
“Here We Are”
“Dr. Beat”
“When Someone Comes Into Your Life”
“Conga”
Act Two
“Get on Your Feet”
Live for Loving You”
“You’ll Be Mine (Party Time)”
“Oye Mi Canto”
“Cuba Libre”
“Famous”
“If I Never Got to Tell You”
“Wrapped”
“Don’t Wanna Lose You”
“Reach”
“Coming Out of the Dark”
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“Mega Mix” – “Rhythm is Gonna Get You”, “Oye”, “Conga”, “Turn the Beat Around”, “Everlasting Love”, “Get On Your Feet”.
"On Your Feet! is the inspiring true story about heart, heritage, and two people who believed in their talent—and each other—to become an international sensation: Gloria and Emilio Estefan. Now their story has arrived on stage in an exhilarating original production that already won the hearts of critics and audiences alike, with the Chicago Tribune declaring “It’s a hit!” and The New York Times cheering, “The very air in the room seems to vibrate in this undeniably crowd-pleasing musical!” if you aren’t humming a Gloria Estefan hit when you leave the theatre, it might be time to check your pulse!” raves the Associated Press. " - On Your Feet website
Click Here to their website
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