**** Highly Recommended Drury Lane’s production of On Your Feet! The Story of Emelio and Gloria Estefan is just spectacular! It’s a toe-tapping, dance-in-your seat musical based on the life stories of international superstars Gloria and Emilio Estefan. Unlike the usual jukebox musical, On Your Feet is intelligent, emotional and very well-acted. I give it 4 BIG Spotlights.
A personal note, since I love Gloria Estefan’s music, I’ve have danced to Conga at many a party, but I never knew that Conga, her first crossover hit, was also her first release in English.
Charlotte Arias. Photo by Justin Barbin
The On Your Feet cast is phenomenal. I can’t say enough about their talent, their energy and their enthusiasm. Gaby Albo’s vocal range is perfect for Gloria – and she can really dance! Samuel Garnica’s Emelio refused to stay in the background, showing his own vocal range. Claudia Quesada gave a tour de force performance as Gloria’s mother, Gloria Fajardo. Consuelo (Ana Maria Alvarez) stole the show every time she appeared on stage. Child actors Charlotte Arias and Talia Josephson alternate as Little Gloria who plays the guitar as she sings. Finally, Angel Hikari Salgado plays two parts, Nayib and Young Emelio.
Gaby Albo and the cast of On Your Feet! Photo by Justin Barbin
Rather than consecutive, the story line utilizes flashbacks to illustrate key episodes in the story – Gloria’s father serving in Viet Nam; her grandfather telling his wife that it was time to leave Cuba; her mother singing in a Havana nightclub. When his band landed in the Madrid airport, Emilio remembers that as a child, he landed in that exact spot as a refugee from Cuba.
Little Gloria grew up singing, often songs she wrote herself, for her family and friends in Miami. Her father was bedridden, so while her mother, Gloria Fajardo worked to support the family, Gloria took care of her father and her little sister.
Claudia Quesada. Photo by Justin Barbin
One of the reasons “On Your Feet” succeeds so well is the exploration of Estefan’s complex, multi-generational family and the interrelationships between her, her mother and grandmother. Whenever Gloria was in trouble with her mother, she would run to her grandmother, Consuelo even after she grew up.
Gloria couldn’t understand why her mother got so angry when Gloria wanted to sing with the band. Consuelo explained that her mother was going to be signed by Walt Disney and flown to Hollywood to be the Spanish voice of Shirley Temple until her grandfather said no – and his word was law. Then when she was on the verge of stardom in Cuba, they had to flee to the United States and she never got the chance to sing in public again.
Gaby Alba & Samuel Garnica. Photo by Justin Barbin
Gloria has a little sister Rebecca (Diana Marilyn Alvarez). When her grades started going down and she started running with a wild crowd, Gloria decided to take her on tour, thinking that Emilio and their son, Nayib (Eduardo Hernandez) would be good for her.
Ironically, Estefan had just signed a contract for millions of dollars, when her mother pitched a fit. She thought the music and the money would be here today and gone tomorrow, and then what would she do – she just needed to stay home and get a real job! She refused to speak to her daughter for two years when she left anyway.
Gaby Alba. Photo by Justin Barbin
The first act ended with Estefan’s breakthrough song “Conga”, which got everyone’s feet tapping! The dancers even dance their conga line into the audience!
The second act is a little more somber. Gloria, Emilio, Nayib and Rebecca are all on their tour bus when disaster strikes. During a snowstorm, a semi crashed into the back of the bus, severely injuring Gloria, who ended up having spinal surgery. At the news, her mother left Miami to be at her side. It took months of therapy and rehab before Gloria could even walk comfortably, much less perform. An invitation to sing at the American Music Awards proved to be the incentive she needed to perform again.
The cast of On Your Feet! featuring Gaby Alba & Samuel Garnica. Photo by Justin Barbin
The fabulous On Your Feet ensemble is always ‘on their feet’ as they dance to almost every number. They are: Cristina Benninghoff, Ivan James, Henry Cartaya, Lillian Castillo, Bryanna Ciera Colon, John Michael Coppola, Samantha Guerrero, Estefania Mena, Thomas Ortizz, Esteban Ortiz-Villacorta, Christopher Llewyn Ramirez, Xander Ramirez, Ralphie Rivera de Jesus, Jocelyn Samano, Martin Ortiz Tapla, Johanthan Uriostegul and Stephanie Viruet.
The cast of On Your Feet! Photo by Justin Barbin
The Drury Lane Orchestra: Chris Sargent (Conductor/Keyboard 1), Karl Montzka (Associate Conductor), Larry Kohut (Bass), Vance Okraszewki (Drums/Percussion), Steve Roberts (Guitar), Carey Deadman (Trumpet/Flugelhorn), Raphael Crawford (Trombone) and Jean Christophe Leroy (Percussion).
On Your Feet! runs through March 22nd at the Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. Parking is free.
Running time is 2 hours, 15 minutes, with an intermission. Performances: Wednesdays at 1:30 pm; Thursdays at 1:30 & 7:00 pm; Fridays at 7:00 pm; Saturdays at 3:00 & 8:00 pm; Sundays at 2:00 & 6:00 pm. Tickets range from $75-$ 130. FYI (630) 530-0111 or DruryLaneTheatre.com.