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From their humble beginnings in Cuba, Emilio and Gloria Estefan came to America and broke through all barriers to become a crossover sensation at the very top of the pop music world. But just when they thought they had it all, they almost lost everything. “On Your Feet!” takes you behind the music and inside the real story of this record-making and groundbreaking couple who, in the face of adversity, found a way to end up on their feet.
In her heyday, back in the eighties, Gloria Estefan and The Miami Sound Machine were everything a bump and grinding, congo-playing type of nation could hope for. Her smooth lyrics and upbeat tunes resonated worldwide with a diverse audience and every bit of her party-making music could be heard throughout the latino club scene forever and a day. She was a pint-sized music factory whose beauty and energy were part of a total package that catapulted her and Emilio Estefan into international stardom. In spite of being a vocalist in her own right, by partnering with Emilio Estefan, a seasoned musician who fell in love with her music and innocence, she was able to transcend audiences and become stronger as an artist who initially underestimated her own value.
Throughout her childhood in the heart of Havana, Gloria struggled as a gifted young person who loved to sing but was plagued by her own shyness and inability to recognize her full potential. While her overprotective mother understood her gift, she never believed that her family life should be compromised in pursuit of it. If it wasn’t for Gloria’s beloved grandmother, pushing her to expose her talent to anyone who would listen, and the cooperation of her equally-talented sister to stand by her side and motivate her, Gloria may have never moved beyond being a local, hometown artist and musician. In addition to this, it goes without saying that her decision to follow Emilio’s lead as a seasoned artist and love interest completely changed the direction of her life. The award-winning duo was a powerhouse couple who amassed an impressive collection of twenty-six Grammy Awards and sold over 100 million records. Their partnership, which also included producing and entrepreneurship, changed the entire world’s latino music perspective and the entire club scene.
The idea of a Broadway musical production about Gloria’s and Emilio’s road to stardom was definitely genius, considering the impact the Havana-to-Miami stars made in the world and the music scene. Their high-energy hits such as “Conga,” “Don’t Want To Lose You Now,” “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” and “Get On Your Feet,” can still move crowds of any age today and deserve to be preserved in everyone’s musical memory. Director Jerry Mitchell, who has won two Tony awards, did an excellent job of casting a crew that embodied the traits of Gloria and Emilio and the entire Miami Sound Machine in their voices and mannerisms, however, I wasn’t inclined to get, let alone stay on my feet like I totally expected to. For lovers of a good rags to riches story, this will certainly not disappoint, however, if you’re looking for a throwback, Havana-styled dance party, this isn’t it.
Performances at the Music Hall at Fair Park February 27 – March 11
