ON YOUR FEET! is the story of two people who-through an unwavering dedication to one another and their pursuit of the American dream-showcased their talent, their music and their heritage to the world in a remarkable rise to global superstardom. Set to Gloria's chart-topping, smash hits such as "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You," "1-2-3," "Mi Tierra," and "Conga," in addition to new music penned by the Estefans, the show will be choreographed by four-time Drama Desk nominee Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys, Memphis) with a book by two-time Drama Desk nominee Alexander Dinelaris (The Bodyguard Musical, Zanna Don't).
'On Your Feet!' has a whitewashed, corporate-approved texture, which makes Gloria and Emilio come off as utterly devoid of personality despite their accomplishments and personal drama. It's so self-congratulatory that one gets the impression that they personally vetted every line. The production (directed by Jerry Mitchell and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo) comes to life during upbeat production numbers, which have lively, salsa-flavored movement and a hot sound. But more often than not, it gets mired in flashbacks and other downbeat sequences in which the songs lack impact. It feels rather like a pop concert that is too often paused...Ana Villafañe...is a beauty with a bright presence. She receives solid support from Josh Segarra as the gentle Emilio and Andréa Burns as Gloria's stern mother.
I'm no fan of jukebox musicals. If they're the type that tell an invented tale, like Mamma Mia! or Rock of Ages, the book is generally rendered idiotic by the effort to accommodate the songs. If they're instead pop biographies, like Jersey Boys and Beautiful, the problem is even worse because the songs, too, are denatured, by the effort to accommodate a preexisting storyline. Furthermore, the structure of musicals in the second category can only lead to a bathetic climax: In the final scenes, the protagonists (Frankie Valli, Carole King) become exactly who we already knew them to be. That's more than ever the case with the new Gloria Estefan jukebox musical On Your Feet! because if you don't arrive at the Marquis Theatre knowing the billboard headlines of her story (Cuban immigrant becomes American pop star, gets hit by a truck, eventually returns in triumph) why are you there? The only real issues for me in approaching a show like this are the fun of the tunes and the ingenuity of the distraction. To say that On Your Feet! is better than most of its ilk is therefore faint praise; it means you might have almost as good a time as you would if it were merely a concert.
2015 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
2017 | US Tour |
First National Tour US Tour |
2019 | West End |
Original West End Production West End |
2022 | US Tour |
US Tour US Tour |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | Ana Villafane |
2016 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical | On Your Feet |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Ana Villafane |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Book of a Musical (Broadway or off-Broadway) | Alexander Dinelaris |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Choreography | Sergio Trujillo |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Costume Design (Play or Musical) | ESosa |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Andrea Burns |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Lighting Design (Play or Musical) | Kenneth Posner |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Broadway Musical | On Your Feet! |
2016 | Tony Awards | Best Choreography | Sergio Trujillo |
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