‘On Your Feet!’ continues to delight audiences — and its subjects
Nine years after its premiere, Gloria and Emilio Estefan remain amazed that the stage musical about their life is still bringing audiences to their feet.
“It keeps going and going, like the Energizer Bunny — which is what my family calls me,” Gloria Estefan, 66, says by phone about “On Your Feet!,” the jukebox production that tells the story of their families’ emigration from Cuba after the 1959 revolution and setting up in Miami, where the couple met through music and fell in love before launching multi-platinum careers with Miami Sound Machine and, subsequently, Gloria’s as a solo artist.
“It’s about the American dream, not just us,” she explains. But having a Tony Award-nominated hit Broadway show was beyond anything they’d imagined.
“I don’t like to assume anything,” Gloria says. “It’s a risk whenever you do something new.
We were very excited to have the show open on Broadway. And we were very excited when it started touring because we really wanted to share this story where it could travel through.
“We’re just thrilled people like it and want to come and see it.”
Estefan, for her part, is ready to try it again. She and her daughter Emily are “neck deep in production” on another musical, based on the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura in Paraguay. Michael Greif (“Rent,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Days of Wine and Roses”) is directing, while “Hamilton’s” Alex Lacamoire will be its music director.
“I’m super excited,” Estefan says. “This is what I love. Writing and being in the studio is my happy place, and making music is always my love.”
“On Your Feet!” plays at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24 at the Fox Theatre, 2211 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-471-7000 or 313Presents.com.