ON YOUR FEET! First National Tour Starts the Salsa in Buffalo Tonight

The First National Tour of the Broadway musical ON YOUR FEET! stars Cuban-American Broadway actress Christie Prades as seven-time GRAMMY-winning international superstar Gloria Estefan, and acclaimed stage and television actor Mauricio Martinez, playing her 19-time Grammy-winning producer and husband Emilio Estefan.

Launching tonight, September 22, in Buffalo, NY, the 80-week National Tour will celebrate its Grand Opening on October 5 in the Estefans' home city of Miami, FL, and travel to 60 additional cities across the country through April 21, 2019 - including Los Angeles, Houston, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Washington DC and Denver.

The cast will also star Broadway veteran Nancy Ticotin (West Side Story, In the Heights) as Gloria's mother, Gloria Fajardo; Alma Cuervo (Beauty and the Beast, Wicked) who created the role, as Gloria's grandmother, Consuelo; Jason Martinez (Jersey Boys, The Capeman) as Gloria's father, José Fajardo; Amaris Sanchez and Carmen Sanchez as Little Gloria; and Kevin Tellez and Jordan Vergara as Nayib/Young Emilio. Rounding out the ensemble are Karmine Alers, Skizzo Arnedillo, David Baida, Danny Burgos, Sam J. Cahn, Natalie Caruncho, Sarita Colón, Jennifer Florentino, Adriel Flete, Devon Goffman, Omar Lopez-Cepero, Hector Maisonet, Claudia Mulet, Jeremey Adam Rey, Joseph Rivera, Maria Rodriguez, Arianna Rosario, Shani Talmor and Claudia Yanez.

Multiple Grammy Award-winning musicians from Miami Sound Machine will also hit the road with the National Tour of ON YOUR FEET!, including Music Director Clay Ostwald (keyboards), who is Assistant Music Director of Miami Sound Machine, Theodore Mulet (trombone), Jorge Casas (bass), who is Music Director of Miami Sound Machine, and Edward Bonilla (percussion). The other members of the orchestra will include Emmanuel Schvartzman (Associate Music Director/keyboards), Jose Ruiz (trumpet), Michael Scaglione (reeds), Stephen Flakus (guitar), Jean-Christophe Leroy (percussion) and Colin Taylor (drums).

Born and raised in Miami to Cuban immigrant parents, Christie Prades understudied the role of Gloria in the Broadway production of ON YOUR FEET! Her past regional credits include In the Heights (Vanessa - Broadway World Award winner), West Side Story and The D*Word.

Mauricio Martinez is an award-winning actor and recording artist, who stars in NBC Universo's first original scripted TV series "El Vato" airing its second season this summer (Season One available on Netflix) and was recently seen in the hit series "Señora Acero 2" on Telemundo. Mauricio has starred in Mexican productions of several Broadway plays and musicals, including Beauty and the Beast, Saturday Night Fever, The Drowsy Chaperone, Sweet Charity, and the Spanish-language premieres of The Last 5 Years and Songs From An Unmade Bed. He made his U.S. theatre debut in Kansas City Repertory's production ofEvita as 'Che' in 2016.

Gloria Estefan has sold over 100 million records and sold out stadiums around the world. Emilio and Gloria Estefan together have won 26 GRAMMY Awards - but their music is only half the story. From the heart of Havana to the streets of Miami came a cultural phenomenon unlike anything the music industry had ever seen. ON YOUR FEET! is the new Broadway musical that follows the Estefans' journey to superstardom, set to their chart-topping, smash hits, including "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You," "Conga," "1-2-3," "Get On Your Feet," "Mi Tierra," Don't Want To Lose You Now," and "Reach," in addition to an original song written by Gloria and her daughter Emily Estefan.

ON YOUR FEET! is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, Hairspray) and choreographed by Tony Award nominee & Olivier Award winner Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys, Memphis), with an original book by Academy Award winner Alexander Dinelaris (Birdman, The Bodyguard Musical).

Completing the creative team are four-time Tony-nominated Scenic Designer David Rockwell (Kinky Boots, Legally Blonde), Tony-nominated Costume Designer Emilio Sosa (Porgy & Bess), Tony Award-winning Lighting Designer Kenneth Posner (Wicked, Hairspray), Tony Award-winning Sound Designer Steve Kennedy, SCK Sound Design (Lady Day, Guys and Dolls), Projections by Darrel Maloney, and Hair & Wig Designer Charles G. LaPointe (Beautiful, Newsies). With Music Direction by Clay Ostwald (Miami Sound Machine), ON YOUR FEET! features Orchestrations by Gloria Estefan and Emilio Estefan, Arrangements by Lon Hoyt (Hairspray), Dance Arrangements and Dance Orchestrations by Oscar Hernandez (The Capeman).

ON YOUR FEET! is produced by James L. Nederlander and Estefan Enterprises, Inc. in partnership with Bernie Yuman. Now celebrating its 100th anniversary, the Nederlander Organization, led by James L. Nederlander, President, continues the tradition of operating historic theatres, as well as producing and presenting the best in theatrical entertainment and concert events. Bernie Yuman, an illustrious figure in the entertainment industry and long-time friend and business associate of the Estefans, serves as Executive Producer. Yuman produced and managed Siegfried & Roy, one of the most successful and longest running shows in Las Vegas history.

ON YOUR FEET! played its final performance at the Marquis Theatre on Broadway on Sunday, August 20, 2017, having played 780 performances.

ON YOUR FEET! FIRST NATIONAL TOUR:

SCHEDULE OF CITIES & DATES THROUGH OCTOBER 7, 2018. ROUTE FOR 2018-19 TO BE ANNOUNCED AT A LATER DATE.

September 22-30, 2017 BUFFALO, NY / Shea's PAC

October 5-15, 2017 (Grand Opening) MIAMI, FL / Adrienne Arsht Center

October 17-22, 2017 ORLANDO, FL / Dr. Philips Center

October 24-29, 2017 TAMPA BAY, FL / Straz Center

October 31-November 5, 2017 CHARLOTTE, NC / Ovens Auditorium

November 7-19, 2017 ST. LOUIS, MO / Fox Theatre

November 21-26, 2017 HOUSTON, TX / Hobby Center

December 5-23, 2017 CLEVELAND, OH / The Palace Theatre

December 26-31, 2017 GREENVILLE, SC / Peace Center

January 2-7, 2018 DURHAM, NC / Durham Performing Arts Center

January 9-28, 2018 WASHINGTON, DC / Kennedy Center

January 30-February 4, 2018 PROVIDENCE, RI / Providence Performing Arts Center

February 6-11, 2018 ROCHESTER, NY / Auditorium Theatre

February 13-18, 2018 EAST LANSING, MI / Wharton Center

February 20-25, 2018 DES MOINES, IA / Civic Center of Greater Des Moines

February 27-March 11, 2018 DALLAS, TX / Music Hall

March 13-18, 2018 SAN ANTONIO, TX / Majestic Theatre

March 21-April 8, 2018 CHICAGO, IL / Cadillac Palace Theatre

April 10-15, 2018 PHILADELPHIA, PA / Academy of Music

April 17-29, 2018 BOSTON, MA / Opera House

May 1-13, 2018 DETROIT, MI / Fisher Theatre

May 15-20, 2018 MADISON, WI / Overture Center

May 30-June 3, 2018 SCHENECTADY, NY / Proctors Theatre

June 5-10, 2018 BALTIMORE, MD / Hippodrome Theatre

June 12-17, 2018 PITTSBURGH, PA / Benedum Center

June 19-24, 2018 HARTFORD, CT / The Bushnell

July 6-29, 2018 LOS ANGELES, CA / Hollywood Pantages

July 31-August 5, 2018 SAN DIEGO, CA / San Diego Civic Theatre

August 8-19, 2018 DENVER, CO / Buell Theatre

August 21-September 2, 2018 COSTA MESA, CA / Segerstrom CFA

September 11-October 7, 2018 SAN FRANCISCO, CA / Golden Gate Theatre

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Gloria Estefan (Music, Lyrics, Orchestrations) With seven Grammy Awards and more than 100 million albums sold worldwide, Gloria Estefan is the most successful Latin crossover performer in the historyof pop music. In addition to her 38 #1 hits across the Billboard charts, Gloria recorded the Oscar-nominated song "Music of My Heart" and has received numerous honors and awards over the course of her illustrious career. She has been presented with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame, named BMI Songwriter of the Year, received an American Music Awardfor Lifetime Achievement and won an MTV Video Music Award, two ACE Awards and multiple Billboard Awards for her many chart-topping hits. Gloria has also been honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, The Kennedy Center Honors, the Ellis Island Congressional Medal of Honor and the Hispanic Heritage Award.

Emilio Estefan (Music, Lyrics, Orchestrations) is a world-renowned music, television and film producer who has been instrumental in shaping, developing and directing the careers of his superstar wife, Gloria, as well as Shakira, Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony and Jon Secada among many others. With a resume that includes 19 Grammy Awards, Emilio is one of the most successful producers in the music business, blending Latin, pop and world rhythms creating his own unique style and world-wide hits. It is this vision that transcends the music field and spills over into film, television, hotels and restaurants, among other business endeavors, including becoming the first Cuban-born minority stakeholder in an NFL franchise, the Miami Dolphins. Emilio & Gloria were the 2015 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the first time the honor has been bestowed on a married couple.

Alexander Dinelaris (Book) is an Academy Award and Golden Globe winner for the screenplay of Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). He is the co-creator and executive producer of the series "The One Percent" for MRC, starring Hilary Swank. He is currently adapting the novel Entering Hades into a feature film with Michael Fassbender. Alex is also currently adapting his play Still Life into a feature film, which he will direct next spring. His film The Year of the Monarchs is in development with Mandalay Entertainment. Alexander is the book writer of The Bodyguard Musical and of Emilio and Gloria Estefan's Broadway musical On Your Feet! Other recent work includes his plays Red Dog Howls (New York Theater Workshop), Still Life (Manhattan Class Company), The Chaos Theories (Shotgun Theater) and In This, Our Time (59e59). Mr. Dinelaris is a proud member of the Writer's Guild and the Dramatists Guild.

Jerry Mitchell (Director) received the Tony Award in recognition of his choreography for the 2013 Tony Award-winning Best Musical, Kinky Boots, for which he was also nominated as director. He was recently nominated for an Olivier Award for his choreography in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, which he also directed and co-produced in the West End. In the 35 preceding years, Jerry has been involved with more than 50 Broadway, Off-Broadway, West End and touring productions, starting as a dancer for Agnes De Mille in Brigadoon and thereafter assisting Michael Bennett and Jerome Robbins. His Broadway debut as choreographer, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, was followed by The Full Monty (Tony nomination); The Rocky Horror Show; Hairspray (Tony nomination); Gypsy; Never Gonna Dance (Tony nomination); Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Tony nomination); La Cage aux Folles (Tony Award); Imaginary Friends; Legally Blonde (Tony nomination), which he also directed; Catch Me If You Can; and Kinky Boots (also running in London, Korea, Germany, Australia and on National Tour). He also choreographed both the Off-Broadway productions and films of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Jeffrey. Most recently, Jerry received the Drama League's Founders Award for Excellence in Directing and the George Abbott Lifetime Achievement Award from his peers, the latter being especially meaningful to him in that he was directed by the 96-year-old Mr. Abbott in the Broadway revival of On Your Toes. His most recent Broadway experience is as Director of On Your Feet!. Twenty-five years ago, Jerry conceived and created Broadway Bares, a comedy burlesque show performed annually for the charity Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. He continues to serve as executive producer of Broadway Bares, with a book, website and satellite productions in Fire Island Pines, Las Vegas (Peepshow, which recently concluded its five-year run of continuous performances) and London (West End Bares).

Sergio Trujillo (Choreographer) Broadway: On Your Feet! (Tony Award Nominee, Outer Critics Circle/Astaire Awards), Memphis (Olivier/OCC Award, Drama Desk/Astaire Award nominations), Jersey Boys(Drama Desk, OCC/Greenroom/Dora Award nomination), A Bronx Tale (Chita Award Nomination), The Addams Family, Next to Normal, Hands on a Hardbody (Drama Desk nomination), Leap of Faith (Drama Desk nomination), Guys and Dolls (Astaire Awards nomination), All Shook Up. Director/Choreographer: Arrabal (ART), Gloria Estefan On Broadway (Minskoff Theatre), Flashdance: The Musical (National Tour),White Noise (Royal George Theatre). Other Theatre: Invisible Thread (Second Stage-Astaire Award Nomination), Carmen: An Afro-Cuban Musical (Olney Theatre-Helen Hayes Award Nomination), Freaky Friday(Signature Theatre), The Wiz (La Jolla Playhouse). International: Tarzan (Disney), Peggy Sue Got Married (West End), The Sound of Music and West Side Story (Stratford Festival). Upcoming: Summer: The Donna Summer Musical (La Jolla Playhouse).

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy

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