Review: ON YOUR FEET at The Overture

On Your Feet is precisely where you will find yourself at the end of this spectacular show! The familiar music is peppy and moving, and the crowd enjoyed the infectious dance groove laid down by the band which included 5 original members of The Miami Sound Machine.

Christie Prades does an amazing job embodying the spirit of Gloria Estefan. Her vocals, movements, and general vibe are right on. The harmonies between she and co-star Mauricio Martinez were amazingly beautiful. Every time the two shared a song the audience was left entranced.

Maurice's portrayal of Emilio Estefan was vocally magnificent. I did lose a lot of his dialog however; by his character choice or direction, he mumbled and used fast run-on sentences whenever he spoke. He did a fantastic job of emoting, so I was often able to catch the general idea of what was being communicated, but many of the actual words were lost to me.

The general energy of the cast was at times exhausting to witness. During more than one dance number I thought, "Professional athletes have nothing on these performers!"

The first act (about 69 minutes) ends with the cast dancing into the audience to the upbeat hit "Conga", getting the audience on their feet to dance along. After intermission, we re-join the cast to the same energy and song as we begin the second act (about 56 minutes). The entire event culminates in a giant dance party at the end with the audience again on their feet dancing and applauding.

I noted many of the same familiar faces I see every opening night here at The Overture. Friends, colleagues, and causal acquaintances. This night, however, I noted some unfamiliar faces. Those beautiful faces of diversity as a great mixture of colors and races came out to celebrate this night and enjoy theater together. Often, I notice just how white our theater audiences are, but here on this night, On Your Feet seemed to change all that. On Your Feet seemed to create an environment of cultural acceptance, where a diverse group of people could come together for an awesome shared theatrical experience, and isn't that what we hope theater will do?

Go! Experience this phenomenon....come away changed for the better.

FIRST NATIONAL TOUR OF THE HIT BROADWAY MUSICAL

CONGAS ITS WAY TO MADISON FOR THE WISCONSIN PREMIERE

TUESDAY, MAY 15-SUNDAY, MAY 20

TICKETS NOW ON SALE

Christie Prades, STARS AS Gloria Estefan,

AND Mauricio Martinez AS Emilio Estefan

ALSO STARRING

BROADWAY VETERAN Doreen Montalvo AS GLORIA FAJARDO,

TV AND THEATRE ACTRESS Debra Cardona AS CONSUELO AND

JERSEY BOYS STAR Jason Martinez AS JOSÉ FAJARDO

13 OF THE 28 MEMBER CAST JOIN DIRECTLY FROM BROADWAY

BASED ON THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF 26-TIME GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING MUSIC ICONS EMILIO & Gloria Estefan

WRITTEN BY ACADEMY AWARD® WINNER Alexander Dinelaris

DIRECTED BY TWO-TIME TONY AWARD® WINNER Jerry Mitchell

CHOREOGRAPHED BY TONY NOMINEE & OLIVIER AWARD WINNER Sergio Trujillo

"THE VERY AIR IN THE ROOM

SEEMS TO VIBRATE

in this fresh, flashy and undeniably crowd-pleasing new musical.

RESIST IF YOU DARE!"

"INFECTIOUSLY FUN WITH GENUINE HEART! If you aren't humming a Gloria Estefan hit when you leave the theater, it might be time to check your pulse.

"With smoking-hot choreography and a tear-it-up band,

THE RHYTHM WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY GET YOU!"

Madison, Wis. - Overture Center for the Arts is pleased to announce the Wisconsin premiere and the state's only engagement of the hit Broadway musical ON YOUR FEET! will take the Overture Hall stage Tuesday, May 15-Sunday, May 20. Based on the life story of seven-time GRAMMY® winning international superstar Gloria Estefan and her husband, 19-time GRAMMY® winning producer-musician-entrepreneur Emilio Estefan, the first national tour starsCuban-American Broadway actress Christie Prades as Gloria Estefan, and acclaimed stage and television actor Mauricio Martinez as Emilio Estefan.

The cast also stars Broadway veteran Doreen Montalvo (In the Heights) as Gloria's mother, Gloria Fajardo; Debra Cardona (TV's "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" as Hector's Mom, Mary Poppins, In the Heights) as Gloria's grandmother, Consuelo;Jason Martinez (Jersey Boys, The Capeman) as Gloria's father, José Fajardo; Ana-Sofia Rodriguez and Carmen Sanchezas Little Gloria; and Carlos Carreras and Jordan Vergara as Nayib/Young Emilio. Rounding out the ensemble areMichelle Alves, Jonathan Arana, Skizzo Arnedillo, Danny Burgos, Sam J. Cahn, Sarita Colón, Shadia Fairuz, Adriel Flete, Devon Goffman, Hector Maisonet, Ilda Mason, Claudia Mulet, Eddie Noel, Marina Pires, Jeremey Adam Rey,Joseph Rivera, Maria Rodriguez, Shani Talmor and Claudia Yanez.

Multiple Grammy Award-winning musicians from Miami Sound Machine are also on the road with the National Tour ofON YOUR FEET!, including Music Director Clay Ostwald (keyboards), who is Assistant Music Director of Miami Sound Machine, Teddy Mulet (trombone), Jorge Casas (bass), who is Music Director of Miami Sound Machine, and Edwin Bonilla (percussion). The other members of the orchestra include Emmanuel Schvartzman (Associate Music Director/keyboards), Jose Ruiz (trumpet), Mike 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" (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 of Evita 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 DesignerKenneth 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 byOscar Hernandez (The Capeman).

Tickets are available at the Overture Center box office (201 State Street), by visiting overture.org, or by calling 608.258.4141. Group orders of ten or more may be placed by calling 608.258.4159.

ON YOUR FEET! is part of the Broadway at Overture Series, presented by Lexus of Madison and Broadway Across America with additional support from Bell Laboratories and media partner WMTV-NBC15.

Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, Wis., features seven state-of-the-art performance spaces and five galleries where national and international touring artists, ten resident companies and hundreds of local artists engage people in nearly 700,000 educational and artistic experiences each year. Overture.org

Broadway Across America is part of The John Gore Organization family of companies, which includes Broadway.com, under the supervision of 11-time Tony-winning producer John Gore (Owner & CEO). Current and past productions include Beautiful, Cats, Chicago, Dear Evan Hansen, Groundhog Day, Hairspray, Hello, Dolly!, Million Dollar Quartet, On Your Feet!, The Producers, School of Rock and Waitress BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com; Broadway.com

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.

BIOGRAPHIES:

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 history of pop music. In addition toher 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 Award for 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 Musicaland 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 ofHedwig and the Angry Inch and Jeffrey. Most recently, Jerry received the Drama League's Founders Award forExcellence 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 createdBroadway Bares, a comedy burlesque show performed annually for the charity Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Hecontinues 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 (Broadway).

www.OnYourFeetMusical.com @OnYourFeetBway

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