ON YOUR FEET Pre-Broadway (and Broadway) Previews- Page 4

[Different Drum]

Posted: 6/18/15 at 12:56pm

TalkinBroadway is Negative -

"Dinelaris fails to adequately use the songs as extensions of the dialogue, and frequently On Your Feet feels just like a second-tier jukebox musical...Whether the blame falls on the multi-millionaire Estefans for putting such a bland biography on stage, on Dinelaris for failing to put more edginess or suspense on paper, or Mitchell for failing to find a way to turn this all into the sort of high-energy, feel-good musicals he made of Legally Blonde and Kinky Boots, On Your Feet is a surprisingly low-key affair."

http://www.talkinbroadway.com/regional/chicago/ch485.html

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 6/18/15 at 4:20pm

I'm surprised by the Time Out review, honestly; I didn't expect him to be so positive on this after what I saw. But maybe it's gotten better. Because a few weeks ago the storytelling was anything but sophisticated. It was wandering and teetering on lost. Maybe I'll squeeze in another visit. 

I looked at the new song list; Rhythm Is Gonna Get You doesn't open the show anymore? Bummer. And also not the kind of change that needs to be happening.

I really want this show to be a blast. And for some people, it definitely will be. But hopefully it'll get better. A fellow poster encouraged me to share my take on it publicly since we know someone could be reading and he thought the feedback was valid, but I don't know. I'll think on it. 

Updated On: 6/18/15 at 04:20 PM

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 6/18/15 at 5:37pm

I saw the show a few days ago and I found it to be a bit boring, but totally non-offensive. There's nothing in this show you haven't seen before. Substitute a name and it's Beautiful or Jersey Boys.

Josh Segarra and Ana Villafane both need some work. They both get the job done, but they seem to be holding back. Both had the issue that if they're trying to do more then one thing at a time, things falter. For example, Villafane has a really nice voice--good tone, pitch, and generally ear pleasing--but if she starts dancing, the singing quality shifts because she's trying to focus on dancing or vice versa. They just need to nail those sort of things down.  My other problem is small.  At times, Ana Villafane just looked a bit too young to me. Just my opinion.  I know it's covering multiple points of Gloria's life, but she looks so young.

i found the show to be lacking in any kind of really drama/problem. Even after Gloria has her injury and life has become a disaster, you don't feel like it's a really big problem. The cast will just sing you into the next scene where the tempo and feeling don't change. Not every show needs great drama, but a good story follows a specific arc and part of that involves a problem. You don't feel any significant tension.

Andrea Burns is great as Gloria's mother. She was my favorite performance of the night. Her performance is warm and well done. The closeness of family is the big theme of the show and she and Alma Cuervo do a great job being the clear ties of that.

The ensemble is dynamite as well. Very energetic. The costumes felt a bit '80s cheesy/showgirl-ish, but a good chunk of the show focuses on the height of her popularity then. They need to put down the bedazzler.

it's a very average show that's very accessible. I think when the public gets more notice of it when it moves to NY, it'll sell well. It's very "easy" without being dumb. The book isn't too elaborate, but it gets the job done. Will this win tons of Tonys and change the face of Broadway? I doubt it. But is it a decent night at the theater? Sure.  It's flashy and sparkly.  It has the potential to be the next Mamma Mia!, but the good news is that on your feet is overall a better show.

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 6/28/15 at 11:44am

This is going back awhile but I know some people were looking for discount codes. If anyone is still looking, tickets are now available through hottix for all but the last 2 shows. If you go to ticketmaster on the map you'll see some seats that are locked. Enter the discount code HOTTIX and you can then select those seats. They have side and rear orchestra for $48 and mid/rear balcony for $41. (Cheaper for weekdays.). The map wouldn't work when I tried to use my phone so I ended up having to purchase on my computer. 

http://www.hottix.org/index.aspx 

I got tickets for today and was glad to find the discount as I want to see the show but am not $100 excited for it and I hate the cheap rear rear balcony seats in these giant Chicago theaters. They're not the best seats but rear orchestra for $48 is certainly better than squinting from the back of the balcony for $58 or whatever. 

[ErinDillyFan]

Posted: 6/29/15 at 6:05pm

My wife and I saw a matinee this weekend front row dead center.  This show lives or dies on whether you like her music.  It is Gloria and Emileo's story.  It doesn't seemed to be twisted into a dramatic story like "The Sound of Music"  They just put the story on stage, and you get to see the back story of several of the songs.  It is very much in the vein of "Beautiful" with a professional story more along the lines of "Dream Girls".  

I happen to like the cuban rhythms and dancing.  The dancing is fantastic and liberally spread throughout. We found the story more entertaining than Jersey Boys.  It was not as tight and slick as Beautiful.  It used a lot of flashbacks that broke up the storyline and with so many actors playing multiple characters, it could be off putting for a few seconds while you put together who they were and the time and context of the scene.  One boy (Eduardo Hernandez) plays all the young boys, Emilio as young boy, Gloria & Emilio's son, a bar mitzvah boy and maybe a couple others)  Other actors with distinctive looks played multiple speaking parts... hey wait, why is their producer also a TV reporter...

Except for her accident and recuperation, her story is as told is pretty bland with a lot of hard work and luck.  Insert the name of most successful singers.  The people in the show with a dramatic back story are Gloria's mother and father.  They manage to elude to that in the show, because of how it effects Gloria's life and relationships.  I didn't see her career as groundbreaking at the time.  I thought Ricky Arnaz and Tito Puento (and others) had already brought cuban and latin sounds to the mainstream in the 1950's only to fade.  And Sergio Mendes and Santana had mixed it with rock successfully on pop radio a decade before the Miami Sound machine so I don't understand the record label push back.

 

[ebontoyan]

Posted: 6/29/15 at 7:22pm

I saw On your Feet on Sat. I loved it, I thought the story, music and dancing is awesome! But I am also a big Gloria fan. I will definitely plan a trip to watch in NYC

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 7/6/15 at 12:35pm

“On Your Feet!” is doing something right.

I’m pickier than I wish I was when it comes to “lighter” musicals. More often than not, I find the production to be too aware of itself/finding itself more clever than it actually is (Gentleman’s Guide), trying too hard to be more poignant than it is (Kinky Boots), or just plain boring in its fluff (Honeymoon in Vegas). But, at the matinee of “On Your Feet!” yesterday, I had a hard time finding any fault with the show because I was having too much damn fun!

I didn’t know much about the Estefans besides a familiarity with a few of Gloria’s songs. But, the show and the wonderfully endearing leading actors had me leaving the theatre feeling like a full-fledged fan.

There’s not much to the show and there’s not even much of a big conflict -- but, I say this not as a negative. It doesn’t try to be more than it is and, in turn, provides a sincere, sweet look at the rise of Gloria’s career. The conflict that is presented (whether it be career-related or relationship-related) feels real and unforced, which makes you all that much more endeared to the characters and their relationships.

I think that’s this musicals best asset: none of it feels forced. The conflict isn’t forced. The fun isn’t forced. There’s no pandering to the audience. No huge moments that feel simply showy and unnecessary. It just tells the story and entertains. In its move to Broadway, this should absolutely be what the show holds onto.

The cast, from top to bottom, are extremely talented. That dancing! I feel like I could have watched them go on forever. Hats off to those dancers and the choreographer!

Ana Villafane as Gloria is extremely charming with an excellent voice. She felt like a real person. She had natural showmanship when emulating Gloria’s onstage performances, and gave a understated, tender performance when Gloria was “offstage.” I felt endeared to her from the get-go.

And, Josh Segarra as Emilio is charming as can be. His singing voice is pleasant, although restrained. There are other actors who could sing the songs with a bigger voice, but Segarra is such a natural in the role that I understand how he snagged the part. It also made sense with his character that he wouldn’t have as big of a voice as Gloria. His quiet voice actually added to the part for me.

Andrea Burns is excellent as Gloria’s mother and brings a lot of the deeper moments to the show. She has some great moments.

The show could add a little more clarity in terms of when certain events are happening, but, besides that, I really can’t think of much it should change. It’s not trying to be anything it’s not and, in turn, rings truer and more sincere than other musicals that are trying so hard to create moments (whether of poignancy or spectacle) that they know the audience will react to.

All that said, it’s not a show that makes you want to analyze the performers or the piece itself. It’s just pure, good entertainment. After the first big number all I could think of was how much JOY was emanating from that stage and it just kept coming.  The show was entertaining in exactly the way it should be. An interesting story that shed light on just how much Gloria paved the way for Latin music in the mainstream, endearing characters with relationships you rooted for, and no over-indulgence to get in the way of the audience’s enjoyment of the piece. I left that theatre feeling joyful, happy, and fulfilled.

Just also wanted to note that once the cast leaves the stage after curtain call, the lights remain down and the band continues playing. Instead of turning the lights on in the audience and the band playing as the audience walks out, the lights remained off and everyone stayed in their seats (or, rather, stayed dancing in front of their seats, as everyone was on their feet – no pun intended - by the end) and the musicians got the final moments of the show. It was a delightful change and well deserved for that talented group!

Updated On: 7/6/15 at 12:35 PM

[jon5202]

Posted: 7/6/15 at 11:40pm

I want to say first that I was never really aware of Gloria Estefan and her popularity as I was never a follower of her music and her background life story, however I am now a convert.  Having seen the final performance of On Your Feet last night in Chicago and then comparing it to first performance I saw at the first preview night six weeks ago, I feel that On Your Feet is going to be the dark horse of the Tony Awards race this season.  I will definitely say that Ana Villafane as Estefan will find herself in the Best Actress in a Musical category and I would not be surprised if she held that award in her hand at the end of the night.

The show has been changed and tightened since the first week.  A few scenes have been deleted, one or two added, the show is moving quicker and the connection between Villafane and Segarra is more palpable.  The staging, music, choreography are all that one can ask for in a Broadway show.

The audience reaction last night was terrific and the standing ovation at the end was very heart felt and immediate.  Comments heard all around were extremely favorable and if the critics dismiss the show in New York the word of mouth will more then likely carry it through a two to three year run minimally.  The Latin market worldwide will love this type of showbiz entertainment.  In fact, I hope I will see the day when a company of On Your Feet opens in Havana, Cuba.  That would be the icing on the cake.  My congrats to Emilio and Gloria Estefan and the entire creative team for creating a great night of story telling, music and dance.

 

 

[CukorLover]

Posted: 7/7/15 at 4:48pm

Great review, GilmoreGirl02. Sounds like it could be a winner! ( maybe not in the TONY sense, but in the general public populace)

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 7/7/15 at 6:45pm

I have a question for those who saw it, is the story compelling at least? I just have a hard time imagining her life is interesting enough to dramatize. Yeah there was a bus accident, but we know she rose above that and continued to perform successfully for years.

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 7/8/15 at 11:43pm

I saw this last week and overall I agree with Gilmore Girl's comments.  I really enjoyed it and it surpassed my (albeit somewhat low) expectations.  The first act in particular was so much fun, and I thought the dancing was exceptional.  There were a couple times I was a bit confused by the plot because they just skimmed over some pretty major events (Wait, they're married and have a kid now?  When did that happen?) so it would've been nice just to at least have some mention of those things to anchor the timeline, but none of those were exactly surprising facts (duh... Gloria marries Emilio) so aside from being a little distracting it wasn't bad.  I also think someone earlier in this thread said the flashbacks broke up the plot a little and I would tend to agree with that, but I imagine some others may love them.  The second act was less fun for me as it's mostly ballads and I felt the post-crash songs dragged on a bit.  But again, I'm sure those who loved that part as it's more emotional.  The one thing I wished was that some of my favorite songs would've been featured a bit more--some were just in the closing medley.  But you can't please everyone!

 

Overall it was really fun and I'm glad I saw it.  I won't see it again in New York, though, and I'm glad I saw it in Chicago because there are so many shows in NY I want to see this year it probably would not have made the cut due to my limited time in NY. 

 

As to the question about whether the story is compelling, I think so.  I knew Gloria's music and of course about the car crash but not so much about where she came from.  It's cool to see that she and Emilio really made it happen for themselves.  It's much more about how they broke onto the pop scene as a Latin group from Miami than it is about the bus crash.  The musical also really portrays this as groundbreaking with respect to Latin music coming into the mainstream.  I've seen some people dispute that and I really can't say--I was just a kiddo then and all I knew was I loved the music I heard on the radio and at the roller rink.  :)  But whether true or not, I did think the way it's told makes for a fairly inspiring story.  Not exactly a story to write home about, but enough to definitely make me care and keep me engaged in more than just the dancing and music. 

[CukorLover]

Posted: 7/10/15 at 11:33am

Glad to hear such positive updates!

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 7/10/15 at 12:05pm

Also in response to the compelling story question – I agree with what is said above. There’s not much to the story, but it’s certainly interesting enough. I found the way in which Gloria, Emilio, and the other musicians hit the pavement on their own to get their song played and the resistance from the industry the most intriguing aspects of it -- and, this, smartly, is what most of the show revolves around.

In terms of storytelling, I think the main thing “On Your Feet!” has going for it is that the characters are extremely likable from the get-go. So, wherever the story takes us, we are happy to follow along with them – even if it’s not the most dramatic or highest stakes. But, it’s definitely enough to be interesting and entertaining.

[skies]

Posted: 7/21/15 at 8:03pm

I have to say the resistance of the music industry to the Estefan's music intrigues me.

[Skimbleshanks2]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 9:04pm

Just bought my tickets to ON YOUR FEET ... SO EXCITED!!! This is my most anticipated show of the new season. I LOVE GLORIA!

 

[Trish2]

Posted: 9/15/15 at 10:06am

Must be selling well as there haven't been any TDF offers yet! With the exception of the benefit last night, it's kind of a quiet entrance into the season with very little publicity- considering they start previews in 3 weeks.

[Skimbleshanks2]

Posted: 9/15/15 at 10:40am

Trish - Did you get the code in the mail? I used mine to book my tickets. Love Gloria...