Is On Your Feet accurate?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/3/15 at 10:45am

I have heard that the story is very untrue to real life. Just out of curiosity, did they make things up in the musical?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/3/15 at 11:42am

In any of these jukebox musicals, there is always an element of untruth. How much is not true here - no idea.

Updated On: 12/3/15 at 11:42 AM

[kadu335]

Posted: 12/3/15 at 12:45pm

I don't know their story to tell you but I remember seeing an interview with Gloria where she said it was pretty faithfully but they added some bits they though could be fun or switched events to better fit the story, like singing Anything For You for Emilio when he first invited her to sing with his band (the song was written much later) or having her abuela "bribe" radio programmers with food LOL Nothing major though...

Updated On: 12/3/15 at 12:45 PM

[Keiichi2]

Posted: 12/3/15 at 1:06pm

It's mostly accurate, though I was disappointed there was no number built around the time Gloria Estefan was exposed to radiation, and turned into a towering and destructive monster.  Just think of the ballad that could have been written around that!!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/3/15 at 1:07pm

Only Wildhorn could have done the moment justice.

[sparklemotion]

Posted: 12/6/15 at 9:07am

I feel like it's too positive to be totally accurately I mean it's a jukebox musical so there's only so far they could go haha

[dramamama611]

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

Choosing to leave out negative/sad things is not untrue...just selective.

 

it's as true as any work of art about real people.  Artistic licene is always afoot.

(Pssst..Hamilton isn't 100% accurate, either.)

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

[ebontoyan]

Posted: 12/6/15 at 12:16pm

It's as accurate as the Estefans want it to be. As producers of their life story musical they can put whatever they want to share to the audience. And if it excludes the darker moments that's their decision, nobody can force them to include those!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/6/15 at 12:26pm

ebontoyan, it's actually the opposite. I think they made up some negative stuff to add conflict. The book writer said that the Estefans were a writer's nightmare because there's no drugs, and nobody hit anybody; he didn't know what to write about because they are two of the very nicest people. They probably wish there were darker moments they could share, but there really aren't any except for the bus crash.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 12/6/15 at 1:59pm

Well, one tidbit not even mentioned in ON YOUR FEET! is that originally Miami Sound Machine featured 2 main singers: Gloria and her cousin Merci Navarro.  In a twist very similar to DREAMGIRLS, Merci was let go (as well as her husband who played in the band) around 1982 to have Gloria the solo lead singer of the band.  

 

The Estefans have quite a colorful past and reputation in South Florida.  Just ask a local Miamian and there's a big chance they have some not-so-tasty story to tell you about them.  

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/6/15 at 2:04pm

You could say this about almost every famous person having incidents they were involved in they would rather forget.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/6/15 at 2:11pm

THAT'S the musical I want to see. They glossed over everything! They were really just trying to concentrate on the love story, and family, but I would have loved some more tension, and drama. I would have loved to see more colors from Gloria. The same with Beautiful as well, but at least Beautiful had Jessie Mueller to elevate the material.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 12/6/15 at 2:13pm

Also missing from the musical is the tomboyish short hair Gloria sported during the 1970s and most of the 80s.  She never had that long curly hair depicted in ON YOUR FEET! until later in her career when she went solo and removed "and the Miami Sound Machine" was her heading.  

 

Its quite obvious the Estefans (and especially Gloria) chose to present a re-interpretation of their lives, if you will.  She hated that boyish short hair cut so of course, it will NOT be mentioned in the musical about her life.  Got that?!!!  

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/6/15 at 2:20pm

ugh

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/6/15 at 2:21pm

Somehow we enjoyed it,  as whitewashed as it may be

[ebontoyan]

Posted: 12/6/15 at 2:34pm

Same here Mr Roxy!  Enjoyed the show when I saw it in the Chicago tryout and I have tix to see the show in NYC in Jan '16. It is very upbeat, entertaining and just lots of fun!

Updated On: 12/6/15 at 02:34 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/6/15 at 3:23pm

So what was Aida Revival's previous username on here?

[mar6411]

Posted: 12/6/15 at 3:48pm

ljay889 said: "So what was Aida Revival's previous username on here?

Phillypinto.  It's kind of surprising how easy it is to pick up each of his new usernames.  I can tell almost with the first post.  

 

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/6/15 at 3:56pm

I just became a member for the first time a few days ago.

[haterobics]

Posted: 12/6/15 at 4:16pm

So people don't know the difference between a biography and an autobiography?!

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/6/15 at 7:57pm

Aida Revival said: "I just became a member for the first time a few days ago."

 

LMFAO not a chance in hell.