On Your Feet! Previews- Page 3

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/5/15 at 11:19pm

I'm just getting back from the first preview I wasn't nearly as enamored with On Your Feet as Jordan and others were. I found it to be very similar to other bio-jukebox musicals like Beautiful and especially Motown. Everything is played very safely. Nothing innovative with the jukebox form is attempted, unlike Fela! which played around with chronology and organized Kuti's life and music by theme rather than timeline. 

 

The book is full of cliche and groan worthy lines- someone actually says to Gloria: Laundry washes clothes. Music washes your soul. On Your Feet is the equivalent of a CBS multi-cam sitcom. It's familiar, doesn't require you to think too hard (or at all) and is generally pleasing, but a little goes a long way. Still, there's a reason why these sitcoms are so successful and I have a feeling On Your Feet will follow in the footsteps of Jersey Boys and Beautiful rather than Hot Feet and Ring Of Fire.

 

The set, lighting and costumes are all very colorful and nice to look at. The acting is energetic and Ana Villafane does a good job sounding like Estefan, but I thought Mueller was more inspired in her jukebox role than Villafane was here.

 

The best part by far for me was the mega mix at the end. I wish the whole show would have been as fun.

[Jabere]

Posted: 10/5/15 at 11:27pm

stop it Jordan, You are getting me to watch this show

[Different Drum]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 12:04am

Thanks to WhizzerMarvin for this report, and for always being a trusted voice on this board. It's a gift to have such an astute individual among us, who is always in line with the critical consensus.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 12:09am

Is there anything "innovative" about this show? I thought the set for Beautiful was at least interesting to see. 

This doesn't really speak to me, so I don't know if I care to see it or not. 

[AaronSallan]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 12:20am

I just came from the first preview. As someone who is unfamiliar with the music of Gloria Estefan, it was a fun treat! I loved almost all of it. The music is incredible, especially "Conga". Ana Villafane was incredible, and her voice was just amazing. Josh Seggara's acting was great, but his singing voice was very weak. I'm praying that it was due to sound problems, because he brought down a couple of the duets. Alma Cuervo as Gloria's grandmother was my favorite part of the show, with a few bits that had the entire audience laughing for a while. 

I was very happy with the show, but not as much with the audience. I appreciated the love that a lot of the audience had for the Estefan's but a lot of the audience was very rude throughout the show. I saw way too many phones taking pictures and video in the middle of the show (I was second row left mezzanine), and the audience wanted to clap all the time. They would often interrupt slow parts of songs, and even scenes. In response to an actor's line saying whether or not Gloria was a fighter, a certain audience member SHOUTED "YES!" while the theatre was dead silent, causing some awkward laughter in the middle of an intense moment. These are just small complaints, and the show itself greatly made it all okay.

A nice treat was seeing Gloria in the lobby. She also got a huge applause from the audience at the end of intermission when she went to go back to her seat. I will highly recommend this show to anyone, it was very fun and uplifting!

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 1:43am

Interesting you mention the audience. When I saw this in Chicago I noticed the ushers were extra vocal about there being no photos or video. They were running up and down the aisles literally yelling it before curtain. My friend and I both commented we'd never seen it before. Then we still saw two people taking videos, which to the ushers' credit, they promptly stopped. I wonder if this show is bringing a demographic that may be more accustomed to a concert atmosphere (where taking a video may be ok) than theater. There may be some people who are really not aware this isn't ok. (Promoted by stupid stuff like those att ads.)

 

Obviously this is an issue at a number of shows now but it's interesting that it seemed more prevalent at this show in Chicago and the same sounds like it could be true in NY. 

Updated On: 10/6/15 at 01:43 AM

[Dusoleilcanwhistle]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 2:27am

Question for those who saw the show tonight. Based on this production, are seats in the front of the orchestra good or will we miss things and shoot for something a bit further back? Appreciate the advice!

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 6:20am

ChiTheaterFan said: "Interesting you mention the audience. When I saw this in Chicago I noticed the ushers were extra vocal about there being no photos or video. They were running up and down the aisles literally yelling it before curtain. My friend and I both commented we'd never seen it before. Then we still saw two people taking videos, which to the ushers' credit, they promptly stopped. I wonder if this show is bringing a demographic that may be more accustomed to a concert atmosphere (where taking a video may be ok) than theater. There may be some people who are really not aware this isn't ok. (Promoted by stupid stuff like those att ads.)

 

I think that may be the case ChiTheaterFan. This show is going to attract people who normally do not go to the theater and therefore have absolutely no clue on theater etiquette. They will behave pretty much how they would at a concert and that's going to be an issue with many theatergoers who do know the difference.

 

 

 

 

 

Updated On: 10/6/15 at 06:20 AM

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 7:39am

Dusoleil, I was in the mezz and think you might get better stage pictures, especially during the dance sequences, from up there rather than being too close. The show is big and fills the stage. (Love your screen name, btw!)

 

RippedMan, There's really nothing innovative going on here. The draw is her music, not interesting and fresh storytelling. On Your Feet is right off the jukebox musical assembly line, albeit the finest model. All the familiar beats are there and you can check off each hurdle on the list. For example, the conflict-free first act has basically one villain and that's the record company. Bio-jukebox 101: the record label is ALWAYS the villain. They are shortsighted, behind the times, don't recognize true talent...the list goes on and on and this one is the same. There's a scene lifted directly from Baby, It's You where Gloria and Emilio are trying to get their new album recorded in English. The mustache-twirling record exec tells them there's no such thing as a "crossover" artist. You'll never make it! Stick with your target demographic. I have expected Beth Leavel to storm on the stage as Flo Greenberg! 

 

It all amounts to a lot of pandering to the audience, because of course we already know the ending and we're supposed to laugh at the myopic exec, which diminishes the effect of the real struggle the Estefans most likely truly faced to get their English tracks released as singles.  

[xoffender45]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 8:55am

AaronSallan said: "I just came from the first preview. As someone who is unfamiliar with the music of Gloria Estefan, it was a fun treat! I loved almost all of it. The music is incredible, especially "Conga". Ana Villafane was incredible, and her voice was just amazing. Josh Seggara's acting was great, but his singing voice was very weak. I'm praying that it was due to sound problems, because he brought down a couple of the duets. Alma Cuervo as Gloria's grandmother was my favorite part of the show, with a few bits that had the entire audience laughing for a while. 

 

I was very happy with the show, but not as much with the audience. I appreciated the love that a lot of the audience had for the Estefan's but a lot of the audience was very rude throughout the show. I saw way too many phones taking pictures and video in the middle of the show (I was second row left mezzanine), and the audience wanted to clap all the time. They would often interrupt slow parts of songs, and even scenes. In response to an actor's line saying whether or not Gloria was a fighter, a certain audience member SHOUTED "YES!" while the theatre was dead silent, causing some awkward laughter in the middle of an intense moment. These are just small complaints, and the show itself greatly made it all okay.

 

A nice treat was seeing Gloria in the lobby. She also got a huge applause from the audience at the end of intermission when she went to go back to her seat. I will highly recommend this show to anyone, it was very fun and uplifting!

 

"

You must have been sitting right behind me. I was in the front row of the left mezz. Did you notice the heavy older lady next to me who kept taking video until one usher finally decided to stop her? Same lady who kept laughing way too loud and talking to the lady next to her at full voice, and doing that weird snoring/snorting sound during the emotional scenes? I also had to ask the man on my other side to stop taking pictures at the top of the show and luckily he apologized and stopped immediately. It's hard to be mad at these people since there was no announcement about photography or recording. 

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 8:59am

WhizzerMarvin, thanks as always for your incisive comments. Whether in the long run, after I've seen the show myself, I agree with you or not, I am so grateful for your measured response. When someone says it is the best show that they've ever seen in their lives, I really have to wonder about their critical capacities. As someone who has been seeing pretty much every show for the past 50+ years, I would never make that kind of statement without having been transformed and transfixed by the material and the performances. When you've seen everything from the original GYPSY to HAMILTON, and performances from Ethel Merman, Alfred Drake and Mary Martin, to Hugh Jackman, Kristen Chenoweth and Kelli O'Hara, you don't make those statements lightly. I am not a fan of jukebox musicals; they almost never work for me (JERSEY BOYS is the exception, MAMMA MIA and MEMPHIS follow the rule). Without a strong book, most shows just don't work. I may see ON YOUR FEET! but I'd rather see a great revival of ON YOUR TOES...

t

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 8:59am

How was the sound? I am hoping this is a loud jukebox show like Mamma Mia!

[AaronSallan]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 9:08am

xoffender45, Yes I must have been right behind you, as I saw the same people (the woman and the older man). I could tell the woman especially was just a huge Estefan fan who hasn't been to the theatre much... The usher had to flash the light on her for a while while she was FILMING the performance. I'mm sure they will now include some sort of message about photos and filming, although who knows how much of a difference that will make...

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 9:16am

Thanks Jay. When this show was first announced I called up a friend and asked what he thought of this On Your Feet idea and he replied, "What's that? The sequel to On Your Toes?"

 

A side note, but did you see the recent On Your Toes at Encores? Now that was something I loved; Carlyle's staging of the title number sent me to cloud 9 several times over with the hoofers and corps de ballet joining forces to stop the show. I don't know if it could sustain a commercial run on Broadway, especially when something like Dames at Sea is floundering so at the box office, but at least we have institutions like Encores who still care about putting on such gems with care.

 

The sound very good for a first preview. It's loud, but the band rarely was out of balance with the singers.

 

 

[kadu335]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 9:18am

Jordan got me excited for this! Gloria has always been one of the few latin artists who were really popular over here in Brazil... I grew up very familiar with here music!

 

Just one question, I used Audience Rewards points to get tickets to the show and they assigned me front row-center seats. Are those good seats? Is the stage too high?

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 9:39am

I am not a fan of jukebox musicals; they almost never work for me (JERSEY BOYS is the exception, MAMMA MIA and MEMPHIS follow the rule). 

 

How is Memphis a jukebox musical? That had an original score.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 9:44am

Note to man sitting next to us in the front row mezz at the invited dress rehearsal yesterday. Using cell phone headset and talking quietly to the person that called you on your phone..is not ok. Neither is leaving your phone on with the light shining on your lap during much of the show ok either. It may not be bothering the actors but it sure bothered the people sitting near you.

 

Maybe because it was a rehearsal and people didn't pay for the tickets you felt it was acceptable. It wasn't.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 1:08pm

Here's the thing. Y'all know I'm no newbie to the theatre. But watching this, as I said before, there were times I honest to God felt like I was transported to a MSM concert and, like so many other people, was out of my seat singing along and shouting and having more fun than I'd ever had at a show. So it's not that people don't know etiquette (although I'm sure some don't), it's that this show is so infectious in parts that you can't help but join the party. 

 

And again, I say this as someone who LOVES that woman. I'm sure people who aren't as attached to her music and her story won't have the same reaction, but I'm guessing it's going to be a loud party inside the Marquis Theatre, eight times a week for a long time to come. 

[matty159]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 1:18pm

In my abyss of an apartment, I have lost the flyer with the discount code and want to buy my roommate tickets for his birthday on Thursday (well, for me too).  If anyone has it, can you PM it or post it?  Am SO excited to see this!!!!!!

[Jabere]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 11:49pm

has anyone seen it?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 11:53pm

Nope. This thread is full of reviews from people who haven't seen it. 

[mpd4165]

Posted: 10/7/15 at 12:01am

Jordan Catalano said: "Here's the thing. Y'all know I'm no newbie to the theatre. But watching this, as I said before, there were times I honest to God felt like I was transported to a MSM concert and, like so many other people, was out of my seat singing along and shouting and having more fun than I'd ever had at a show. So it's not that people don't know etiquette (although I'm sure some don't), it's that this show is so infectious in parts that you can't help but join the party. 

 

 

 

And again, I say this as someone who LOVES that woman. I'm sure people who aren't as attached to her music and her story won't have the same reaction, but I'm guessing it's going to be a loud party inside the Marquis Theatre, eight times a week for a long time to come. 

 

"

This was EXACTLY how I felt seeing it in Chicago. From the first song, you couldn't help but let the rhythm get you. 

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 10/7/15 at 12:22am

No qualms with the high energy and people dancing and such!  I wanted to get up and dance myself. My bigger concern is cell phone videos/photos--definitely saw more of that than normal in Chicago. We all take it for granted that everyone knows that but people who've been to concerts but haven't been to live theater don't. I do think some people genuinely don't realize they're being rude when they're taking videos or pictures. (Some people. There will still just be those people who are rude and don't care as in any show.) 

 

But this is definitely a show where I think it's totally ok to get up and dance. I think theater if this nature could use more of that. (When I was in the front row of hedwig I felt like I was at a concert and wanted to get up and dance but no one else was!) If it's a concert style performance it only enhances the experience to me!

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 10/7/15 at 12:36am

Can someone talk a bit more about Andrea Burns? I think she's just wonderful and I'm wondering if her role gives her enough to do...she's so often underused when she should be the star of the show. Love her.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 10/7/15 at 12:37am

Glad to hear you enjoyed it Jordan, not my cup of tea. But let's hope it stays around longer than some of the others shows that have opened at this time of year.