HIGH ENERGY
AND HIGH HOPES

Rhythm, resilience, and a lot of heart

The cast of On Your Feet!

On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan is far from groundbreaking theater, but it is certainly uplifting. Let’s face it: a jukebox musical about a successful female performer whose male partner is neither abusive, manipulative, nor adulterous is something worthy of attention. Equally appealing is the story of Gloria herself. She overcomes obstacles—self-doubt, a bitter mother, and eventually a life-threatening injury—but there is no hint of addiction or other forms of self-destructive behavior. Quite the opposite: when a catastrophic accident threatens first her life and then her career, it is the love and devotion of her fans as well as her family that gives her the courage and determination to return to performing.

Isabel Leoni

The North Shore Music Theatre production treats us to the terrific music (Jose Delgado, music direction) and joy-inducing choreography (Marcos Santana, also the director) needed to bring the strengths of the story forward. Isabel Leoni fills the role of Gloria very well; a strong voice, charismatic presence, and striking physical resemblance let us forget she’s not the real thing. Marcello Audino is solid as her husband and manager Emilio, though perhaps a bit plodding at times.

Marcello Audino

Sydia Cedeño-Genat is a sweetheart of a scene-stealer as Gloria’s abuela and early supporter of her talent. Karmine Alers is believable as Gloria’s emotionally wounded and embittered mother, Gloria Fajardo.

Karmine Alers

To some extent, the story (book by Alexander Dinelaris) is a saga of marketing creativity as well as of the talent of singer-songwriter Gloria. When the Miami Sound Machine, widely successful in Latin America, records “Conga” in English in 1985, their record producer refuses to back it, believing that an English-language song with a Latin beat and orchestration won’t find an audience. They also hit a wall in getting airplay on U.S. radio stations. Emilio takes their recording to the streets—literally, arranging for a member of the band to drive around Miami playing the song at top volume and delivering the discs to clubs. Equal-opportunity performers, Gloria and her Miami Sound Machine perform the song at bar mitzvahs, weddings, Shriners conventions, and music festivals, often for free. Listeners begin to flood radio stations with requests for the song, and the infectious dance hit eventually makes crossover history as the first record to appear simultaneously on Billboard‘s U.S. Pop, Dance, Black, and Latin charts.

The Cast

By the end of the show, a medley of Gloria’s hits backed by the high-energy percussiveness of conga and other Cuban drums has the audience more than happy to obey the command to “Get On Your Feet” and succumb to the warning that “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You.”

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

photos by Paul Lyden

On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan
North Shore Music Theatre
54 Dunham Rd. in Beverly, MA
2 hours 20 minutes with intermission
Tue–Thurs at 7:30, Fri & Sat at 8, Wed, Sat & Sun at 2
ends on June 14, 2026
for tickets ($85 – $105), call 978.232.7200 or visit NSMT

for more shows, visit Theatre in Boston

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦