by Melissa Giordano, BroadwayWorld
The John W. Engeman Theatre does it again with their thrilling showing of the musical On Your Feet!. Indeed, the Northport, Long Island, venue never disappoints with their Broadway caliber productions and this is certainly no exception. Running through August 28th at the exquisite North Shore theatre, get your tickets early and prepare for a riveting evening.
Masterfully directed by Dana Iannuzzi, the tale follows icons Gloria and Emilio Estefan rising through the ranks of the music industry. The production features some of Gloria's biggest hits including "1-2-3", "Mi Tierra", "Conga", "Coming Out Of The Dark", and, of course, the title song to name a few. The entire score is cleverly crafted to tell her story from her beginnings with the Miami Sound Machine, meeting Emilio, rising stardom, to the months following her tour bus accident in 1991. You will find their journey has many ups and downs, making the evening an emotional roller coaster.
Alexis Semevolos-Velazquez and Victor Souffrant expertly lead the top-notch cast as Gloria and Emilio. They are an excellent team with great chemistry. Longtime fans like myself will be heartened to hear that Ms. Semevolos-Velazquez subtly sounds like Gloria strongly performing her songs with panache. You will also adore Carol Beaugard, who adorably portrays Gloria's beloved and encouraging grandmother Consuelo. With many hailing from Boadway and National Tours, the entire company is glorious in every aspect.
On the talented creative team, Jessica Alexandra Cancino's set is well done. A bi-level stage, the busy show takes us to several places. Rolling pieces aided by the large cast cleverly make for seamless scene changes. Celia X Gutierrez's costumes are beyond gorgeous and highlighted by Sandalio Alvarez's fun and energetic choreography. The choreography! Such skill and joy radiate from the cast on the big dance numbers. Also, of course, the big, live band is brilliant expertly headed up by Erika R. Gamez.
And so, The Engeman's superb offering of On Your Feet! is undoubtedly a must see for this gorgeous Summer season. After all, we need some great entertainment and great music nowadays. A fantastic cast and this heart-tugging story make for a memorable night of theatre.
