GALA to produce world premiere of ‘On Your Feet!’ in Spanish

'On Your Feet! La historia de Emilio y Gloria Estefan ¡en español!' will play May 5 through June 5. Previous GALA Helen Hayes winners Luis Salgado (director) and Walter 'Bobby' McCoy (musical direction) will return for the production.

GALA Hispanic Theatre is proud to present the world premiere in Spanish of the jukebox Broadway musical ON YOUR FEET! La historia de Emilio y Gloria Estefan ¡EN ESPAÑOL! with book by Alexander Dinelaris and featuring music produced and recorded by Emilio & Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine. The GALA production is directed and choreographed by New York-based Luis Salgado from Puerto Rico, who also directed and choreographed the award-winning musicals In The Heights en español and FAME The Musical en español & English. Music Director is Walter “Bobby” McCoy, who will lead a ten-piece band. The production is presented in Spanish with English subtitles from May 5 through June 5, 2022, at the GALA Theatre.

“We were excited,” states Producing Artistic Director Hugo Medrano, “when Luis Salgado agreed to return to direct his third musical at GALA. The previous productions have been special in telling the story of yearning for something better. But this immigrant story, as told by a multi-cultural cast who represent four continents, is infused by Latin rhythms and styles influenced by their Spanish, African, and indigenous roots. And those Latin sounds, the music, and songs, are the sounds of America today as they become part of the social fabric of the nation.”

ON YOUR FEET! La historia de Emilio y Gloria Estefan ¡EN ESPAÑOL! is the inspiring story of two people who believed in their talent —and each other—and became an international musical sensation who triumphed over personal and professional challenges. In this story of love, heritage, and resilience, Emilio and Gloria Estefan, winners of 26 Grammy Awards, conquer the “American Dream”, the music charts, and people’s hearts. This production features some of the most iconic songs of the past quarter-century, including “Rhythm is Gonna Get You,” “Conga,” “Get On Your Feet,” “Don’t Want To Lose You Now,” “1- 2-3,” and “Coming in from the Dark”.

The production is made possible in part with generous support from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the Kresge Foundation, and the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Gloria & Emilio Estefan have both had successful careers in the music and entertainment industry. Gloria is a seven-time Grammy award winner with over 90 million albums sold worldwide and Emilio is a 19-time Grammy award-winning producer and songwriter. They met in 1975 when he was the keyboardist for a band named the Miami Latin Boys. Estefan became the lead singer of the band, and it was renamed the Miami Sound Machine. Songs like “Conga” and “Rhythm is Gonna Get You” topped the charts in the 1980 and 1990s and became pop classics. The couple also produced On Your Feet!, the Broadway musical that featured the music of the Miami Sound Machine.

In addition to their success in the music industry, they have been recognized for their philanthropic and humanitarian efforts, as well as their contributions to the Hispanic community. She is the recipient of the 1993 National Music Foundation’s Humanitarian of the Year Award, the 2002 Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Medallion of Excellence for Community Service, and Billboard’s Spirit of Hope Award. The Estefans are also recipients of the 1993 Hispanic Heritage Award, the 1993 United Way Outstanding Philanthropy Award, the Ellis Island Congressional Medal of Honor, and the Pepperdine University American Spirit Award.

Luis Salgado (Director and Choreographer) is an international director, choreographer, and educator from Puerto Rico currently based in New York City. Most recently, his adaptation of the musical FAME premiered at GALA Theatre to great reviews and won two 2020 Helen Hayes Awards. Luis also directed and choreographed the US premiere of the Spanish version of In The Heights at GALA in 2017, which received nine 2018 Helen Hayes Awards. He was the Assistant Latin Choreographer of In the Heights on Broadway, which won four Tony Awards. Luis was the director and choreographer of Viva Broadway’s When We See Ourselves concert as part of the Curtain Up event in Times Square produced by Playbill and the Broadway League. In 2019, Luis worked as the associate director/choreographer of Cirque du Soliel’s Paramour in Hamburg Germany. Among the productions he has directed/choreographed in the United States and abroad are the fantasy musical Ella es Colombia in Bogota, Colombia, with MISI Musicals, the Holland Production of On Your Feet, RAGTIME, TO BE OR NOT TO BE… a Shakespearean Experience, AIDA The Musical, Amigo Duende the Musical, Matilda, Song of Solomon, Speed the Plow, The Tempest, and Candela Fuerza y Pasión in Lima, Peru. He has appeared on Broadway in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, ROCKY, In The Heights, On Your Feet, as well as Off-Broadway shows and Broadway tryouts The Mambo Kings (Frankie Suarez), Fame on 42nd Street (Joe Vegas, understudy) and Aida, among others. Film credits include: American Gangster; Dirty Dancing 2, Havana Nights, the television remake of Dirty Dancing, Enchanted, and Step Up 2, The Streets (Alejandro), for which he also was Assistant Choreographer. Luis is the founder/director of R.Evolución Latina, an affiliate of the non-profit organization Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, and his personal mission as an artist and a leader is to empower society through the arts to make a change for the better.

Walter “Bobby” McCoy (Music Director), a proud Nicaraguan-American, is thrilled to be returning to GALA after music directing: In The Heights (2018 Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Musical Direction) and Fame. Other Music Direction credits include— New York: The World Goes ‘Round (The Mac-Haydn Theatre). Washington, DC: A.D. 16, Beauty and the Beast, Miss You Like Hell, Annie (Olney Theatre Center); Legally Blonde (2020 Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Musical Direction) (Keegan Theatre); A New Brain, A Civil War Christmas, Fly By Night (2019 Helen Hayes Nomination), Old Wicked Songs (2016 HH Nom), Bat Boy, Altar Boyz (1st Stage Tyson’s); Little Shop of Horrors (2020 Helen Hayes Nomination), Aida (2019 Helen Hayes Nomination), The Wild Party (2018 Helen Hayes Nomination) (Constellation Theatre); Into the Woods, In The Heights (Montgomery College); Blues in the Night (2018 HH Nom), Ruthless, Caroline or Change (Creative Cauldron); Always Patsy Cline, A Christmas Story, My Fair Lady, Mame (Riverside Center); Urinetown (Monumental Theatre). Bobby is currently on the faculty of Levine Music. UPCOMING: 42nd St (SSMT), In The Heights (STAGES St. Louis), Xanadu (The Mac Haydn), Beauty and the Beast (Olney Theatre).

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
ON YOUR FEET! La historia de Emilio y Gloria Estefan ¡EN ESPAÑOL! features a multicultural cast in pursuit of their “American Dream”. Led by Gaby Albo (Mexico) as Gloria Estefan and Samuel Garnica (Venezuela) as Emilio Estefan, the cast includes Francisca Tapia Lobos (Chile) as Gloria Fajardo; José Fernando Capellán (Dominican Republic) as José Fajardo; Madelin Marchant (Cuba) as Consuelo, and Gina María Fernández (Puerto Rico) as Gloria’s younger sister Rebecca. The musical also features rising young Dominican actors Kamila Rodríguez as Little Gloria, and Winsley Dejesús as Little Emilio and Nayib.

The ensemble, comprised of performers from all over the world, includes Bryan Menjivar (El Salvador); Rodolfo Santamarina, Camila Cardona, and Camila Taleisnik (Argentina); Brayan Llamoza (Venezuela); Myriam Gadri (South Africa); Amy Romero (Dominican Republic); Miranda Pepin, Christian Laguna, and Grant Latus (Puerto Rico); Carlos Adol (Peru); Hugo Brument (France); Steve Orrego Upegui (Colombia); Luis Armando Benitez (Mexico); Laura Castrillón (Spain), and Graciela Rey (Cuba).

Scenic design is by Clifton Chadick, who also designed for FAME The Musical at GALA; Lighting Design is by Helen Hayes Award recipient Christopher Annas-Lee, who also designed GALA‘s In The Heights and FAME The Musical; Costume Design is by Jeannette Christensen, who recently designed for The House on the Lagoon at GALA. Matthew Rowe is Sound Designer and Patrick Lord is Projections Designer. Properties Design is by George-Edward A. Burgtorf and Wigs/Makeup Design is by Lashawn Melto. Valeria Cossu is Associate Director and Daniel Gutiérrez is Associate Musical Director. Zachary Heffner is Associate Lighting Designer, Cidney Forkpah is Assistant Costume Designer, and Clara Ashe-Moore is Assistant Projections. Myriam Gadri and Bryan Menjivar are Assistant Choreographers.

The band includes Dana Gardner (Alto Sax, Flute), Brad Clements (Trumpet, Flugel), Peter Francis (Trombone), Jaime Ibacache (Guitar), Danny Santiago (Bass), Kendell Haywood (Drums), Patrick Noel (Percussion 1), and Manny Arciniega (Percussion 2).
María José “Majo” Ferrucho is Stage Manager, P. Vanessa Losada is Production Manager, and Heather Hogan is Creative Consultant. Hugo Medrano is the Producer and Rebecca Medrano is the Executive Producer.

TICKET & GENERAL INFORMATION
Performances of ON YOUR FEET! La historia de Emilio y Gloria Estefan ¡EN ESPAÑOL! are Thursdays through Sundays. Regular tickets are $65 each. Noche de GALA are $95 per person. Senior (65+), Student, Teacher, Military, and Group (10+) tickets are $45. Tickets for Under 25 are $35. For more information, or to purchase tickets, go online or call 202-234-7174.

GALA Theatre is located at 3333 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20010, one block from the Columbia Heights Metro station. Parking is available at a $4 discounted rate (with validation of the parking ticket at the theatre lobby) at the Giant garage with entrance on Park Rd NW.

COVID-19 SAFETY MEASURES
GALA encourages patrons to wear a mask, and patrons ages 5 and up to show proof of vaccination or recent negative COVID test (taken within 72 hours prior to showtime) to be admitted into the theatre. For more information about the safety precautions implemented to protect the health of patrons, artists, staff, students, and volunteers, please click here.

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