Broadway Legend Joined: 12/13/06
Updated On: 7/7/15 at 01:34 AM
Featured Actor Joined: 3/16/15
Broadway Star Joined: 5/28/07
I'll be seeing in on Wednesday. Can't wait!
I'll be there tonight, I'll try to post the song list and thoughts during intermission.
Featured Actor Joined: 3/16/15
Featured Actor Joined: 3/16/15
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/15/04
I've been bored with Gloria and her hubbie for years.
Broadway Star Joined: 9/22/14
I got tix for end of June! So excited!! Love Gloria and the Miami Sound Machine!
Featured Actor Joined: 3/16/15
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/13
^I was thinking the same thing, but then I remembered that Chicago is 1 hour behind people on the East coast so buzz about it probably won't be on Twitter, etc until later.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/13
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/22/03
If they present the scene where Gloria and the band are in the hospital recovering from surgery and other injuries (from the bus accident), I just hope they don't break into song with GET ON YOUR FEET.
Featured Actor Joined: 3/16/15
Wish them well though I confess I find their music so generically bland. Latin music bathed in beige.
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/19/05
Broadway Star Joined: 4/20/15
Even as someone who was a fan of TMSM and even Estefan herself, I find it interesting that it would draw much of an audience at this point. Their music is pretty dated now, and doesn't really have what I would consider the lasting impression that the Beatles, etc. would have.
I did like their music at one time in my life; it was upbeat and fun.
But it just doesn't do as much for me as it did back then. I didn't know they still had that much of an audience.
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
The set/design looks pretty terrible... but that is totally judging it from one photo.
very chicago/hedwig concert esque. I hope its good!!
Saw the first preview last night.
It actually was in pretty good shape for a first performance. A few technical gafs with scenery and one onstage wardrobe problem but the show went smoothly.
Running time is about 2 hours and 10 minutes with one intermission.
Sorry but there was no song listing in the program so a song list may be available later online at the website for the show.
Opening number begins in the present in an onstage concert performance and then the remainder of show flashes back to her childhood and proceeds to her comeback appearance at the American Music Awards on 1/28/91 after her bus accident in 1990.
Ana Villafane gives a sharp and musically wonderful performance as Gloria Estefan. I am sure she will see her name on the Tony list next season. She looks and sounds a lot like Estefan.
Josh Segarra as Emilio Estefan is a good actor with great comic timing and a nice singing voice (though a better male singing actor could bring something more onstage).
All other performers are fine.
The choreography was OK. Your typical sort of MTV video stuff for the most part.
The set design ranged from simplistic to rather complicated with a series of moving/rotating full height panels crossing the stage to create spaces/scenes/locations and the shifting in and out of movable platforms with set pieces. The use of video projections rather than LED screens was an old fashioned and welcome change. There are a few points where scenery and actors come up from below the stage on traps.
I think the book could use a little tweaking maybe shortening the show a good ten minutes. The audio projections were OK most of the night with a few microphone problems that should be corrected quickly. Most of the band/orchestra is onstage and glides back and forth on tracks when they have to be front and center otherwise they are hidden at the back of the stage during dialogue scenes.
All in all an enjoyable night for anyone looking for a pop musical with recognizable names and songs. The critics may not be overwhelmed but Broadway audiences will like it especially Latin music lovers.
ps Emilio and Gloria Estefan walked into the theatre just before the show started to a standing ovation. They later came on stage after the show and Gloria gave a short heart warming and sentimental speech.
Put this one in the modified to popular hit category.
ps2 Official opening night is Wednesday, June 17. I will post reviews.
Updated On: 6/3/15 at 09:10 AM
Saw it last night. Huge huge huge Gloria fan.
The set's pretty unoffensive, honestly? It didn't bother me, except for one moment with the projections that needs to go.
It's really fun, but it also has some deep, deep structural problems that I'm not going to go into on a public message board because I don't think it's right. I had a good time, but I essentially felt like two parts of my brain were at war because in this collision of two things I really, really love, part of me just wanted to love it, and part of me is trained to see evidence otherwise.
I think what's important here, though, is two big things that were on my mind the whole time: it's easy to forget, now that it's 2015 and it's been a while since the height of her career, what a huge deal it was and still is, historically. And I saw it so much just feeling what was going on in the audience last night -- it forces you to remember just how much this music reached people, and how much people adore her. This is going to reach an audience that's largely untapped and underrepresented, and that's great.
I think ultimately the problems aren't going to matter -- people are going to flock to this and they're going to love it because they love her and because of nostalgia and all of those other things that cause the technicalities with shows like this not to really matter.
And that's all I'm going to say, because again, first preview.
Oh, and it was really cool to see Gloria and Emilio on stage after, and the band includes original members of the Miami Sound Machine.
I also saw the show last night, and I was really sad that there wasn't a song list in the Playbill. I only am casually aware of Gloria and MSM's music from my childhood so I would have liked to know what each song was.
**SPOILERS AHEAD**
THE GOOD:
THE BAND! They had 12-15 guys on stage playing the tradition MSM lineup. The sound filled the theatre and you felt it in your guts. Whenever they reenacted concert moments, the lighting, music, costumes, and dancing really were thrilling.
Ana Villafane really embodies Gloria Estefan. Her manner of speaking, her singing, and her look are all spot-on. When the real Gloria came up on stage after the show, I had a "Oh yeah, that's what you really look like" moment.
Josh Segarra plays Emilio as a hero-type with a self-deprecating sense of humor. The scenes with him and Gloria are very sweet and romantic, with a bit of sly humor. I like their chemistry.
Andrea Burns is great as Gloria's mother. She has a scene in the first act that shows her past as a Cuban singer in a bar, and she really tears it apart. I was really impressed at the transition from a overly-protective, conservative mother to fiery Latina performer.
Alma Cuervo as Gloria's grandmother is the comic relief of the first act. She plays the a "Mulan's grandmother" type. Plenty of one-liners and lots of love and heart for her granddaughter. She is the one who encourages Gloria to continue doing music instead of a more sensible career.
I really enjoyed the end of the first act. It reenacts a concert scene right after "Conga" has become a hit. The actors come off stage and grab random people from the audience to form a conga line up the center isle. It was cheesy, and maybe it was just the people who were sitting around me, but it felt very joyous and not as annoying as it sounds.. It was big and bombastic, and it really had me humming on the way to the restroom.
Whomever said that they expected to see Gloria sing "On Your Feet" to the recovering victims of the crash made me laugh really hard. I was expecting something similar, and was happy to see they didn't take that route.
The ending medley of MSM hits "Turn The Beat Around, On Your Feet, Conga, Rhythm Is Gonna Get You, etc" ends the evening on a postive, up-beat note after the downer of a 2nd act.
THE BAD:
The second act was a bit ballad-heavy for me, as it primarily deals with Gloria's estrangement from her mother and her recovery from her bus accident.
There is a slightly odd "Surgery ballet" scene with dancers waving white sheets all over the place. Gloria, dressed in all white, is surrounded by everyone from her life (her younger self, her dead grandmother, her husband, etc) also dressed in white. I didn't recognize the song, but I enjoyed it very much. The scene itself was heavy-handed.
There was another odd transition from a scene in Gloria's physical therapy room where she doesn't want to do the American Music Awards because she doesn't want everyone feeling sorry for her when she's not fully recovered. Out of nowhere, Emilio starts singing "Don't Wanna Lose You." I mean, full-stop, just starting singing. . no intro music or anything. It was jarring and kinda laughable in that context.
Overall, I think it has a life on Broadway and in regional theatre. It's not life-changing by any means, but it was a fun night at the theatre. It wasn't cringe-worthy, and I found myself pulled into the world they were creating on stage. I'd put it up there with Mamma Mia, Jersey Boys, etc. . Tourists will eat it up.
I hope they'll print one after it opens, or in New York. It's possible they'll want to preserve the surprise eternally, though, at least 'til the inevitable album. There are a few new songs and a handful that I didn't know but that were obviously originally pop songs, so I would have liked one too. I didn't recognize the song in the post-accident sequence, either, but whatever it was was beautiful. I'm trying to figure out what it is.
"it's easy to forget, now that it's 2015 and it's been a while since the height of her career, what a huge deal it was and still is, historically. And I saw it so much just feeling what was going on in the audience last night -- it forces you to remember just how much this music reached people, and how much people adore her. This is going to reach an audience that's largely untapped and underrepresented, and that's great. "
I complete agree with this. I remember all of the commotion about Gloria when I was young, and I never really was part of it. It did completely take me back to that era of the late-1980's and the latin explosion that went on in the US. I also felt a lot of kenetic energy from the people around me in the audience. Lots of folks with their children, dressed up to see the show. It was nice to see group of people come together and get really excited about a theatrical experience that reflect their culture and history.
Also, having the Estefans in the audience was very cool. Gloria and Emilio couldn't have been nicer. They were very patient and met with a lot of fans at their seats and in the center aisle before, after, and during intermission. Emilio talked to everyone like they were his best friend. People were coming up to them and randomly hugging them and telling them that they loved the show, and they genuinely seemed appreciative and engaged. It gave me a lot respect and admiration for them.
I was born in the mid-80s so I was too young to have been paying attention when she first made the crossover. But I remember her performance at the Atlanta '96 Olympics perfectly. I saw the Evolution tour in the mid-90s (I was little!), and I remember it so so well. I remember her, how magnetic she was, and how insane the atmosphere at the arena was.
Honestly more than anything, the show made me want to see her perform again.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/13
"I also saw the show last night, and I was really sad that there wasn't a song list in the Playbill. I only am casually aware of Gloria and MSM's music from my childhood so I would have liked to know what each song was.
**SPOILERS AHEAD**
THE GOOD:
THE BAND! They had 12-15 guys on stage playing the tradition MSM lineup. The sound filled the theatre and you felt it in your guts. Whenever they reenacted concert moments, the lighting, music, costumes, and dancing really were thrilling.
Ana Villafane really embodies Gloria Estefan. Her manner of speaking, her singing, and her look are all spot-on. When the real Gloria came up on stage after the show, I had a "Oh yeah, that's what you really look like" moment.
Josh Segarra plays Emilio as a hero-type with a self-deprecating sense of humor. The scenes with him and Gloria are very sweet and romantic, with a bit of sly humor. I like their chemistry.
Andrea Burns is great as Gloria's mother. She has a scene in the first act that shows her past as a Cuban singer in a bar, and she really tears it apart. I was really impressed at the transition from a overly-protective, conservative mother to fiery Latina performer.
Alma Cuervo as Gloria's grandmother is the comic relief of the first act. She plays the a "Mulan's grandmother" type. Plenty of one-liners and lots of love and heart for her granddaughter. She is the one who encourages Gloria to continue doing music instead of a more sensible career.
I really enjoyed the end of the first act. It reenacts a concert scene right after "Conga" has become a hit. The actors come off stage and grab random people from the audience to form a conga line up the center isle. It was cheesy, and maybe it was just the people who were sitting around me, but it felt very joyous and not as annoying as it sounds.. It was big and bombastic, and it really had me humming on the way to the restroom.
Whomever said that they expected to see Gloria sing "On Your Feet" to the recovering victims of the crash made me laugh really hard. I was expecting something similar, and was happy to see they didn't take that route.
The ending medley of MSM hits "Turn The Beat Around, On Your Feet, Conga, Rhythm Is Gonna Get You, etc" ends the evening on a postive, up-beat note after the downer of a 2nd act.
THE BAD:
The second act was a bit ballad-heavy for me, as it primarily deals with Gloria's estrangement from her mother and her recovery from her bus accident.
There is a slightly odd "Surgery ballet" scene with dancers waving white sheets all over the place. Gloria, dressed in all white, is surrounded by everyone from her life (her younger self, her dead grandmother, her husband, etc) also dressed in white. I didn't recognize the song, but I enjoyed it very much. The scene itself was heavy-handed.
There was another odd transition from a scene in Gloria's physical therapy room where she doesn't want to do the American Music Awards because she doesn't want everyone feeling sorry for her when she's not fully recovered. Out of nowhere, Emilio starts singing "Don't Wanna Lose You." I mean, full-stop, just starting singing. . no intro music or anything. It was jarring and kinda laughable in that context.
Overall, I think it has a life on Broadway and in regional theatre. It's not life-changing by any means, but it was a fun night at the theatre. It wasn't cringe-worthy, and I found myself pulled into the world they were creating on stage. I'd put it up there with Mamma Mia, Jersey Boys, etc. . Tourists will eat it up."
I believe in Perez Hilton's Periscope interview with Gloria, Emilio, Ana, and Josh at the cast reveal, Gloria and Emilio mentioned that they had written a brand new song for the musical. Possibly during the "surgery ballet", that is the new song.
