"On Your Feet!" - by Alexander Dinelaris, Gloria Estefan and Emilio Estefan - North Shore Music Theatre (Beverly, MA.) - REVIEW
(Cover Photo: The CAST of the Emilio & Gloria Estefan musical "ON YOUR FEET!" now playing at Bill Hanney's North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, MA. through June 14, 2026. Photo Credit: Paul Lyden)
By Kevin T. Baldwin
METRMAG Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
"It's important to me that the words that I put out there into the cosmos, into the universe, be empowering or somehow positive for people that hear them."
- Gloria Estefan
North Shore Music Theatre
Presents the Emilio & Gloria Estefan Musical
"ON YOUR FEET!"
Music and Lyrics by Gloria Estefan and Emilio Estefan
Book by Alexander Dinelaris
Directed and Choreographed by Marcos Santana
Music Director Jose Delgado
Cast Includes: Marcello Audino* as “Emilio,” Sebastian D. Harvey as “Nayib,” Isabel Leoni* as “Gloria,” Kendall Rivera as “Young Gloria,” Henry Gainza* as “José Fajardo,” Karmine Alers* as “Gloria Fajardo,” Sydia Cedeño-Genat* as “Consuelo Garcia,” Olivia A. Cruz as “Rebecca Fajardo,” Ralphie Rivera De Jesús* as “Kiki,” Luis Obed as “Marquito,” Alexander Blanco as “Warren,” Michael Anthony Sylvester* as “Kenny,” Jason Cohen* as “Phil,” Sebastian D. Harvey as “Young Emilio.”
Ensemble: Camila Aldet, Marissa Barragán*, Alexander Blanco, Stella Casas Ciniglio, Olivia A. Cruz, Marlon Feliz*, Juliana Fuentes Peña, Henry Gainza*, Sabrina Gómez, Juan Camilo Laverde, Alejandra Matos*, Luis Obed, Jose Ozuna*, Joseph Rivera*, Ralphie Rivera De Jesús*, Michael Anthony Sylvester*.
Understudies, Study Covers & Swings:
(Note: Understudies, Study Covers and Swings are never substituted for listed performers unless a specific announcement is made at the time of the performance)
Understudy For: Nayib/Young Emilio - Ralphie Rivera De Jesús*; Study Cover For: Emilio - Luis Obed; Gloria - Sabrina Gómez; Young Gloria - Olivia A. Cruz; Gloria Fajardo & Consuelo Garcia - Camila Aldet; José Fajardo & Phil - Alexander Blanco; Rebecca Fajardo - Juliana Fuentes Peña.
Swings: Juan Camilo Laverde & Juliana Fuentes Peña.
*Member Of Actors’ Equity Association, The Union Of Professional Actors And Stage Managers In The United States.
Special Thanks To Ricola Natural Herb Cough Drops, The Official Cough Drop Of North Shore Music Theatre.
Additional Creative Team:
Production Stage Manager - James O. Hansen*; Assistant Stage Managers - Maria Papadopoulos*, Elizabeth Yvette Ramirez; Dance Captain - Ralphie Rivera De Jesús*; Music Contractor - Jay Daly; Assistant Music Director and Rehearsal Pianist - Robert L. Rucinski; Scenic and Lighting Design - Jack Mehler; Sound Design - Alex Berg; Costume Coordinator - Rebecca Glick; Projection Design - Pamela Hersch; Owner and Producer - Bill Hanney; Producing Artistic Director - Kevin P. Hill; Associate Producer and Casting Director - Matthew Chappell.
Performances:
June 3, 2026 through June 14, 2026
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
TICKETS:
For tickets and information visit www.nsmt.org, call # 978-232-7200, or visit the North Shore Music Theatre box office in person at 54 Dunham Road, Beverly, MA. 01915
BUY TICKETS
COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
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(Warning: The following review contains spoilers)
Bill Hanney's North Shore Music Theatre (NSMT) continues its legacy of sustained excellence as it heads into another fantastic season of shows, striking an enthusiastic chord with the scintillating Emilio and Gloria Estefan Musical "ON YOUR FEET!"
Make no mistake - this show is muy caliente on all fronts and audiences will be leaving the theatre with smiles on their faces and a Latin-inspired spring in their step as this musical is very appropriately titled.
That said, audiences will also come away with some better insight into the personal lives of one of the hardest working showbiz couples ever in the music industry.
As a recent recipient of the 2026 Elliot Norton Prize for Sustained Excellence, Bill Hanney and his entire NSMT cast and creative team for "ON YOUR FEET!" maintains that tradition in exemplary fashion.
Directed and choreographed for NSMT by Marcos Santana, "ON YOUR FEET!" sizzles with a plethora of intense, infectious salsas and mambos which the ensemble executes with absolute precision.
There is even a tap dance number performed entirely in flipflops that is simply delicious to watch.
(Photo: The CAST of the Emilio & Gloria Estefan musical "ON YOUR FEET!" now playing at Bill Hanney's North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, MA. through June 14, 2026. Photo Credit: Paul Lyden)
The musical score features a fine blending of voices, as well, with many moments of sharp, pitch perfect harmonies.
There is also a fun-filled “mega-mix” during the show’s finale with many familiar favorites mashed together, played as if fueled by high octane with a top-notch cast, fine ensemble and a fantastic house band, all under the music direction of Jose Delgado.
The entire production is performed in-the-round, maximizing the entire NSMT space, thus providing an ambience of close proximity and intimacy which was not possible in the Broadway and subsequent touring productions.
Now, some may groan and think, “Oh, no. Not another jukebox musical."
And there is a supporting argument for this reaction in that there are many shows of the ‘jukebox’ genre which are only produced to cash in and grab the nostalgia buck, with shows comprised of barely comprehensible plots connected by many familiar Top 40 hits.
However, "ON YOUR FEET!" actually tells a well-written, fact-based, compelling and inspirational story…connected by many familiar Top 40 hits.
It also has the exceptional book by Alexander Dinelaris, and "ON YOUR FEET!" further enlightens anyone who already has followed the accomplished career of singer Gloria Estefan (Isabel Leoni) and that of her older husband, Emilio (Marcello Audino).
Leoni is sheer perfection cast as Gloria with tremendous stage presence and a powerful vocal range.
The story of the Estefans shines a new spotlight on their humble beginnings and mutual struggles as they strive to succeed in the music business with their band, the Miami Sound Machine.
(Photo: Isabel Leoni as “Gloria" in a powerful moment from the Emilio & Gloria Estefan musical "ON YOUR FEET!" now playing at Bill Hanney's North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, MA. through June 14, 2026. Photo Credit: Paul Lyden)
"ON YOUR FEET!" debuted on Broadway in 2015 and was greeted by encouraging theatrical reviews and box office success, which helped it run until 2017, closing after a respectable 34 previews and 746 regular performances.
"ON YOUR FEET!" also garnered seven Outer Critics Circle Award nominations, three Drama League Award nominations and a Tony Award nomination for Best Choreography.
The story that unfolds in "ON YOUR FEET!" amply highlights the Cuban-born power couple’s respective talents, not just as entertainers, but also as tough, savvy businesspeople.
In addition, "ON YOUR FEET!" depicts a familial relationship filled both with great adversity and great love.
There are many ongoing struggles, including a profound one in Gloria’s relationship with her mother (Karmine Alers).
Accompanying families which fled as part of the original exodus from Cuba during the government overthrow by Fidel Castro, Gloria’s family, which included her sister, Rebecca (Olivia A. Cruz), her mother and grandmother, Consuelo (Sydia Cedeño-Genat), escaped to the U.S.
All the supporting performances are excellent, but Cedeño-Genat and Alers are exceptional, providing some intense, multi-layered acting, vacillating between moments of great anxiety to great joy.
While Cedeño-Genat has great moments on stage with Leoni, so does Alers in exchanges with Audino.
(Photo: Karmine Alers as “Gloria Fajardo” in a flashback moment from the Emilio & Gloria Estefan musical "ON YOUR FEET!" now playing at Bill Hanney's North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, MA. through June 14, 2026. Photo Credit: Paul Lyden)
During the dance number “Tradicion” Gloria is shown blossoming into adulthood.
The family ultimately settles in Miami, Florida…their new home.
One charming scene from this period is when, after becoming a U.S. citizen, Gloria's father, José Fajardo (Henry Gainza), is sent to Vietnam.
In a flashback, Gloria, seen younger (Kendall Rivera), plays guitar and sings "Cuando Salí de Cuba," a recorded message to send to him.
Later, adult Gloria sings in kind to her father, now seen suffering in end stages of Multiple Sclerosis.
In a fantasy sequence, her father, in full health, appears to her and the two sing "When Someone Comes Into Your Life" which is a tender, heartwarming moment in the show’s first act.
Later, we see the blossoming relationship between Emilio and Gloria and their eventual marriage.
Equal to their bond of love is their intense determination to make it in the music business.
This is when "ON YOUR FEET!" really takes off its restraints and takes off as it shows us how the couple, along with their band-of-brother musicians, really took hold of the pop charts during the 1980s.
Leoni and Audino have great chemistry on stage and “Here We Are” is staged as a wonderful duet between the two.
The real Emilio Estefan should be quite flattered by the casting of Audino who exudes both a sincere charm and a powerful physical presence as Emilio.
(Photo: Marcello Audino as “Emilio” in a scene from the Emilio & Gloria Estefan musical "ON YOUR FEET!" now playing at Bill Hanney's North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, MA. through June 14, 2026. Photo Credit: Paul Lyden)
Niched as "Latin” artists only, the Estefan power couple is seen striving to overcome efforts to keep them boxed into one musical market. Met with obstacles by various promoters and agents, the show ably explains the determination the duo had to cross over not only onto the American pop charts but also the global pop culture scene.
For fans of Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine, "ON YOUR FEET!" contains a plethora of familiar buoyant Latin style, pop flavored, fiery “swivel hip” numbers, blasting right out of the gate with “Rhythm is Gonna Get You,” the show’s title song “ON YOUR FEET” and many other favorites like “Conga,” “Dr. Beat” and more.
New material was added to the Broadway show to help advance the storyline.
In Act Two, during a particular emotional scene, Gloria’s mother and Emilio have the poignant duet, "If I Never Got to Tell You," written for the show.
Those familiar with the Estefans' story already will be reminded of the tragic 1990 bus crash the band suffered through, debilitating Gloria at the height of their meteoric rise.
Five members of the band were injured, as well as the couple's 9-year-old son, Nayib (Sebastian D. Harvey), who suffered a neck and shoulder injury.
How the musical represents the crash on stage, of course, can only give the audience an inkling of what the actual experience must have been like for the family and the band.
This is another area where the show being performed in-the-round was enhanced, allowing to create the illusion of the crash onstage.
There is a masterfully color-coordinated costume design used in the show.
In fact, behind the scenes, there are many clever stage effects used in the show, but in the end, it is the collective strength of the performances by the principals and ensemble that most effectively propels this story forward.
(Photo: The CAST of the Emilio & Gloria Estefan musical "ON YOUR FEET!" now playing at Bill Hanney's North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, MA. through June 14, 2026. Photo Credit: Paul Lyden)
The strength and determination that must have been required for Gloria Estefan to come back from such potentially paralyzing and life-threatening injuries is shown as a truly inspiring moment within the show's second act.
So, yes, ultimately "ON YOUR FEET!" is admittedly a jukebox musical - but it is also much, much more.
It is a well-written, well-constructed and extremely well-executed story of how Gloria and Emilio Estefan overcame adversity after adversity.
We witness how they directly affected the people in their lives while, indirectly, impacted the lives of many who were inspired by their music.
And somewhere, in the midst of all of this, are a bunch of really great tunes, some red-hot dance numbers, and a tremendous amount of fun.
The Emilio & Gloria Estefan musical "ON YOUR FEET!" continues at Bill Hanney's North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly until June 14th, 2026, as audiences can look ahead toward another fabulous NSMT season filled with sustained excellence.
One last thing - Don't be surprised if the finale encourages more than a few of you to get on up out of your seats and begin dancing "ON YOUR FEET!"
Up next for Bill Hanney's North Shore Music Theatre will be the luminous musical "JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT" by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, which will begin July 8th and run until July 19th, 2026.
For tickets and information visit www.nsmt.org, call # 978-232-7200, or visit the North Shore Music Theatre box office in person at 54 Dunham Road, Beverly, MA. 01915.
BUY TICKETS
Approximately two hours, 20 minutes with one intermission.
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
Get ready to feel the rhythm in "ON YOUR FEET!" the electrifying musical that tells the inspiring true story of Gloria and Emilio Estefan, two trailblazing artists who defied the odds with their talent, determination, and unwavering belief in each other.
From their humble beginnings in Cuba to achieving international superstardom, their story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the universal language of music.
Bursting with heart, passion, and the infectious pulse of Latin rhythms that reshaped pop forever, this high-energy hit features chart-toppers like “Conga,” “Get On Your Feet” and “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You.”
"ON YOUR FEET!" is a vibrant celebration of love, family, heritage, and the music that broke barriers around the world!
Approximately two hours, 20 minutes with one intermission
CONTENT ADVISORY: Production has strobing and flashing lights, and theatrical haze.
This show contains strong language and mature subject matter including medical trauma.
Not recommended for children under 10. We do encourage you to use your judgment based on your own research of the show, your own sensibilities, and a child's age and maturity level.
No children under the age of 4 will be permitted in the theatre including babes in arms.
ABOUT BILL HANNEY'S NORTH SHORE MUSIC THEATRE
Since opening in 1955, NORTH SHORE MUSIC THEATRE (NSMT) has become one of the most attended theatres in New England, with approximately 250,000 patrons annually. With a national and regional reputation for artistic achievement, NSMT has received numerous industry awards including Elliot Norton Awards, IRNE Awards, the Rosetta Le Noire Award from Actors' Equity, and the Moss Hart Award. NSMT produced the World Premiere of "Memphis" in 2003, the show went on to win four 2010 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Under the new ownership of Bill Hanney since 2010, NSMT continues to annually produce a musical subscription series and an annual production of "A Christmas Carol" along with celebrity concerts, children's programming and year-round education classes for children and adults.
54 Dunham Road
Beverly, MA. 01915
# 978-232-7200
Fax # 978-232-9999
northshoremusictheatre@nsmt.org
