"Come on, shake your body, baby, do the conga."
That's what Miami's Cuban princess Gloria Estefan demands of you when she, her husband Emilio, and the Nederlander Organization bring the Estefans' autobiographical musical, On Your Feet! to Broadway next fall.
"I'm so excited!" la cantante expresses. "We have a dream team working on it. Everything has fallen into place so beautifully. We're all so excited about the entire process."
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Directed by Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell, written by two-time Drama Desk nominee Alexander Dinelaris, and choreographed by Jersey Boys' Sergio Trujillo, On Your Feet! tells the story of the Estefans journey to freedom, their rise to international fame, and their role in launching the careers of Marc Anthony, Shakira, and other Latin music giants.
The play also touches on darker times, like the 1990 tour bus wreck that almost left Gloria paralyzed, a turning point in the Latin Songwriter Hall of Famer's life.
"In our lives, both Emilio and I have had to constantly get back on our feet," she says. "We had to fight people that kept telling us our music wouldn't work and then I literally had to get back on my feet physically after the accident. It all works on the title, On Your Feet!
"Ultimately, it's a love story between Emilio and myself, this country, and music," the singer explains. "The whole is meant to make the audience laugh, cry, and dance."
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