A 10-year reunion celebration of the Broadway musical On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan was held November 10 at Gibney Studios/890 Broadway in Manhattan. Check out photos from the event below, and read on for comments from many of the people involved in the show's success.

The reunion, organized by original Broadway cast member Natalie Caruncho, featured members of the original Broadway company as well as replacement and first national tour cast members.

“My mom passed away last year," Caruncho told Playbill. "She was someone who appreciated creating moments and showing up for the people you love—in that spirit, I’m so glad to have put together the reunion as a way for us to be together, revisit the magic of the show, dance, celebrate, and remember those we have lost. What moves me still, a week later, is how tangible it all became in that studio. We created a family at OYF!, and it was beautiful and profound to be together again. I’m incredibly proud to be part of creating the Latin imprint on Broadway—it is a legacy of resilience, excellence, joy and familia!! Que siga, para siempre.”

The reunion began as the cast joined together in a circle. Remarks were subsequently made by both members of the cast and creative team.

“I knew from the very, very beginning that this musical needed to have authenticity in every fiber of its being, you know, representing Gloria, Emilio, and their incredible library of music," said director Jerry Mitchell. "I told Sergio Trujillo, ‘Don't forget this is a story about Cuba, and you have a lot of Cubans in the room, so let them lead the way, let that be part of the authenticity of what we're creating. Use the actors, because they all come from different Latin backgrounds, and somehow we all have to be on one page, with one story. Let them all participate, because when you let the actors participate, you build authenticity and you build investment in the company.' So that's what we were trying to do from day one, and I think we succeeded.”    

Ana Villafañe, who created the role of Gloria, added, “My life changed entirely—and that isn’t an exaggeration. I was so young, so out of my league, and completely new to the city, let alone leading a massive Broadway musical. People don’t realize what that requires. My only choice was to learn as I went along, and I just wanted to make everyone proud. Getting the job is one thing, sustaining a show is another. I owe a lot to my dresser Sara [Darneille]. Truth is, it was always so far beyond me. The relevance of this story… the cultural impact of this music… the amount of jobs created all over the world… it’s profound. I fell in love with the process while surrounded by the best of the best. We really have no idea what we’re capable of until it’s time to rise to the occasion.”

Following the speeches, the Broadway cast album was played—within minutes the entire company was singing and dancing as if back on the stage of the Marquis.

On Your Feet! associate musical director and original member of The Miami Sound Machine, Clay Ostwald, led members of the company in a performance of “Reach” to honor the memories of original, late Broadway cast member Doreen Montalvo, band member/Miami Sound Machine musical director Jorge Casas, and band member/Miami Sound Machine member Olbin Burgos.

“For me, music is spiritual," said original cast member Eric Ulloa. "There is no greater force than to raise one’s voice whether it be in mourning or celebration. And the fact that without rehearsal, and a decade later, those notes and harmonies just came out of us …well, Doreen, Jorge and Olbin were certainly there and inspiring that perfect and magical moment.”

On Your Feet!, which charts the success of multiple Grammy winners Gloria and Emilio Estefan, features a book by Oscar winner Alexander Dinelaris and a score that includes such hits as “Rhythm is Gonna Get You,” “Conga,” “Get On Your Feet,” “Don’t Want To Lose You Now,” “1-2-3,” and “Coming Out of the Dark.”

In 2015, On Your Feet! made history as the largest Latine cast ever assembled for an original Broadway musical: 99% of the opening night cast were Latine artists. That same fall, the cast became the first Latine artists to open the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as they conga’d down the parade route and into Herald Square.

The show's success opened doors for future productions, demonstrating the viability and success of shows with a strong Latine focus and an all-Latine cast.

“Shows like On Your Feet! and In the Heights now hold a place in history as the bedrock of musicals written for us and by us," added original cast member Andreá Burns. "Each year, more young artists from various Latin backgrounds are drawn to the theatre because they’ve been empowered by our representation. The next time you see a young Latin artist onstage or at an event, I urge each and every one of you to please approach them with a warm welcome to the network of familia we have built here. Let’s foster a vibrant community of connection between us and the next generation of Latin actors.”      

On Your Feet! opened November 5, 2015, at Broadway's Marquis Theatre following previews that began October 5. When it closed August 20, 2017, the production, directed by Mitchell and choreographed by Trujillo, played 34 previews and 746 regular performances. The musical received seven Outer Critics Circle Award nominations, three Drama League Award nominations, and a Tony nomination for Best Choreography.

close gallery

0 of

Photos: On Your Feet! 10 Year Reunion

Next Slide  

You may also like

• 
  Look Back at the Original and Revival Productions of The Color Purple
• 
  Peter and the Wolf, Peter and the Starcatcher, and More Creative PLAYBILLDER Covers
• 
  Photos: Guys and Dolls at Shakespeare Theatre Company