Review: ON YOUR FEET at Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre

Dutch Apple's production of "On Your Feet" is very appropriately titled. It is an excellent, high energy show that is well deserved of the standing ovations that it receives. This biographical musical of the lives of Gloria and Emilio Estefan is an inspirational story of inclusion, dedication and overcoming obstacles. It is the exact type of entertainment needed in these challenging times.

Alexis Semevolos-Velazques shines as Gloria Estefan. Her looks, mannerisms, and voice are spot on. As soon as I saw her headshot in the lobby, I was confident that the actress was the right choice. Semevolos-Velazques brings vibrant energy and extreme grace to the stage. She is extremely talented and I look forward to seeing her again soon on the local stage.

Alex Rodriguez's turn as Emilio Estefan is just as excellent. His chemistry with Semevolos-Velazques is outstanding. Rodriguez is a gifted actor and an accomplished vocalist. He plays a very convincing and dedicated husband, cheerleader, and soulmate. It is very interesting to compare this show to something like "A Star is Born", where as there is no jealous, no regret, no anger between two talented married musicians. The Estenfans clearly understand that the whole of their marriage outweighs the sum of its parts.

Other stand out parts include Josephine Phoenix as Gloria's mother and Adela Romero as her grandmother. Each woman lead an indelible, but very different impression on her life, and both actresses played their parts beautifully.

As you might suspect, "On Your Feet" is a jukebox musical. I was very impressed with how well each song captured the essence of a scene and advanced the plot. If you are like me, you will also probably be thinking, "oh yeah, I forgot she also sang THAT song" several times throughout the night.

Choreography by Natalie Caruncho and Hector Maisonet was top-notch. It had excellent energy and felt very authentic to the culture. Karen Waddill lead a 5 piece orchestra on stage that seems more like 30 piece. The orchestrations were very full, and had me tapping my toes the entire night.

Direction by Eliseo Roman was excellent. Just like the Estefans' relationship, the director was able to take the various elements and combine them into a extremely rewarding and highly entertaining product.

"On Your Feet" is an excellent show and Dutch Apple should be recognized for bringing it to Lancaster. As always, the theater strictly adheres to state policy to ensure the health and safety of both patrons and employees. My recommendation is to "get on your feet" and run to the Dutch Apple Box Office before this show sells out!

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