'On Your Feet, The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan'

Elizabeth Youngman-Westphal

Special to The Village News

Moonlight Amphitheater swings to the rhythm of the conga when Gloria Estefan lights up the stage. A 4'11" dynamo, Gloria is played by Ariella Kvaskhny who sets the beat for the entire production. Born in Cuba, Gloria and Emilio (Eduardo Enrikez) meet in Miami after escaping to Florida when she was only 17. This is their love story.

Musical director/conductor Lyndon Pugeda set the Latin beat when he took the orchestra to the stage. A select group of accomplished musicians is led by conductor Pugeda on keyboards with Arianna Warren on woodwinds, Alyssa Keene on trumpet, Andrew Moreau on trombone, PJ Bovee on guitar, Martin Martiarena on bass, Benjamin Goniea on keyboards, John Perkins on drums and on percussion Daniel Doerfler and JP Hewitt-Dietrich. The orchestra is electrifying.

Choreographer Carlos Mendoza's inspired dance routines sparkled throughout. Every toe was tapping in the audience inspired by the sassy Salsa dances performed by the ensemble of fabulous dancers.

Costume coordinator Felicia Broschart created a vision in Cuban color throughout.

Award winning director James Vasquez is no stranger to Moonlight Amphitheatre. Winning a San Diego Theatre Critics Award for directing "In the Heights" two summers ago, he is marked as the right guy to carry off this show without a hitch. Let me just say, he did what he could with the script.

The music is fabulous. The dancing is electric. The singers give it their all. It's the script that suffers. Although Alexander Dinelaris is an Academy Award screenwriter, winning the statue for "Birdman," he got bogged down in this play with too many unnecessary details about Gloria and Emilio. What works for the screen only slows down the play.

"On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan" plays at Moonlight Stage until Oct. 2. Tickets are available from noon to 6 p.m., weekdays and performance days or by visiting moonlightstage.com.

Family tickets are on sale now for "The Wizard of Oz" presented by the Moonlight Youth Theatre. One week only starting Oct. 22-30. All performances start at 7:30 p.m.

"On Your Feet! The Story of Emilo & Gloria Estefan" is rated an 8 for story but 10 for music and dancing.

Elizabeth Youngman-Westphal can be reached at [email protected].