Interviews

Gloria and Emilio Estefan Introduce Broadway to Their Onstage Selves

Ana Villafañe and Josh Segarra will play the music icons in the new Broadway musical ”On Your Feet!”

Growing up in Miami, Ana Villafañe loved two things: theater and Gloria Estefan. She even went to the same high school as Estefan, Our Lady of Lourdes Academy. Cut to the empty auditorium of the Marquis Theatre, where Villafañe was sitting next to Estefan herself talking about making her Broadway debut as the music icon in the new bio-musical On Your Feet!, set to begin previews October 5.

On the opposite side of the room was Estefan's no-less-esteemed husband, 19-time Grammy-winning producer Emilio, chatting with his new onstage counterpart, Lysistrata Jones and Dogfight veteran Josh Segarra, who also idolized the Estefans and their music, which he too will help bring to the Great White Way.

This quartet then shared their enthusiasm with TheaterMania. And much like Estefan's electrifying tunes, the moment was infectious.

Gloria Estefan with her On Your Feet! counterpart, actress Ana Villafañe.
Gloria Estefan with her On Your Feet! counterpart, actress Ana Villafañe.
(© David Gordon)

Gloria, what was it about Ana that made you realize she was the one to play you?
Gloria Estefan: There's a lot of things about Ana. First, she's legitimately bilingual, which is great. She's part Cuban, as well. She went to my high school. She's got that Miami sound in her voice. She's got acting chops that are amazing. She can sing the pop stuff; she can sing the authentic Cuban rhythms. We threw out a wide net, and there was no doubt, when it was down to the final four, we saw her and it just clicked. You know how they say there's always that something when somebody walks into a room? She had it.

Emilio, why Josh?
Emilio Estefan: I think it's destiny. We saw so many tapes, because we used the Internet to cast people all over the world. He came in for the first read and he captured the emotion, the honesty. This is only the beginning of his career. To be part of someone's successful career makes me very happy.

Ana, as someone who idolized Gloria Estefan, what is it like to hear her say those things about you?
Ana Villafañe: [takes a deep breath] It's humbling. I have my work cut out for me and I'm very aware of that. It's crazy to be recognized by someone I've looked up to for so long. And it's really weird! [laughs]

Josh, you have big shoes to fill.
Josh Segarra: Huge shoes to fill. But he has not made me scared once. He has not put pressure on me. I walked into rehearsals nervous, but when he was there, I was at ease. Usually, the opposite happens. But I know he's got my back and we can do this. I want to show the world who he is, and that's going to be the best task in the world. I want people to come see this show and read up on him after.

Emilio and Gloria Estefan with Ana Villafañe and Josh Segarra, who will play them in the new Broadway musical, On Your Feet!
Emilio and Gloria Estefan with Ana Villafañe and Josh Segarra, who will play them in the new Broadway musical On Your Feet!
(© Bruce Glikas/Vivacity Media Group)

Ana, how was auditioning for Gloria, knowing that she was sitting there?
Ana: There's that moment when you're taking it all in and you realize the gravity of what you're doing. I really wanted the opportunity to get into that room, so I fought for that. Then there's a switch that happens once you start singing the music and getting into the scene, and then, from that point forward, you're just lost and in the moment. When I walked out of that room, I was trembling. I was like, "Oh my god what did I just do?" It's kind of liberating, once you stop thinking about who you're singing to…Which in this case, was pretty difficult.

Gloria: Listen, whenever I had to sing and my mom was in the audience? Twenty-five thousand people in an arena, but my mom was in the audience and it was like, "Ohhh myyyy Goddd."

Emilio, how does it feel to watch your life story taking shape?
Emilio: It's almost like I'm watching my own movie, and it feels good. I didn't want to lie to anybody. I didn't want to change my last name. I didn't want to change the sound to please a record label. Even when Sony listened to her music [at first], they said it would never happen. Fourteen years later, I was president of Sony. Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Shakira…I brought something totally different to the world. And you know something? It's great to be honest. If you're a Latino, you're a Latino. This story is about the American dream. This is a real story. I say I don't want to cry in rehearsal, and I cry in every rehearsal.

Josh: My favorite story is [Emilio] flying into New York from Miami for a day [for a meeting with Sony] and going from "He can't see you" to becoming the president of Sony. That's perseverance. This is what we all dream of being able to do, crack that door. He kicked it open.

Ana Villafañe and Josh Segarra play music icons Gloria and Emilio Estefan.
Ana Villafañe and Josh Segarra play music icons Gloria and Emilio Estefan.
(© Bruce Glikas/Vivacity Media Group)

Ana, is there a specter of Gloria Estefan hanging over Our Lady of Lourdes Academy?
Ana: Oh, of course, that's one of their selling points. I can't even imagine what the Sisters are doing right now.

Gloria: They're putting out a press release on Twitter. [laughs]

Ana: I don't think you knew [I went there] until after [the audition].

Gloria: I flipped when I heard. It's a great prep school. Twelve of my friends, the Dirty Dozen, we still get together once a month in a prayer group. It bonded us for life.

Ana: I wanted to go to performing arts school. I was so obsessed with acting and singing. And my parents were like, "NO. You're going to Lourdes like your sister went to Lourdes. And you are going to be a Lourdes girl." So now I'm sitting here like, "Thanks, Mom and Dad. Good call." Small world.

Gloria, are you excited for Broadway?
Gloria: Are you kidding me? I'm beside myself. I'm a huge fan of Broadway. When I was a kid in Miami, I couldn't afford to come to New York, so whenever there was a show at the Coconut Grove theater, I would try in every way to get some money together and see the shows.

What's your favorite musical?
Gloria: Oh my gosh, there are so many. Right now, my current favorite is An American in Paris. The dancing is phenomenal. I love Gypsy. I saw it three times, with Bernadette Peters, Patti LuPone, and Tyne Daly.

Is a Momma Rose in your future?
Gloria: Listen…that's quite a character.

Gloria and Emilio Estefan at the opening night of Broadway's An American in Paris.
Gloria and Emilio Estefan at the opening night of Broadway's An American in Paris.
(© David Gordon)

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