PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE USE
“On Your Feet!” Congas Its Way to The Moonlight Amphitheatre September 15 – October 2 at 7:30 pm
VISTA, CA (September 1, 2021) – Moonlight Stage Productions invites audiences to get ready to conga when the Broadway jukebox musical hit “On Your Feet!” closes The Moonlight’s 40th anniversary season at the Moonlight Amphitheatre from Wed., Sept. 15 through Sat., Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m. Based on the inspiring true story of the queen of Latin pop, Gloria Estefan and her husband, Emilio, “On Your Feet!” is a universal sensation that shows what can happen when two people believe in their talent, music and one another. Their moving story features some of the most chart-topping songs of the past quarter-century, including “Rhythm is Gonna Get You,” “Conga,” “1-2-3,” “Coming Out of the Dark” and the title hit, “Get On Your Feet.” Tickets, priced $17 - $59, are on sale online at moonlightstage.com or by phone at (760) 724-2110.
Gloria Estefan has sold over 100 million records and sold-out stadiums around the world, and, together, Gloria and Emilio have won 26 Grammy® Awards. But their music is only half the story. From the heart of Havana to the streets of Miami came a cultural phenomenon unlike anything the music industry had ever seen. The musical had its world premiere in Chicago in the summer of 2015 before moving to Broadway where it played from October 5, 2015, until August 20, 2017, with subsequent touring productions throughout the world.
Making their debuts at the Moonlight are Eduardo Enrikez as Emilio Estefan and Ariella Kvashny as Gloria Estefan. As Gloria Estefan’s mother and father respectively are Crissy Guerrero and Rudy Martinez. Gloria Estefan’s grandmother, Consuelo, is played by Catalina Maynard. Playing Emilio and Gloria Estefan in their youths are local young actors Diego Mendoza and Itzel Meza-Ruiz.
Rounding out the company are Mikayla Agrella, Fernando Arellano, Murillo Barbosa, Johnisa Breault, Victor E. Chan, Devin Cortez, Johnny Fletcher, Augusto Guardado, Marcella Maysonet, Sebastian Montenegro, Brianna Nicole Muñiz, Kristel Nichols, Brian Osuna, Monika Peña, Liliana Rodriguez, Ala Tiatia- Garaud and Arianna Vila.
The creative team for “On Your Feet” includes Director James Vásquez, Choreographer Carlos Mendoza, Music Director and Conductor Lyndon Pugeda and Associate Choreographer Laurie Marie Muniz. The set is based on the original set design by The Rockwell Group, costumes are based on the original costume designs of Emilio Sosa, Lighting Design by Jean-Yves Tessier, Sound Design by Jim Zadai, wigs are based on the original wig design by Chuck LaPointe, and the production is stage managed by Stanley D. Cohen.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
ARIELLA KVASHNY (Gloria) is making her Moonlight debut. She recently graduated from University of California, Irvine with a BFA in Musical Theatre and an Honors in Acting. Her most recent credits include Ana Hernandez in “Living Out” (UCI), Catherine in the United States premiere of “Parliament Square” (UCI), Menas in “Antony and Cleopatra” (Shakespeare Orange County), Rosa/Rebecca/Junior in “Plumas Negras” (UCI), Velma Kelly in “Chicago” (SDSCPA), Columbia in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (SDSCPA) and Faith in the West Coast Premiere of “Brooklyn the Musical” (Moxie Theater).
EDUARDO ENRIKEZ (Emilio) was in the original West End production of “On Your Feet!” at The London Coliseum. He is excited to make his Moonlight debut. West End European credits include “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged,” “Eating Raoul,” “Time Square Angel,” “Saturday Night Fever,” and “Hair.” Regional credits include “Destiny of Desire,” “American Mariachi,” Chris in “Miss Saigon” (Inland Empire Award for best actor, Broadway World nomination); Vittorio Vidal in “Sweet Charity” (Inland Empire Award for best actor, Broadway World nomination); Emcee in “Cabaret” (Garland Award nomination); Mickey in “Blood Brothers” (Ada Award for Best Actor), “Is This Anyway to Start a Marriage,” “Ragtime,” “The Musical of Musicals, The Musical!,” “Love Songs - A Musical,” “Bat Boy The Musical,” “Hercules On Normandie,” and “Schoolhouse Rock.” Film and television credits include ‘Sin Frontera’ (best actor award, Seattle Film Festival; best actor nomination, Beaufort International Film Festival), ‘Stigma, Emilio, Jornada al Norte,’ ‘Dog Tags,’ ‘The Immigrant,’ ‘Infertile Hearts,’ ‘The Bridge,’ ‘Locked up Abroad and Bluff.’ Eduardo has been awarded the ARAM, Associate at The Royal Academy of Music in London. Eduardo just finished the workshop of his musical ‘Ilcahuilia A Musical,’ a love story set in the backdrop of the Mexican American war.
CRISSY GUERRERO (Gloria Fajardo) is thrilled to make her Moonlight debut. She recently closed a production of “American Mariachi” for South Coast Repertory, as Soyla, a role she originated in the world premiere at the Denver Center for Performing Arts and the Old Globe Theatre. She was last seen as Camila in “In the Heights” at Dallas Theater Center and as Helen in “Fun Home” at Theatreworks Silicon Valley. Other theatre credits include “Black Butterfly” at Mark Taper Forum, “La Posada Magica” at South Coast Repertory, and “Wild in Wichita” at Bilingual Foundation of the Arts/LATC. She produces and co-hosts two web series and a successful variety show for Studio C & C. Crissy also stars in the Emmy nominated web series ‘Home for Mom.’ Other TV: Conan O’Brien, Ellen DeGeneres Show, George Lopez, and Mind of Mencia. Her voice is heard on ‘Parks and Recreation,’ ‘SpongeBob SquarePants,’ ‘Handy Manny,’ and ‘Big Mouth.’ Ms. Guerrero is currently a senior fellow in the Eric Futterer Vocal Studio of AAVT (Academy of Advanced Vocal Technique).
RUDY MARTINEZ (José) has appeared at The Moonlight as Kevin in “In The Heights” and The Baker in “Into The Woods In Concert.” Other roles include Quixote in “Man of La Mancha,” Sweeney in “Sweeney Todd,” Tevye in “Fiddler On The Roof,” Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol,” Che, Magaldi and Peron in “Evita,” El Gallo in “The Fantasticks,” Gomez in “The Addams Family,” and Valentin in “Kiss Of The Spider Woman.”
CATALINA MAYNARD (Consuelo) is grateful to be a part of this Moonlight production. Local Credits: San Diego REP, North Coast Rep, New Village Arts, and was an iON Theatre company member. Regional work: Mark Taper Forum, Yale Rep, Denver Center, PCPA, TheatreWorks, Mixed Blood Theatre, The Children's Theatre Minneapolis, Arizona Theatre Co., and Off-Broadway at the Peter J. Sharp Theatre. Catalina is a former Marshall Artist in Residency at UC San Diego, focusing on social justice work for the stage, and a two-time recipient of the Craig Noel Critics Circle Award for acting. Currently, she is a Learning Specialist in Narrative Medicine for the University Link Medical Science program at UCSD.
CALENDAR INFORMATION "On Your Feet!" September 15 – October 2, 2021 Gates open at 6:00 p.m. for dining and picnicking; curtain at 7:30 p.m.
HEALTH & SAFETY The Moonlight requires those who have not been vaccinated to be masked when not actively eating or drinking. Patrons who wish to be socially distanced from other parties may choose to sit on the Great Lawn, where socially distanced seating remains in place. The Moonlight follows the protocols set forth by the state and county, Cal/Osha, and Actor’s Equity Association. When guidance from these entities differs or conflicts, the Moonlight errs on the side of caution and follows the most conservative guidance.
FOOD AND PICNICKING For the 2021 summer season, The Moonlight welcomes Bread and Cheese Eatery as the theatre’s new concessionaire. Audiences may reserve a table for $5 a person on the Moonlight Patio to enjoy charcuterie boards and other menu items from Bread and Cheese Eatery for an additional purchase. Audiences are also invited to bring their own picnic suppers and non-alcoholic beverages into the Amphitheatre. Outside alcohol is not permitted. A variety of wine and beers will be available for purchase from Bread and Cheese Eatery.
TICKET INFORMATION Single tickets are priced $17 - $59 with additional general lawn discounts for seniors, students and the military.
ABOUT THE MOONLIGHT & MOONLIGHT STAGE PRODUCTIONS Winner of several San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Awards, including “Best Resident Musical” for 2019's “West Side Story” and 2017’s “In the Heights,” Moonlight Stage Productions has been named "San Diego's #1 Outdoor Theatre" by readers of 'San Diego Magazine.’ Moonlight Stage Productions provides high- caliber Broadway musical theatre in the 2000-person capacity Moonlight Amphitheatre, owned and operated by the City of Vista. Audiences attend from throughout San Diego, Southern Riverside, and Orange Counties, making the Moonlight a regional destination for Broadway musical theatre. The Moonlight's summer season of Broadway musicals is produced in the picturesque Moonlight Amphitheatre and has been a summertime tradition experienced by more than one million people since the theatre’s founding by Kathy Brombacher in 1981. Throughout the decades, the Amphitheatre has seen numerous transformations, but nothing as dramatic as the total reconstruction of the stage house in 2008- 2009. A state-of-the-art venue was revealed with a grand reopening in June 2009, including a modern stage and audience facilities. Since then, the Amphitheatre has extended its entertainment offerings with the addition of concerts and other special events held throughout the year through Moonlight Presents and ClubM. Moonlight Stage Productions is the cultural arts program of the City of Vista and is produced in partnership with the Moonlight Cultural Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which supports the programming at The Moonlight year-round in addition to offering youth education programs through Moonlight Youth Theatre.
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