Gloria Estefan musical 'On Your Feet' to premiere in Chicago

CHICAGO (WLS) -- "On Your Feet" is a new musical about the life of singing sensation Gloria Estefan. The world premiere is in Chicago at the Oriental Theatre in two weeks.

Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio were in town Tuesday and talked to Eyewitness News Reporter Janet Davies about this exciting stage event.

The key players in the cast and the creative team took time out from rehearsals this morning to greet the press. They're thrilled to get "On Your Feet" on stage. Chicago is once again the perfect place for a Broadway-bound show.

"The audience is a wonderful nurturing audience but also they're savvy in the way of theater so it's a great place to try your stuff out," Gloria Estefan said.

"I think Chicago's gonna bring us a lot of good luck, thank you so much to let us bring 'On Your Feet.' I hope you make it on the 2nd to see the opening," Emilio Estefan said.

An international casting call in Miami found Ana Villafane. She and Gloria even went to the same high school. Her tryout was a hit.

"There was a moment I did a specific turn from one of her Vegas concerts in 2003. I just did this thing and when i turned around I locked eyes with her and I recognized that she recognized what I was doing that that was it from that moment it was like soaring," Villafane said.

Josh Segarra plays Emilio Estefan.

"You first meet them as individuals you meet them as a team and watch them through their lives," Segarra said.

Was Gloria ever tempted to play herself?

"No, she's doing an amazing job - I'm too old to play myself I'll play my mother maybe at one point sneak in there and be my mom," Gloria Estefan said. "It's a love story, not just between us - a love story to this country, a love story to music, and the fact that our music went worldwide kind of makes me hope that this musical is gonna have the same kind of appeal."

"On Your Feet" debuts at the Oriental Theatre on June 2.