Long before “Conga” became a party staple and “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” filled dance floors around the world, Gloria Estefan was part of a Cuban immigrant family chasing the American dream. Together with her husband, producer Emilio Estefan, she would become one of the most influential figures in Latin pop, helping bring Latin music into the mainstream and paving the way for generations of artists who followed.

This July, 9 Works Theatrical stages On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan at the Proscenium Theater in Rockwell Center, Makati.

Originally opening on Broadway in 2015, On Your Feet! traces the Estefans’ journey from their early years in Miami to international stardom. Packed with hits such as “Conga,” “1-2-3,” “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” and “Get On Your Feet,” the musical is more than a jukebox celebration of chart-topping songs. It follows the couple’s struggles as immigrants, the obstacles they encountered in the music industry, the importance of family, and Gloria’s recovery from the devastating tour bus accident that nearly ended her career.

But audiences expecting a Broadway replica may be in for a surprise.

Director Robbie Guevara revealed that 9 Works’ production is what the theater industry calls a non-replica production, meaning the company did not acquire the rights to reproduce the original Broadway staging.

“I don’t want to be swayed by what they did on Broadway,” Guevara said during a press event at Palm Grove in Rockwell Club, Makati.

Asked how much creative freedom he had in mounting the show, the director replied: “All the room, actually, because we’re not allowed to replicate it. We didn’t buy the rights to replicate the original production, so we can’t do what they’ve done. Everything has to be original, even the costume design.”

According to Guevara, even the costumes had to be reimagined from scratch.

“They sent pegs for the costumes, but because we didn’t pay for replication rights, scenographer Mio Infante had to redesign all the costumes. That’s part of the agreement,” he explained. “It’s always original. It’s always reimagined. This is a reimagined version.”

While On Your Feet! is known for its energetic dance numbers and concert-style sequences, Guevara believes the musical’s greatest strength lies in its human story.

“Despite being a big, dance-heavy musical, the story itself is very intimate because it’s about family, resilience and community,” he said.

That intimacy, he added, is one reason the Proscenium Theater is an ideal venue for the production.

“The advantage of this theater is that it will help us tell the family’s story, especially what she went through with her mother and what she experienced after her accident,” Guevara said. “It will still be grand, but when a scene calls for intimacy, I think the proscenium space will convey that really, really well.”

Rather than relying solely on spectacle, Guevara hopes audiences will leave with a deeper appreciation of the people behind the hits.

“In a bigger theater, it’s harder to do that,” he said. “You tend to entertain audiences with lights, costumes and projections. Here, you can still provide all of that, but audiences can also go home saying, ‘Ah, ganoon pala ang life story niya (Oh, so that’s what her life story was like).’”

He noted that the musical also explores the social realities the Estefans faced on their way to success.

“They also went through the racial realities of America,” he said. “There are a lot of issues that the book discusses. They faced a lot of rejection before their songs became popular and widely accepted.”

Leading the cast is Cuban-American actor Jason Canela as Emilio Estefan, reprising the role he previously played in the Miami premiere of the musical. Alternating as Gloria Estefan are Molly Langley and Kayla Rivera. They are joined by Ayen Laurel, Pinky Marquez, John Joven-Uy, Vien King and Jani Magadia.

Presented by Rockwell and 9 Works Theatrical, On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan runs on weekends from 10 July to 2 August at the Proscenium Theater in Rockwell Center, Makati.