Building Worlds Through Rhythm, Story, and Community
To take in the work in.
The people you have loved in the process.
The rooms temperature during the work.
The stories that somehow find their way through you and become something shared.
Right now, I find myself in one of those moments. We closed ON YOUR FEET LAST NIGHT!
Coming off On Your Feet! at Drury Lane, I feel deep gratitude... not only for the production itself, but for what it represents in my path as a director, choreographer, and storyteller.
Here are a few reviews i will keep in my heart:
"Director/choreographer Luis Salgado, and with this amazing cast, this version of “On Your Feet” is even stronger than the original!”
“The theater is fit to burst from the combined energy of director Luis Salgado’s vision and choreography set to the greatest hits from Emilio and Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine”
That word—energy—is at the core of how I work. For me, direction and choreography are not separate.
They are one language. A language that lives in the body. A language that moves story forward.
“Scenic designer Clifton Chadick does great work here, transporting the audience from a lively town square on laundry day to a luxe club in Cuba. Projections by Mike Tutaj weave press cuttings and footage of the actual Estefans into the show, a nice touch, though a little hard to see for audience members who aren’t seated directly center.”
engaged as well. Clifton Chadick’s multi level set is eye popping and includes so many elements that were a part of Gloria’s concerts. Albo and Garnica mesmerize the audience in their portrayals. Claudia Quesada plays Gloria’s mother. “
“The production draws the audience into its momentum with ease, creating a lively atmosphere without ever feeling over the top. It’s an engaging, high‑spirited musical experience, delivered with polish and warmth, and even the ushers seem subtly swept up in the show’s rhythm.”
“The supporting cast in Drury Lane’s On Your Feet! enrich, sharpens and gives heart to the world around Gloria and Emilio.”
“Angel Hikari Salgado is a delight as Nayib and Young Emilio, slipping between characters with ease and charisma. Whether delivering a punchline or dancing with fearless enthusiasm, Salgado adds a spark that keeps the show’s energy humming.”
Seeing my son on this one is such a joy! For me It's about how we claim space through culture. How we bring our full selves into the work. Seeing my son do just that inspires me to go beyond!
aks. Shifts in place and time come from a series of well‑placed visual screens along the back wall, each one snapping into a new image or texture to give the scene exactly the atmosphere it needs.
Drury Lane’s production of On Your Feet! is masterfully directed and choreographed by Luis Salgado, a longtime member of the show’s creative legacy and part of the original 2015 pre‑Broadway Chicago engagement. The show’s biographical curve is handled with warmth and momentum. It never drags, never panders, and never forgets that the Estefan’s story is as much about grit as it is about glitter. Salgado leans into that balance beautifully - one minute you’re laughing, the next you’re clutching your chest, and then suddenly you’re dancing in your seat like rhythm is, in fact, going to get you.”
“I appreciated how he handled the tense moment between Gloria and Emilio after the devastating tour‑bus crash. While she’s still recovering, Emilio pushes her to return to performing, and she snaps back that she had asked for just one day to rest and see her family - a request he denied - and that the crash happened on that very day.
Salgado made room for that imbalance in their marriage as well. Emilio’s drive may have helped propel Gloria to international success, but the scene also makes clear that he could be a demanding partner - and that Gloria ultimately learned to trust her own instincts about balancing ambition with a sustainable, healthy life.
Geographic Reference
This production delivers on every level - from personal struggles to relationship dynamics to the creation of a sound that became a global phenomenon.”
“Creatively and inventively directed by talented award winning director, choreographer and educator, Luis Salgado, this production feels deeply personal. Mr. Salgado began his journey here, in Chicago, having appeared in the original Chicago tryout and then in the Broadway productions of ON YOUR FEET. Luis has returned to the Windy City, this time to direct and choreograph a musical that, at its heart, is a love story. He’s staged and guided this biographical jukebox musical with a fusion of Latine and Caribbean rhythms and dance styles, creating a spicy feast of drama, music and dance.”
“Luis Salgado’s accomplished and ever-animated ensemble are all polished and professionally adept triple-threats. The supporting cast performs over two dozen songs. “
https://www.chicagotheatrereview.com/2026/02/the-rhythm-is-gonna-get-you-3/
“Nothing gets in the way of the good times here. Nada. This suburban operation has raised its game, and opened its purse, for this one.”
“Salgado’s choreography just never stops and is very impressively executed. Indeed, everything about this fast-paced “On Your Feet!” is impressive, thankfully including the sound reinforcement; it’s one of the most successful shows I’ve seen in this theater over the last 25 years, due in no small part to its confidence, competence and, most importantly, a clear identity in terms of what it wants to be, say and do in the hear and now. Plus, this is a smaller theater than the venues downtown so it’s a more intimate experience, especially when it comes to those killer power ballads.”
Chicago tribune
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/06/review-on-your-feet-drury-lane/
My Path Forward IS DIRECTING! I LOVE IT!
As I continue doing the passion projects in my directing adventures I go from 1776 at Ford’s Theatre to developing Aguardiente and beyond and what becomes clearer to me is this:
I am not just interested in staging musicals. I am deeply interested in:
- Activating history
- Reclaiming identity
- Building community through art
- Creating work that moves—physically, emotionally, culturally
So, To every artist, every collaborator, every audience member:
Thank you. This work exists because we build it together. And if there is something I carry forward from this moment, it is this:
Theatre is not static... It is alive.
And when we do it right it doesn’t just entertain It moves us FORWARD/TOGETHER!
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