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PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 13 July 2018

Estefans: Immigration debate has fueled reaction to musical

By MIKE CIDONI LENNOX "The reaction we get (to
Associated Press the scene) in the crowd
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Gloria now (is bigger) than ever
and Emilio Estefan credit before, because it's a feel-
President Donald Trump ing about (being) united,"
with boosting audience en- Emilio Estefan said.
thusiasm for their stage mu- "I think it's a feeling about
sical "On Your Feet!" this country. And you don't
As the immigration debate have to be Republican or
has heated up, so have Democrat.
audiences' reactions to It's about, you know, that
scenes in new stage musi- you have to respect hu-
cal that spins around two man beings."
immigrants, the Grammy Emilio Estefan said it's im-
winners said in a recent in- portant for immigrants to
terview. retain a sense of identity
"On Your Feet!" tells the sto- from their homeland.
ry of the Estefans, who fled "You have a different last
Cuba, settled in Miami and name. You have a differ-
eventually attained the ent sound. You want to
American dream. They built bring something new that
a musical empire with a people need to accept
string of successes, includ- In this July 9, 2018 photo, Gloria and Emilio Estefan pose for a portrait at BiteSize Studio in Los you the way that you are
ing their signature song, Angeles to promote their touring musical "On Your Feet!." without changing your last
"Conga." Associated Press name.
The show officially opened In addition to being a love tion. in Spanish, in which they I think it's extremely impor-
in Los Angles Tuesday, its story and a success story, The show also deals with a were dominant, and start tant to send that message
latest stop after debuting "On Your Feet!" also por- continuing conflict for im- recording in English to cross to any generation, espe-
on Broadway in summer trays challenges faced the migrants who want to hold over to the pop charts. cially millennials."
2015. It was in the middle Estefans, and many immi- on to their roots while also Gloria Estefan recounted "On Your Feet!" is in the
of its 780-performance run grants: being accepted into the Emilio's real-life response midst of an 80-city tour
when Trump was elected For example, how does American mainstream. to the manager, which is across the United States. It
president and has turned one make a new home in a The scene generating in- included in the show: "'I'm began its international run
hardline immigration re- place where many say they creasing applause portrays not sure where you think in the Netherlands October
form into one of his signa- want you to "Go home." an argument that Gloria I live, but this is my home. 2017.
ture policies. "(It was said) several times and Emilio have with their And you should look very The Estefans said it will open
"This was written, like, six to us in our lives," recalled longtime manager, who closely at my face, be- on London's West End in
years ago. I think it's actual- Gloria Estefan, when asked is livid when the Estefans cause whether you know it June 2019, and that dates
ly what is happening now," about the current adminis- tell him they want to stop or not, this is what an Ameri- in Japan and Latin Ameri-
Emilio Estefan said. tration's stand on immigra- focusing on recordings can looks like.'" ca are on the horizon.q

Last words: The late Peter Mayle's 'My 25 Years in Provence'

By BETH J. HARPAZ the parade of ordinary vil- meal. They found both,
Associated Press lage life unfold from an un- along with "a scattering of
A new, posthumously pub- hurried, front-row seat in an villages" where they would
lished collection of essays outdoor cafe over a glass eventually buy a 200-year-
by Peter Mayle takes read- of delicately hued rose old farmhouse abutting
ers back to the idyllic, slow- wine. woods and a national park.
paced and occasionally Mayle worked in advertis- The book offers vignettes
befuddling world that May- ing and educational pub- from the region's "leisurely
le first wrote about in his lishing in England before he approach to life," Mayle
best-selling memoir "A Year and his wife Jennie moved wrote, which "seemed to
in Provence." to France in 1987. "A Year produce amiable people
"My Twenty-Five Years in in Provence" was pub- with a relaxed tempera-
Provence: Reflections on lished two years later with ment. ... Did it really matter
Then and Now" was pub- little fanfare. It eventually if the occasional pressing
lished in late June by Alfred sold millions of copies and chore was postponed in fa-
A. Knopf, five months after inspired an entire genre of vor of lunch?"
Mayle's death in January In this June 20, 1997, file photo, author Peter Mayle is shown in books about the expatri- Every season, Mayle noted,
at age 78.The collection New York. Associated Press ate life, including Frances "brought its own fascinating
is all new material. But it Mayes' "Under the Tuscan reason not to settle down
treads delightfully familiar fine food and sometimes What counts as excitement Sun."In the new book, May- and work." Summer was
ground for fans who suc- inscrutable culture of his in Provence? A game of le explains that he and Jen- perhaps the most challeng-
cumbed to the charms of adopted turf. (The cuisine boules, or lawn bowling, nie ended up in Provence ing, with its triple plague of
Mayle's first book. The new and weather are easy to which Mayle describes as after their planned vaca- houseguests, tourists and
volume transports read- love, but Mayle never gets "rural ballet." Finding ten- tion on the Cote d'Azur heat, but it was followed
ers to the South of France used to disorderly lines, ag- der green beans (haricots was rained out. They start- by golden Septembers and
through the eyes of an Eng- gressive driving and long, verts) at the farmers market ed driving toward Aix-en- the bountiful harvests of
lishman who never ceases detailed consultations with just hours after being har- Provence, hoping for bet- fall, easily enjoyed at mar-
to marvel at the sunshine, pharmacists.) vested. Or simply watching ter weather and a good kets or cafes.q