EVITA to Launch National Tour in Rhode Island, Fall 2013!

Producers Hal Luftig and Scott Sanders announced today that the Tony Award Nominated Best Revival of a Musical, Tim Rice's and Andrew Lloyd Webber's EVITA, will launch a first national tour in the fall of 2013 at Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence, Rhode Island. Casting and additional information will be announced at a later date.

Since beginning previews on March 12, 2012 at Broadway's Marquis Theatre, EVITA has broken the box office record six times. Before EVITA, the previous record for an eight performance week was $1,073,881 earned by The Drowsy Chaperone for the week ending December 10, 2006. EVITA first broke that record – in only six performances - the week ending March 18, 2012 with a total gross of $1,167, 685, then broke its own record the week ending March 25, 2012 with a gross of $1,410,365. The production has continued on this record-setting path and has broken its own box office record an additional five times in the weeks ending April 1, 2012($1,424,700), April 15, 2012 ($1,505,759), April 29, 2012 ($1,515,746) and May 6, 2012 ($1,533,055).

Directed by Tony and Olivier Award-winner Michael Grandage and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Rob Ashford, this is the first new Broadway production of the seven-time Tony Award-winning musical, since it debuted on Broadway over 30 years ago. The production stars Grammy-winning international pop icon Ricky Martin as Che, Olivier Award-winning Argentinean actress Elena Roger making her Broadway debut as Eva Perón and Tony Award-winner Michael Cerveris as Juan Perón. The cast also features Christina DeCicco as the alternate for Eva (Wed eve; Sat mat), Max von Essen as Magaldi and Rachel Potter as the Mistress. Previews began on March 12, 2012

Eva Perón used her beauty and charisma to rise meteorically from the slums of Argentina to the presidential mansion as First Lady. She won international acclaim and adoration from her own people as a champion of the poor, while glamour, power and greed made her the world's first major political celebrity.

EVITA tells Eva's passionate and tragic story through Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's most dazzling and beloved score, including "Don't Cry for Me Argentina," "Buenos Aires," "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" and "High Flying Adored," together with "You Must Love Me," the Oscar-winning hit from the film EVITA.

The creative team includes Tony Award-winning Scenic and Costume Designer Christopher Oram (Red), Tony Award-winning Lighting Designer Neil Austin (Red), Olivier Award-winning Sound Designer Mick Potter (Woman In White), Wig and Hair Designer Richard Mawbey (Frost/Nixon), Projection Designer Zachary Borovay (Rock of Ages), and Music Supervisor/Director Kristen Blodgette (The Phantom of the Opera), Orchestrations are by Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Cullen (Sunset Boulevard), and dance arrangements are by David Chase (Billy Elliot).

The cast of 36 also includes Ashley Amber, George Lee Andrews, Wendi Bergamini, Eric L. Christian, Kristine Covillo, Colin Cunliffe, Margot De La Barre, Bradley Dean, Rebecca Eichenberger, Melanie Field, Jennie Ford, Maya Jade Frank, Constantine Germanacos, Laurel Harris, Bahiyah Hibah, Nick Kenkel, Brad Little, Erica Mansfield, Emily Mechler, Isabela Moner, Sydney Morton, Jessica Lea Patty, Aleks Pevec, Kristie Dale Sanders, Timothy Shew, Michaeljon Slinger, Johnny Stellard, Alex Michael Stoll, Daniel Torres and Matt Wall.