Eva Peron 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," "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" and "High Flying Adored," together with "You Must Love Me," the Oscar-winning hit from the film EVITA.
After researching the life of Eva Per�n for many years, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber released EVITA in 1976 as a concept album with Julie Covington as Eva and it became a world-wide hit. Soon after, the production debuted on stage in London's West End starring Elaine Paige and directed by Hal Prince. The production transferred to Broadway and opened in 1979 starring Patti LuPone, who went on to win one of the seven 1980 Tony Awards the show earned. A major 1996 film of the musical was made starring Madonna as Eva, Antonio Banderas as Che and Jonathan Pryce as Juan Peron. Michael Grandage's production of EVITA, which opened in 2006, took London by storm and garnered critical acclaim for the show and its leading lady, Elena Roger.
The production is entertaining enough for those who are satisfied to hear the now-familiar score—including “You Must Love Me,” which was written for the 1996 film version starring Madonna—pleasantly performed. Musical supervisor–conductor Kristen Blodgette deserves credit for the precise delivery of Rice’s wordy lyrics and Lloyd Webber’s rich tunes. But if you yearn for a powerful wallop to your gut, listen to either of the original cast albums and fall under the spell of Paige or LuPone.
Director Michael Grandage scores with a dynamic new 'Evita,' graced by an impressive performance from Argentinean actress Elena Roger and the ticket-selling presence of recording star Ricky Martin, who acquits himself nicely if not remarkably. The 1979 Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice poperetta comes off fairly well in its first Broadway revival, thanks to a director who doesn't seem crimped or intimidated by Hal Prince's striking original staging. That said, the flaws inherent in the material -- typified by grasping-at-straws rhymes like 'That's what they call me/so Lauren Bacall me' -- remain. Look for boffo biz so long as Martin chooses to stay.
1978 | West End |
Original London Production West End |
1979 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
1980 | US Tour |
1st National Tour US Tour |
1980 | US Tour |
2nd National Tour US Tour |
1982 | US Tour |
3rd National Tour US Tour |
1996 | Milburn, NJ (Regional) |
Paper Mill Production Milburn, NJ (Regional) |
1998 | US Tour |
20th Anniversary Tour US Tour |
2004 | US Tour |
Touring Revival US Tour |
2006 | West End |
London Revival West End |
2012 | Broadway |
Broadway Revival Broadway |
2013 | US Tour |
Touring Revival US Tour |
2014 | West End |
West End Revival West End |
2017 | West End |
West End Revival West End |
2017 |
South African production |
|
2019 | West End |
Regent's Park Open Air Theatre London Revival West End |
2019 | Off-Broadway |
New York City Center Annual Gala Presentation Off-Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2012 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Ricky Martin |
2012 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Choreography | Rob Ashfrod |
2012 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Michael Cerveris |
2012 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lighting Design | Neil Austin |
2012 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | 0 |
2012 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | Ricky Martin |
2012 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | Elena Roger |
2012 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Revival of a Musical | 0 |
2012 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Choreographer | Rob Ashford |
2012 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Director of a Musical | Michael Grandage |
2012 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Lighting Design (Play or Musical) | Neil Austin |
2012 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway) | 0 |
2012 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Set Design (Play or Musical) | Christopher Oram |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Choreography | Rob Ashford |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical | Michael Cerveris |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Jâlé Trepp |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Warren & Jale Trepp |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Hal Luftig |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Scott Sanders Productions |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Roy Furman |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Yasuhiro Kawana |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Allan S. Gordon/Adam S. Gordon |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | James L. Nederlander |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Terry Allen Kramer |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Gutterman Fuld Chernoff/Pittsburgh CLO |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Thousand Stars Productions |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Adam Blanshay |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Adam Zotovich |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Robert Ahrens |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Stephanie P. McClelland |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Carole L. Haber |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Richardo Hornos |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Carol Fineman |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Brian Smith |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Thousand Stars Productions |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Evita |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Hal Luftig |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Scott Sanders Productions |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Roy Furman |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Yasuhiro Kawana |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Allan S. Gordon/Adam S. Gordon |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | James L. Nederlander |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Terry Allen Kramer |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Gutterman Fuld Chernoff/Pittsburgh CLO |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Warren Trepp |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Adam Blanshay |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Adam Zotovich |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Robert Ahrens |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Stephanie P. McClelland |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Carole L. Haber |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Richardo Hornos |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Carol Fineman |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Brian Smith |
Videos