Carman Napier, Dale Sampson and Jonathan Mesisca Lead EVITA, Opening Tonight at Gallery Players

The Gallery Players announces EVITA, the final musical of their 48th Season. With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, this epic musical is directed by Mark Harborth (Rent, Dreamgirls), choreographed by Elyse Daye Hart (Dreamgirls, A Little Night Music), with music direction by Emily Croome. Carman Napier (Next to Normal) fills the title role of the Argentinian legend, with Dale Sampson (Rent) as Che, and Jonathan Mesisca making his Gallery debut as Juan Peron. EVITA opens this evening, April 25th at 8pm and runs through Sunday, May 17th, 2015.

EVITA is the final collaboration of Webber and Rice (Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat), and tells the life story of Eva Duarte de Peron and her controversial rise from actress to spiritual leader of the nation. EVITA features a brilliant and iconic score including the international hit "Don't Cry For Me Argentina," " Buenos Aires" and "Another Suitcase in Another Hall."

Performances will be held Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 8:00 pm and Sunday afternoons at 3:00 pm. There will be a Saturday 2:00 pm performance on May 9th and May 16th. Tickets are $18 for Adults and $15 for senior citizens and children 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased 24/7 online at www.galleryplayers.com or by calling OvationTix at 212-352-3101 (phone hours 9-9 weekdays, 10-6 weekends).

Patrons who purchase tickets to the Sunday, April 26th performance will be given free entrance to the Gallery Sings for Spring event following Gallery Talks.

Cast: Leanne Acero, Faye Bautista, Allegra Berglund, Angela Bermudez, Monica Bradley*, Hubbard Farr, Nick Fitzer, Abigail Grubb, Neal Hunter Hyde, Jason Hurtado, Lori Lusted, James McDermott, Jonathan Mesisca, Carman Napier*, TJ Newton,Natalie Perry, Luis Ramos, Jackie Reynolds, Melissa Rose Hirsh, Stefanie Sable, Dale Sampson*, Jennifer Teska* and Jo Walker.

(*member of Actor's Equity Association)

Creative Team for EVITA: Producer Jacob Subotnick, Associate Producer Hilary Kolman, Music Director Emily Croome, Choreographer Elyse Hart, Scenic Designer Matt Iacozza, Lighting Designer Scott Cally, Costume Designer Joey Haws, Properties Designer Sara Slagle, Wig Designer Heather Carey, Sound Designer Jacob Subotnick, Associate Scenic Designer Jerry Mittelhauser, Production Stage Manager Laurel Detkin and Assistant Stage Managers Cassidy Piraino and Maria Marrerro.

Mark Harborth (Director) is a member of the Society of Stage Directors & Choreographers and began his association with Gallery Players in 1996 with his production of Martin Sherman's Bent. That was soon followed by Chess, Angels In America, Noises Off,Jesus Christ Superstar, Sweeney Todd, Clark Gesner's Animal Fair, Wonderful Town, Macbeth, Othello, Merchant Of Venice, Dreamgirls, Medea, Run For Your Wife and Rent. He is currently serving his third term as President of the Board of Directors, and looks forward to helping Gallery celebrate its 50th Anniversary of bringing quality theater to Brooklyn.

Sir Timothy Miles Blindon "Tim" Rice is a British lyricist and author. An Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist, Rice is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, with Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA, with whom he wrote Chess, and for additional songs for the 2011 West End revival of The Wizard of Oz, and for his work for Walt Disney Studios with Alan Menken (Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, King David), Elton John (The Lion King, Aida, The Road to El Dorado) and Ennio Morricone.

Rice was knighted by Elizabeth II for services to music. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is an inductee into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame, is a Disney Legend recipient, and is a fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.

Andrew Lloyd Webber (Music and Orchestrations) is the composer of The Likes of Us; Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; Jesus Christ Superstar; By Jeeves; Evita; Variations and Tell Me on a Sunday, later combined as Song and Dance;Cats; Starlight Express; The Phantom of the Opera; Aspects of Love; Sunset Boulevard; Whistle Down The Wind; The Beautiful Game; Woman In White; and Love Never Dies. He composed the film scores for Gumshoe and The Odessa File and a setting of the Latin Requiem Mass. Recent producer credits include A.R.Rahman's Bombay Dreams, The Sound of Music, The Wizard of Oz and films of The Phantom of the Opera and the acclaimed Australian production of Love Never Dies. His awards include seven Tonys, three Grammys, seven Oliviers, a Golden Globe, an Oscar, the Praemium Imperiale, the Richard Rodgers and the Kennedy Center Honor. He currently owns seven London theatres, including the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and the London Palladium. He was knighted in 1992 and created an honorary life peer in 1997.