Review Roundup: Critics Weigh In on EVITA at North Shore Music Theatre

For decades, theater-lovers have thrilled to the story of EVITA, which recounts Eva Peron's meteoric rise from the slums of Argentina to the presidential mansion as First Lady. Adored by her people as a champion for the poor, she became one of the most powerful women in the world-while her greed, outsized ambition and fragile health made her one of the most tragic. EVITA tells Eva's passionate and unforgettable true story and features some of theater's most beautiful songs, including "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina," "Another Suitcase in Another Hall," And "High Flying, Adored."

The cast of EVITA is led by Briana Carlson-Goodman as Eva and Constantine Maroulis as Che. Briana Carlson-Goodman has been seen on Broadway in Doctor Zhivago, Les Misérables, and Hair as well as in regional productions of Carmen, Fiddler on the Roof, The Count of Monte Cristo, and Les Misérables. Constantine Maroulis is an accomplished actor, producer, singer and songwriter best known for his Tony-nominated performance in Broadway's Rock of Ages and his epic run as a Season 4 finalist during the heyday of "American Idol." His other Broadway acting credits include The Wedding Singer and Jekyll & Hyde.

EVITA also features John Cudia as Peron and Nick Adams as Magaldi. John Cudia has been seen on Broadway playing Jean Valjean in Les Misérables, Peron in Evita, and Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera. Nick Adams has been seen on Broadway starrig as Adam/Felicia in Priscilla Queen of the Desert, as well as roles in A Chorus Line, Guys and Dolls, Chicago, La Cage aux Folles, and The Pirate Queen.

Let's see what the critics had to say...

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Sally Applegate, Wicked Local: A quiet domestic scene gives way to the announcement of the death of Eva Peron, followed by scenes of her funeral -- in the aisles and onstage at Bill Hanney's North Shore Music Theatre, while archival film footage of the actual funeral is eerily displayed on overhead screens. The powerful display sets the tone for Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Tim Rice's famous 1978 rock opera, which is riveting at NSMT, thanks to a powerhouse cast and superb direction and choreography by Nick Kenkel.

Don Aucoin, Boston Globe: One of the principal challenges facing any production of "Evita' is to conceal the show's fundamental hollowness. What's required is an abundance of ingenuity, a quality that director-choreographer Nick Kenkel has demonstrated before and deploys again in his largely engrossing North Shore Music Theatre production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's bio-musical about the rapid rise and early demise of Argentine first lady Eva Peron.

Bill Brotherton, Itemlive: It's a good thing Twitter wasn't around when Eva Peron was first lady of Argentina. One can imagine her tweets would've made President Trump's malicious missives seem as threatening as puppies, rainbows and champagne fizz.Throughout North Shore Music Theatre's winning production of the revolutionary Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd Webber pop-musical "Evita," Briana Carlson-Goodman deftly captures the greed and ruthless ambition that catapulted the two-faced Eva from a childhood in the slums to the presidential mansion. Her Eva doesn't care who she steps on or pushes aside as she climbs and claws her way to the top. She also has no love for the middle classes who worship her.

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