Review Roundup: EVITA at Actor's Playhouse - What Did The Critics Think?

EVITA runs at Actor's Playhouse through November 26. After the English run, the company will present the production in Spanish from November 30 through December 17!

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's EVITA charts the rags-to-riches rise of the First Lady of Argentina, Eva Duarte Perón. It follows her journey from fatherless child, to ambitious actress, to the most powerful woman in Latin America and eventually, to a saint-like figure after her death from cancer at age 33. This musical theatre masterpiece fuses evocative chorales with exuberant Latin pop and jazz influences, creating an arresting theatrical portrait as complex as Eva Perón herself.

The cast stars Andrea Pilar as Eva Perón, Eugenio Vargas as Che, Samuel Druhora as Juan Perón, Jashua Dobarganes as Magaldi, and Kelly Ziegler as the Mistress. The cast also includes Nicole Coffaro, Diana D'Ambrosio, Rodrigo De La Rosa, Brent D. Kuenning, Taylor Hilt Mitchell, Francisco Padura, Brian Varela, Vicky Campadocino, Yanet Felipe, Jonathan Fleites, Vivian Garcia-Lopez, Santiago Garza, Lauren Horgan, Victoria Lauzen, Michael Leyte-Vidal, Amanda Lopez, Hugo E. Moreno, Brandon Osorio, Nicolette Quintero, Phillip Andrew Santiago, Ryan Townsend, Alexandra Van Hasselt, and Hollis Williams.

EVITA is directed by David Arisco, with musical direction by David Nagy, choreography by Ron Hutchins, scenic design by Gene Seyffer lighting design by Eric Nelson, sound and projection design by Shaun Mitchell, costume design by Ellis Tillman, and prop and set dressing design by Jodi Dellaventura.

Let's see what the critics had to say!

Christine Dolen, The Miami Herald: Druhora, on the other hand, is an extraordinary Juan Perón. Experienced in opera as well as musical theater, the actor sings Perón's songs with magnificent command. Striking and significantly taller than Pilar, he shines in a role often eclipsed by the focus on the musical's title subject... With its soaring score (arguably the best B. Lloyd Webber and Rice) and its focus on a glamorous woman with a carefully shaped image - a woman who would doubtless be daily internet fodder were she alive today - "Evita" remains a musical worth experiencing. Certainly, that's true of the Actors' Playhouse anniversary version of the show.

Bill Hirschman, Florida Theatre On Stage: For this production, the born in Los Angeles, living in New York, Colombian-American actress Andrea Pilar is reminiscent of a young LuPone both in her diminutive stature and, whether intentional on her part or maybe not, voice. The title role in the sung-through musical is taxing, and calls for a mezzo-soprano who can belt, where Pilar excels... Gene Seyffer's technical direction for the turntable and set are mechanically tight, Jodi Dellaventura's props and set dressing, Eric Nelson's lighting design and Shaun Mitchell's sound design add ambiance, and Ellis Tillman's brightly colored costumes, add to the Argentinian flare.

Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Art Zine: David Arisco's direction has this show moving at a clip. There's never a pause, or a lag, and we move through Eva Peron's rise and, eventual fall, swiftly. It's a difficult task to get everyone on board with such a large cast, but the commitment here is noticeable, and the energy from the actors on stage is what helps this difficult show be a crowd pleaser... Ron Hutchins's choreography is thrilling, and his authentic tango staging are scinntaninly hot. David Nagy is the musical director in the pit with musicians Karen Nagy, Martha Spangler, Julie Jacobs, Chas Reskin, Andrea Gilbert, Stan Spinola, and Sandy Poltarack. Oh, the thrill that a live orchestra brings to the score!

Photo: George Shiavone

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