The new Broadway-bound production of Evita will begin a national tour Nov. 3 in Detroit and star four Latin actors in the lead roles.
The show, directed by Larry Fuller, will star Natalie Toro and Ana Marie Andricain, sharing the title role. Raul Esparza will be Che and Raymond Jaramillo McLeod will star as Juan Peron. The Latin casting is part of an effort to instill this production with a more culturally authentic feel.
After premiering at the Masonic Temple Theatre in Detroit, the show will move on to Louisville, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Newark, Atlanta, San Francisco, New Orleans, Columbus, St. Louis, Dallas, Las Vegas, Costa Mesa, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Diego and Boston. The show is set to reach Broadway in fall 1999.
Fuller, who will also create the dancing for the show, was the original choreographer of Evita. Timothy O'Brien will design the sets and costumes. The new staging is produced by Manny Kladitis, Magicworks Entertainment and Pace Theatrical Group.
Evita premiered in the U.S. At Los Angeles' Civic Light Opera in 1979. The show then opened on Broadway Sept. 25, 1979, with Patti LuPone as Eva Peron, Bob Gunton as her husband, and Mandy Patinkin as Che. Following are the tour dates through July 4, 1999:
Nov. 3-22: Detriot, Masonic Auditorium Nov. 24-29: Louisville, Kentucky Center for Performing Arts Dec. 1-13: Cincinnati, Aronoff Center Dec. 15, 1998-Jan. 3, 1999: Chicago, Chicago Theatre Jan. 5-10,1999: Milwaukee, Milwaukee Performing Arts Center Jan. 12-17, 1999: Cleveland, Music Hall Jan. 26-31, 1999: Newark, New Jersey Performing Arts Center Feb. 2-7, 1999: Philadelphia, Merriam Theatre Feb. 9-14, 1999: Atlanta, Fox Theatre Feb. 16-Mar. 14, 1999: San Francisco, Orpheum Theatre Mar. 16-21, 1999: New Orleans, Saenger Theatre Mar. 23-28, 1999: Columbus, Ohio Theatre Mar. 30-Apr. 4, 1999: St. Louis, Fox Theatre Apr. 6-11, 1999: Dallas, Music Hall Date TBA: Las Vegas Apr. 20-25, 1999: Costa Mesa, CA, Orange County Performing Arts Center Apr. 27-May 9, 1999: Seattle, Paramount Theatre May 11-30, 1999: Los Angeles, Wilshire Theatre June 1-6, 1999: San Diego, Civic Center June 8-July 4, 1999: Boston, Colonial Theatre
Other musicals composed by Lloyd Webber include Cats, Aspects Of Love and Whistle Down The Wind.
-- By Robert Simonson
