Finley will play Eva Peron in the Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice musical through Aug. 2 at Maine's Ogunquit Playhouse. The singer-actress will star opposite Julio (Bells Are Ringing, Nine) Augustin's Che and David (Chicago, Fosse, Bells Are Ringing) Brummel's Peron. Gordon Greenberg, who helmed the Goodspeed's production of The Baker's Wife and the national tour of Peter Pan, directs. R. Kim Jordan and his associate, Peter Gregus, supply choreography with musical direction by Stephen Purdy.
This production of Evita was to be a co-production with the Helen Hayes Theatre Company; however, the Helen Hayes was forced to cancel its production of the musical due to budgetary constraints.
Felicia Finley has starred on Broadway in Aida, Smokey Joe's Cafe and The Life. Her Off-Broadway credits include The Wild Party, The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, Forbidden Broadway 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Gingerbread House. Finley also appeared in the national tours of Jekyll & Hyde and Jesus Christ Superstar and the Paper Mill production of Red, Hot and Blue!.
Evita, which premiered as a two-LP recording starring Julie Covington (Eva) and Colm Wilkinson (Che), features a score by Andrew Lloyd Webber (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics). Hal Prince staged both the original London and New York productions of the musical, which made stars of Elaine Paige (in London) and Mandy Patinkin and Patti LuPone (on Broadway). The score features such tunes as "Don't Cry for Me Argentina," "Buenos Aires," "A New Argentina," "Another Suitcase in Another Hall," "I'd Be Surprisingly Good for You" and "Rainbow High." Madonna, Antonio Banderas and Jonathan Pryce starred in the film version.
For tickets to the Ogunquit Playhouse’s production of Evita, call (207) 646-5511.