London Evita to Close
By John Nathan
28 Feb 2007
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Elena Roger in Evita
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It has been confirmed to Playbill.com that the West End revival of Evita will close in the spring. No official closing date has been announced for Michael Grandage's acclaimed production, which officially opened at London's Adelphi Theatre June 21, 2006.
An unconfirmed report suggests that the final performance will be May 26.
Argentine actor/singer Elena Rogers stars in the title role of Evita with Philip Quast as Juan Peron and Matt Rawle (Camelot, Miss Saigon, Martin Guerre) as the revolutionary and narrator Che. Also featured are Lorna Want as the Mistress and Gary Milner as Magaldi. Abbie Osman is the alternate Eva.
The creative team includes designs by Christopher Oram and choreography by Rob Ashford, who with director Grandage is also responsible for the current West End revival of Guys and Dolls.
The revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's musical received three Olivier nominations: Outstanding Musical Production and Best Actress and Best Actor in a Musical. All three awards were scooped by another musical revival, Sunday in the Park With George.
Evita focuses on Eva Peron's rise from her slum origins to the wife of Argentina's post-war nationalist leader Juan Peron, a position from which she held her people in thrall. Such was her power she became her country's unofficial vice-president, growing richer while her people's poverty deepened. She died of cancer at the age of 33.
Grandage's production is the first major revival of the musical since Evita premiered at the Prince Edward Theatre in 1978. Hal Prince's production made a London star out of Elaine Paige and a Broadway star out of Patti LuPone. This latest revival has done the same for Argentine actress Elena Roger. Madonna was already rather well known when she took on the role in Alan Parker's 1996 movie version.
Evita is produced by Andre Ptaszynski for Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Theatre.
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Elena Roger and Company in Evita
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