PHOTO RECAP: Evita, Starring Ricky Martin, Opens on Broadway; Arrivals, Curtain Call and Party
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The cast was headed by Grammy winner Martin as Che, Olivier Award winner Elena Roger in her Broadway debut as Eva Perón, Tony Award winner Michael Cerveris as Juan Perón, Max von Essen (Dance of the Vampires, Les Miserables, Jesus Christ Superstar) as Magaldi and Rachel Potter (The Addams Family) as the Mistress.
While she was starring in the West End revival of Evita, Roger spoke with Playbill.com. Read that interview here. Christina DeCicco (Sister Act) was the alternate for Eva Perón and played the role of Eva Wednesday evenings and Saturday matinees.
Rounding out the cast were Ashley Amber, George Lee Andrews, Wendi Bergamini, Eric L. Christian, Kristine Covillo, Colin Cunliffe, Margot de La Barre, Bradley Dean, Rebecca Eichenberger, Melanie Field, Jennie Ford, Maya Jade Frank, Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines, Constantine Germanacos, Laurel Harris, Nick Kenkel, Brad Little, Erica Mansfield, Emily Mechler, Isabela Moner, Sydney Morton, Jessica Lea Patty, Aleks Pevec, Kristie Dale Sanders, Timothy Shew, Michaeljon Slinger, Johnny Stellard, Alex Michael Stoll, Daniel Torres and Matt Wall.
Tony and Olivier Award winner Michael Grandage directed, and Tony Award winner Rob Ashford choreographed. Both handled the same duties for the previous West End revival of Evita.
"Eva Perón used her beauty and charisma to rise meteorically from the slums of Argentina to the presidential mansion as First Lady," according to production notes. "She won international acclaim and adoration from her own people as a champion of the poor, while glamour, power and greed made her the world’s first major political celebrity."
The revival promised songs from the original staging, such as "Don’t Cry for Me Argentina," "Buenos Aires," "Rainbow High" and "High Flying Adored," as well as "You Must Love Me," which was penned for the 1996 film adaptation.
Evita has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Harold Prince staged the original London and New York productions. Elaine Paige earned an Olivier Award for creating the role in London. Patti LuPone, who starred in the 1979 Broadway staging, earned a Tony Award for her work alongside Tony winner Mandy Patinkin as Che. Evita also earned the 1980 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book and Best Direction.
For more about the Broadway history of the musical Evita, visit the Playbill Vault.
