‘Evita’ – Lyrics by Tim Rice. Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Directed and Choreographed by Rachel Bertone. Music Direction by Dan Rodriguez. Scenic Design by Cameron McEachern. Lighting and Production Design by Baron Pugh. Costume and Wig Design by Ellie De Lucia. Sound Design by Sebastian Nixon. Presented by Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston at the Robinson Theater, 617 Lexington St., Waltham, through July 20th.
By Linda Chin
The Tony Award-winning musical/rock opera Evita by rock stars Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice tells the inspiring story of Eva Perón, née Maria Eva Duarte, who escaped her poverty-stricken rural village (where she wasn’t educated past grade six) at age 15, moved to Buenos Aires to pursue a career as an actress, and became First Lady of Argentina at age 27. With dynamic duo Rachel Bertone (Director & Choreographer) and Dan Rodriguez (Music Director) at the helm, a period and picture-perfect unit set designed by Cameron McEachern (and evocative lighting design by Baron Pugh), and the powerful voice of Isabella Bria Lopez in the titular role, audiences attending Evita at Reagle Music Theater can expect a sumptuous and satisfying experience.
Reagle’s Evita showcases the depth and breadth of musical talent in the Greater Boston theater community. In executing the challenging musical score, the members of the 32-piece orchestra demonstrate versatility (several musicians in the pit are skilled in more than one instrument – Jeff Leonard plays 5) and stamina, playing for this 2-¼ hour production without missing a beat. Personally, I preferred the original (in my opinion, more formal and less cacophonic to my old-school ears) to the new orchestrations by Webber with collaborator David Cullen.
This mostly sung-through show relies on performers who are pitch-perfect singers and can carry out the storytelling through dance and movement that is Bertone’s trademark.
Act One gives each of the principals – narrator (Eddie Noel Rodriguez), tango singer Magaldi (Richard “Ricky” Holguin), Eva (Isabella Bria Lopez), Juan Perón (Ryan Mardesich) opportunities to shine, with a cynical “Oh, What a Circus,” mellifluous “On This Night of a Thousand Stars” and “The Art of the Possible” performed with steely precision. Eva and Perón seem convincingly matched in their duet “I’d Be Surprisingly Good for You.’
Immediately following this romantic rendezvous is a scene on the balcony where Eva greets Sr. Perón’s mistress (Rebekah Rae Robles) with the biting words “Hello, and goodbye. I’ve just unemployed you,” dismissing her with little hesitation upon moving in with the admiral. Robles responds with the heartfelt and gut-wrenching solo, “Another Suitcase in Another Hall.” Here, Bertone utilizes her skill in creating stage pictures that can transform one of Greater Boston’s largest stages into an intimate playing area. At the top of Act II, Eva is on the balcony, this time with her husband/newly elected President Juan close by her side, resplendent in the iconic white dress. She addresses the audience/people of Argentina with the captivating signature song “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina,” and ends with arms outstretched high in a “V” formation, calling for peace, love, and understanding.
For more information and tickets, go to: https://www.reaglemusictheatre.org/
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