Press: Evita heads to the Artscape this December

Pieter Toerien & David Ian present the original West End and Broadway production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic musical EVITA directed by legendary Broadway director HAL PRINCE heads to Cape Town: Artscape Opera December 2017!

“A BIG, FAT, HIGH-OCTANE BLOCKBUSTER. The wait was worth it: EVITA is a MODERN MASTERPIECE!” – The New York Post

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s seven-time Tony Award-winning musical Evita charts the rags-to-riches rise of the First Lady of Argentina, who won the love of her countrymen after marrying military leader-turned-president Juan Peron. Set in Buenos Aires between 1934-1952, the musical follows Eva Duarte Peron on her passionate and tragic journey from her humble beginnings as a fatherless child to ambitious actress to the most powerful woman in Latin America—and, eventually, to a saint-like figure after her death from cancer at age 33.

With more than 20 major awards to its credit, and an Oscar winning film version starring Madonna and Antonio Banderas, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita is iconic. Featuring some of the best loved songs in musical theatre, including 'Don’t Cry For Me Argentina', 'On This Night of a Thousand Stars', 'Oh What a Circus', 'High Flying', 'Adored', and 'Another Suitcase in Another Hall together' with 'You Must Love Me', the Oscar-winning hit from the film, EVITA is a must-see!

HAL PRINCE has won 21 Tony awards, more than any person in history. As well as EVITA, his directorial and producing credits include Candide, West Side Story, Sweeney Todd, Show Boat, A Little Night Music, Follies, Cabaret and Fiddler on the Roof. Hal Prince said “I am absolutely thrilled to be directing this original production of EVITA. I believe that it is Andrew and Tim’s finest work and audiences in South Africa are truly in for a treat.”

ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER is the recipient of 7 Tony awards, 7 Olivier awards, a Golden Globe and an Oscar. His musicals include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, Tell Me on a Sunday, Song and Dance, Starlight Express, Phantom of the Opera, Aspects of Love, Sunset Boulevard, Whistle Down the Wind, The Woman in White, Love Never Dies and School of Rock.

TIM RICE is the recipient of 3 Tony awards, 3 Olivier awards, 3 Oscars and 12 Ivor Novello awards. His musicals include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, Blondel, Chess, Beauty and the Beast, Aida and The Lion King.

EVITA will star South Africa’s own Jonathan Roxmouth (Grease, Beauty and the Beast, Phantom of the Opera, Sunset Boulevard, Sweeney Todd and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) as Che and Emma Kingston (In the Heights, Les Misérables, Fidler On The Roof), who has been personally chosen by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice and Hal Prince, to play Eva Perón. Robert Finlayson will make a welcome return to the stage as Peron. The show will be choreographed by the original West End and Broadway choreographer LARRY FULLER and be designed by original designer TIMOTHY O’BRIEN.

Cape Town audiences can see EVITA as the Artscape Opera House from 1 December 2017 to 7 January 2018, with tickets ranging from R100 to R485 depending on performance dates and times. Bookings are currently open at Computicket!