EVITA coming to Toronto, April 27 - May 29

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 12/13/04 at 1:24pm

The Mirvishes have (thank goodness) postponed the production of We Will Rock You, and are instead bringing in the EVITA tour, with original director Hal Prince and choreographer Larry Fuller. Does anyone know if this is the original Broadway production, or have Prince and Fuller created a new version?

Here's the press release:

---------------------------------

For Immediate Release: Monday December 13, 2004

NEW PRODUCTION OF
TIM RICE AND ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S
LEGENDARY MUSICAL


EVITA


IS COMING TO TORONTO
APRIL 27 TO MAY 29, 2005
AT THE PRINCESS OF WALES THEATRE

EVITA will be the final show in the 2004-05 Mirvish Subscription Season.

New production reunites the original show's award-winning director and
choreographer.

*****
David & Ed Mirvish are delighted to announce the final show of the 2004-05
Mirvish Subscription season. EVITA will be performed for a limited run, from
April 27 to May 29, 2005, at the Princess of Wales Theatre.

Winner of seven Tony Awards, EVITA brings to life the dynamic,
larger-than-life persona of Eva Peron, wife of former Argentine dictator,
Juan Peron. Eva Peron, blessed with charisma, captivated a nation by
championing the working class. The epic story of the rise and fall of Eva
Peron is told in a sweeping pop opera, featuring one of the Broadway stage’s
most dynamic and lush melodies, "Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina."

>From her illegitimate birth into poverty, to her status as a world player
and South America’s most important woman, EVITA is a story of glamour, power
and greed.

Beginning its life as a concept album in 1976, EVITA instantly became a
global phenomenon. It was the first mega musical when it opened at the
Broadway Theatre on September 25, 1979, setting records for the largest box
office advance. It went on to sweep all theatre awards in 1979, winning
seven Tonys including Best Musical, Score, Book and Director. It played
1,568 performances.

EVITA became the first Broadway show to be reproduced successfully in every
major city in the world, including the Philippines, where it had been banned
under the Marcos regime because of the uncomfortable parallels to Imelda
Marcos. EVITA also became the first musical since the Rodgers & Hammerstein
era to burst on to the world’s pop charts. Four of the show’s songs,
including the break out hit "Don’t Cry For Me Argentina," were recorded
globally. The Broadway cast album won a Grammy in 1981.

A new generation was introduced to EVITA in December 1996 when Alan Parker’s
critically acclaimed film version opened starring Madonna and Antonio
Banderas. The film received five Oscar nominations, winning for Best Song,
and won three Golden Globes including Best Picture.

This new touring production of EVITA reunites the show's original director,
the renowned director/producer Hal Prince, and choreographer, Larry Fuller.

Managing the entire creative process, including casting, rehearsals, and set
design, Mr. Prince has a personal love for this legendary piece of musical
theatre. Mr. Prince directed the premiere productions of She Loves Me,
Cabaret, Company, Follies, Sweeney Todd, The Phantom of the Opera, Parade
and many more. The recipient of twenty Tony Awards in a career that
stretches over half a century, Mr. Prince's first Tony Award-winning musical
was The Pajama Game, earning Best Musical in 1954.

Directing this touring production, in collaboration with Mr. Prince, will be
Larry Fuller. Mr. Fuller received a Tony nomination for Best Choreography
for the original Broadway production of EVITA. His other credits include
Sweeney Todd, On the Twentieth Century and Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We
Roll Along. Mr. Fuller has twice staged and choreographed both the Tony and
Emmy Awards.

Tim Rice (Lyricist) won Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Score for EVITA.
He wrote the stage musicals Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,
Jesus Christ Superstar, Chess, King David, and The Lion King. He received
Oscars for EVITA’s, “You Must Love Me”, and “A Whole New World” from
Aladdin.

Andrew Lloyd Webber (Composer) won a Tony Award for Best Score for EVITA. He
is the composer of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus
Christ Superstar, By Jeeves, Song & Dance, Cats, Starlight Express, The
Phantom of the Opera, Aspects of Love, Sunset Boulevard and Whistle Down the
Wind. The Woman In White, his latest musical, recently opened to critical
raves in London. He has won six Tonys, three Grammys and an Oscar in 1997
for EVITA’s “You Must Love Me”.

EVITA
April 27 to May 29, 2005
Showtimes: Tues-Sat evenings at 8; matinees Wed, Sat & Sun at 2.
Extra shows: Thur April 28 at 2 PM and Sun May 1 at 7 PM.
There is no matinee on Wed April 27.

Performances at The Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King St West, Toronto

Tickets ($26 to $94) will go on sale Sat Dec 18, 2004.

Tickets available at 416-872-1212 or 1-800-461-3333, and online at
mirvish.com

Please Note: WE WILL ROCK YOU, the show originally announced for the final
time slot in the 2004-05 Mirvish Subscription Season, will not be presented
at this time; it will now be produced in a subsequent season.

[AbsolutKnight]

Posted: 12/13/04 at 1:32pm

Hey! Great to hear! I am a Buffalo Boi so I always enjoy going up to TO for shows!

[Michael Strathmore]

Posted: 12/13/04 at 6:58pm

I am in Toronto, and with Jesus Christ two weeks ago and CATS right now, I'm so sick and tired of Andrew Lloyd Webber crap. Man, we need another Urinetown and fast...

--M--

[jmnpublications]

Posted: 12/13/04 at 7:20pm

This is a non-Equity tour, despite it's pedigree. It is not destined for Broadway. The revival that is being discussed (a renewed collaboration between ALW and Cameron MacIntosh) has not been finalized and would likely have an entirely different cast. This current tour is through Troika Productions.

This production is basically a carbon copy of the original B'way show, but the orchestra has been cut back and the performances do not even approach those of Lupone and Patinkin. It opened in Boston to weak reviews, with the leading actress taking the hardest lumps. It seems to be getting a better reception in other cities.

[kelzama]

Posted: 12/14/04 at 9:19am

This Evita is indeed an equity production. Straight from the program and the website:

* The Actors and Stage Managers employed in this production are members of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States and Canada."

Also, in Hal Prince's own words on this production: "Over the years, other directors have interpreted it and I wanted it seen yet again exactly the way we originally envisioned it. I wanted to recreate it as close to the original as I possibly could because I loved the experience the first time around."