Photo Flash: First Look at EVITA's Stars - Ricky Martin, Elena Roger & Michael Cerveris; Previews Start March 12

[Rob]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 11:09am

Click Here to Read Photo Flash: First Look at EVITA's Stars - Ricky Martin, Elena Roger & Michael Cerveris; Previews Start March 12

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 11:20am

I gotta say, as someone who saw this production in London, I'm with those that really kind of wish these pictures (which I believe are strictly early PR studio shots) actually reflected the costumes and feel of this new revival. So much more fresh and timely a take on the material.

Hopefully the creative team will use this opportunity to revisit some of the original choices made in London. Despite the strength of Roger's amazing performance, the staging really did feel like a cumbersome unimaginative stage version of the film and what I think EVITA really needs to be successful is something more abstract and less realistic.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 11:28am

I realize it's early publicity shot, but Elena Rogers looks like she's doing a camp impression of Ellen Greene, Juan Peron was not bald and Ricky Martin looks like he's posing for an Abercrombie and Fitch ad.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 11:35am

Here we go on the "real historical person wasn't [fill in the blank]" tangent again. Goth are you really that literal minded?

Truly. Truly. Who cares?

EVITA is almost total fiction. I'd rather see a version that is less concerned with duplicating period detail than using the story and situations as a political allegory (which the show was written to be back in 1976 when it was still a concept recording).

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 11:40am

It's three early press photos... And I'm with Michael Bennett... Who cares if he was bald or not. Elena Rogers is absolutely fantastic and sings the hell out of the role. I, for one, am beyond excited for this revival.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 11:45am

Elena Rogers is absolutely fantastic and sings the hell out of the role.

Elena Roger doesn't sing the hell out of anything, unless you count screaming and straining for the higher notes singing the hell out of the score.
Updated On: 10/27/11 at 11:45 AM

[Donthatecongratulate]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 11:46am

Soooooooooooooooo not a Latin face with a bleach blonde job. But OK. Better be damn good.

Broadway's casting choices sometimes...........

[Gothampc]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 11:47am

"Here we go on the "real historical person wasn't [fill in the blank]" tangent again. Goth are you really that literal minded?"

They why didn't they hire a black Peron or a black Che? These are not fictional characters, they are rooted in reality.

[Donthatecongratulate]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 11:49am

wait, no, hold on dammit.

this is the second time within a year that a stark raving white woman with blue eyes has been cast to play a Latin woman when there are so many authentically Latin women available to tell this story. It's frustrating. Oh well. Like I said, better be DAMN good. Carry on.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 11:49am

I'm also with Michael Bennett: who really cares that Michael Cerveris is bald and Juan Peron wasn't? I also now really wish that they were going with a more modern, sleek design for this revival. Roger and Cerveris look really great in those costumes and I think it could work.

this is the second time within a year that a stark raving white woman with blue eyes has been cast to play a Latin woman when there are so many authentically Latin women available to tell this story. It's frustrating. Oh well. Like I said, better be DAMN good. Carry on.

Elena Roger is from Argentina. And there isn't a one size fits all for Latinas.

Updated On: 10/27/11 at 11:49 AM

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 11:54am

Um, Elena Roger is Argentinian.

[Brick]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 11:54am

I bet he's wigged in the show. These are publicity shots. Actors rarely wear full costume in the publicity shots.

[dreaming]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 12:01pm

ShbrtAlley-Thank you for saying what I was just going to point out. If you look at photos of Eva Peron, you'll notice that she doesn't look like what might be construed as "Latin". Argentina's makeup is very different from other countries, largely because it is a melting pot of European cultures. There were many German, Italian and other immigrant groups who went to Argentina besides the Spanish settlers.

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 12:06pm

None of them are in costume or makeup here. Why would anybody assume they're not going to wig him?

And personally, I think they should for this role. Or let's put Elena in a red curly wig and dye Ricky's hair blond. Then it will all balance out.




And my (goofy) point here is that while it doesn't really matter, it WILL be distracting to a large majority of the audience to have him bald as a billiard ball. Why fight that uphill battle if you don't have to? Do you actually want your audience to be asking that question all through intermission instead of concentrating on the show and the performances? Get a wig!

Updated On: 10/27/11 at 12:06 PM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 12:11pm

Goth- I'm not going to even try to change your mind if that is your mindset about fictional roles inspired by real life figured, -but I will say that Che in this production- at least in London- was not depicted as Che Gueverra but the more omnipresent "every man" depiction of the character as in the film version, so whether Martin looks anything like Che Gueverra or not is totally incidental.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 12:19pm

^Well, provided that'a made very clear.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 12:43pm

I'm not quite sure how clear they make it, but the character turns up in all manner of locations - as a waiter, soldier, peasant (a la the film) - and is never seen in the beret and army fatigues (the sole things that really made it clear this character was indeed THAT Che in the 1978 production).

Best - I do think your point is a little goofy in that I'm pretty sure 90 percent of the audience for this revival will have zero idea what the real Juan Peron looked like and couldn't pic the historical person out of a photographic line up if their la vida locas depended on it.

By that same ideology, would you agree (and perhaps you would, some do) that its distracting to an audience any time Shakespeare is updated / cast non traditionally? I'm sure it happens, but its not often I've been to production of say Julius Ceaser where the audience is left baffled because they aren't sure if the real guy actually was bald / black / hispanic / blue eyed / or actually wore a business suit in Ancient Rome.

But I digress -- this discussion is slightly un-unnecessary as the London staging of this revival was VERY realistic. There is every reason to believe that Cerveris will wear a wig and that these characters will be costumed and made up to documentary level perfection.

I'm merely pointing out that for ME, that concept didn't work and if anything made what is at its heart an abstract, brechtian piece of theatre seem unimaginative and dull.

[peachesr]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 12:57pm

Seeing Ricky Martin makes me miss Matt Rawle.

[Dubliner]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 1:11pm

Michael and Elena look great. They should leave them like this as if it was Shakespeare. In the London pics Elena's blond wig looked rather odd. I didn't get to see the London revival but have seen Elena Roger in both Piaf and Passion and I can assure you she is an astonishing actress.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 1:21pm

For fun - I've never seen this: Elena Roger doing "I Dreamed a Dream" from her run in Les Miz in Argentina..
I DREAMED A DREAM

[Donthatecongratulate]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 1:27pm

Saying Elena Rogers is Argentinian is like saying Gisele BUNDCHEN is Brazilian. Bundchen's blue eyed family has lived in Brazil for generations but they are German. Native South Americans DO NOT have blue eyes my dear.

REGARDLESS, I really do hope that this production is increible y hace la justicia de historia.

(shout out to kyle4 with the all caps)

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 1:29pm

Ick

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 1:33pm

I do not understand the appeal of this woman.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 1:38pm

I've certainly heard the same thing said about Patti LuPone.

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 1:45pm

Okay, then let's dye Ricky's hair blond and put Eva in a red curly wig.