I ask,
have you seen “Evita,” the Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd Webber musical?
You
smile knowingly, as if to say, “Who hasn’t?” After all, you’re a theater-going
pro – you’ve even seen “Xanadu.” You say: “I saw it on Broadway, I saw the
movie, and I saw a road company production. I even saw a high school version –
it wasn’t bad.” So, when you catch sight of a billboard on I-95 advertising a
production of “Evita” at ACT (A Contemporary Theatre of Connecticut) in
Ridgefield, you just shrug, take a sip of your salted caramel mocha frappuccino
and continue on your way, little knowing that you’re making a big mistake,
because no matter how many times you’ve seen “Evita,” this ACT production under
the direction of Daniel Levine will open your eyes to just how good this
musical can be.
There’s
a lot to praise about ACT’s staging – and I’ll get to it – but first I want to
comment on several aspects of this production that might normally be buried
deep in a review: the choreography and the orchestra. First, the choreography,
created by Charlie Sutton. It’s simply dead-on, punctuating the lyrics and the
emotions they evoke. Performed primarily by 13 of the 18 cast members, listed
in the program as “The Men and Women of Argentina,” and heavily influenced by
the sensuality and physicality of the tango, Sutton’s choreography seems
innately aware of how men and women use their bodies to convey emotions and messages,
as well as the primary tensions inherent in the show itself. The men often
aggressively stomp their feet to accentuate their supposed dominance; the
women’s movements are lithe and fluid, suggestive yet, in their own way,
expressing a different kind of dominance. Then there are the moments when the
men and women come together, weave their body languages to create a synthesis
of the male/female dynamic…and the movement is almost non-stop. There just
doesn’t seem to be a single static moment in the entire production.
Then
there’s the 10-member orchestra sequestered on a platform up-stage and
conducted by Evan Roider. These musicians create a sound that is worthy of that
of any pit orchestra on Broadway. From the show’s opening notes, the music
seems to speak not just to the ear but to the entire body, filling the house
and propelling the performances, wrapping the actors in a web of sound that is,
at times, aggressive and propulsive and at other times seductive.
So,
what about the actors? Well, from its inception, one of ACT’s stated
commitments has been to bring “Broadway” to Ridgefield and, by extension,
greater Fairfield County. Based on the casting for “Evita,” ACT is meeting its
commitment. First, there’s Julia Estrada as Eva. From her first appearance as
an on-the-make teenager to Eva’s death scene, Estrada commands the stage. She
is, quite simply, everything you could ask for in an Evita – conniving,
calculating, sensual and, at the right moments, vulnerable. It’s not just that
she easily nails Eva’s signature song, “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina,” she
delivers a complete performance that makes you believe you are watching the
evolution of “Santa Evita.”
Supporting
Estrada is Angel Lozada as Che, Ryan K. Bailer as Peron, Julian Alvarez as
Magaldi and Mariana Lopez Hilderley as The Mistress. Although one might ask for
just a bit more heat/chemistry between Lozada and Estrada (especially in the
“Waltz” scene), Lozada, as the troubled revolutionary, turns in an admirable
performance, putting sufficient bite into his renditions of “Oh What a Circus”
and “The Money Kept Rolling In.” Bailer
gives us the essence of the suave, calculating politician and Alvarez is
unmistakable as the lounge-lizard par excellence. Finally, in her one featured
moment, Hilderley, as Peron’s young mistress, offers the audience a heartfelt,
touching “Another Suitcase” – it’s possibly the best performance of this song
I’ve seen or heard.
What
makes this production of “Evita” so impressive is that the actors playing
multiple roles as the “Men and Women” seem to be performing as if their very
lives depended on the outcome, by that I mean there’s an abundance of energy up
there as they sing, chant, clap and whirl about the stage, which is to the
credit of director Levine and choreographer Sutton. What most impressed me was
how the two-plus hours, even with an intermission, seemed to fly by, something
that, unfortunately, often doesn’t happen when you’ve seen a show multiple
times. Thanks to the scenic design by Jack Mehler (and a turntable stage),
transitions between scenes are seamless and one musical number (the show is
basically sung-through) flows into another so that the audience barely has time
to catch its breath.
So, if
you’re a semi-jaded theater-goer who shrugs at the idea of seeing “Evita” one
more time, shed your façade of Webber-weariness and wend your way up to
Ridgefield. You won’t be disappointed. ACT has boarded a first-class production
that intrigues and entrances, thanks to a first-rate cast that perform just
about every number as if it is opening night on Broadway.
“Evita” has
been extended through November 11. For tickets or more information, go to
www.actofct.org.
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