Left to Right:J.R. Hontz (Ensemble), Samantha McEwen Deininger (Evita), and Matt Sheer (Peron). Photo by Shealyn Jae Photography.
Evita Peron was one of the most charismatic women of the 20th century. An illegitimate child of a rancher who left her and her mother in poverty in a small village in Argentina, she was on her own in Buenos Aires at the age of fifteen. There are many discrepancies between the shows plot and reality, but one has to put this into perspective. Eva Peron was a legend, and like many legends, the truth and the myth get intertwined, often creating a person even larger than they were in their own life.
Silhouette Stages brings ‘Evita’ to life and keeps her pertinent in today’s world. Catch it before it’s gone!
The the Tony-winning musical was written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber and opened on Broadway in 1979 with the now legendary Patti LuPone in the starring role. The remarkable Mandy Patinkin played the role of Che, the renown revolutionary of the 1950s and 60s, Che Guevarra. (Actually, Che and Eva probably never met as he was a teen when she rose to power, although, he was an Argentine as well.)
Che (Brian Dauglash) is the narrator of this rock/pop opera. It opens with the death of Evita Peron (Samantha McEwen Deininger) at the age of 33 after a long fight with cervical cancer in 1952. The story then flashes back to the small village where a teenage Evita meets Magaldi (Henry Cyr), a cabaret singer with whom she runs away to Buenos Aires. After numerous liaisons she meets an up-and-coming politician, Juan Peron (Matt Scheer). She usurps his present mistress (Julie Mimms) and, shortly after, marries the much older Peron. Led by Che’s lyrics, Eva becomes the most important woman in South America, nominated to be vice president. She was beloved by her people because of her philanthropy, work for women’s suffrage, and help in organizing workers into unions.
The songs have an underlying musical theme, which underscores not only the most recognized song of the show, “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” but many others. Its tango beat transports you to Argentina.
Deininger has an incredible voice and flawlessly sings her big number as well as several others in both solos and duets with Peron and Che, notably “Waltz for Eva and Che.” Dauglash captures the essence of the young Revolutionary, sauntering like a young John Leguizamo. Strong throughout, his standout numbers are “Oh What a Circus” and “Santa Evita.
Scheer looks incredibly like Peron. You feel his love for his wife as her health fails and his sorrow in “She is a Diamond.” Cyr and Mimms give fine performances as well. They help illuminate what Argentina was like during World War II and shortly after—Cyr as the wannabe performer singing “On This Night of 1000 Stars” and Mimms as the now homeless, young mistress in “Another Suitcase in Another Hall.”
Director Daniel Douek is actually from Argentina and many of his touches seemed authentic. Douek, Choreographer Amie Bell, and Music Director Virginia Moses get the most from their lead actors and wonderful ensemble which include Julie Mimms, Megan Barnes, Jason Britt, Libby Burgess, Judah-Isaac Canizares, Tori Farnsworth, J.R. Hontz, Jae Jones, Gillian Keirn, John Lynch, Glennyce Lynn, Erica Miller, Otega Okurume, Nathanael Quay, Katie Sheldon, Jose Reyes Teneza, Nick Thompson, and Carolina Tomasi. Felicity Clark and Kenna Mayo are sweet as the two children who meet Evita during her reign.
Chris Uehlinger’s projections give the feel of various locales, be they Buenos Aires or a European capital, and complement Kateri Pelton’s set design which employs a large balcony for many of the speeches and some moving pieces to create doorways, etc. Tricia Anderson’s and Tara Herbert’s costumes are era-appropriate and Evita’s gown and designer clothes are beautiful.
Silhouette Stages brings “Evita” to life and keeps her pertinent in today’s world. Catch it before it’s gone.
Running Time: Two hours and 20 minutes with one intermission.
Advisory: Recommended for mature audiences.
“Evita” runs through November 3, 2024 presented by Silhouette Stages at Slayton House Theater, Wilde Lake Village Center, 10400 Cross Fox Lane, Columbia, MD 21044. For more information and to purchase tickets, go online. (Sunday, October 27 at 2 pm will be an Understudy Performance.)
