COMMENTARY

Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice

Like its predecessor Jesus Christ Superstar, EVITA started out in a recording studio.  Tim Rice, the show’s soon-to-be lyricist, became interested in creating a show about Eva Perón after hearing part of a British radio program on her life.  He talked to Andrew Lloyd Webber about his idea, but Andrew (at first) wasn’t impressed with the idea.  Andrew was dead set on creating a musical based on the P.G. Wodehouse character Jeeves.  Tim wasn’t impressed with Andrew’s idea and flew to Buenos Aires to research the myth that is Eva Perón (though any hard research would have been too dangerous considering the political situation in Argentina at the time).  Upon returning to England, Tim presented his findings to Andrew (who had suffered a huge flop with his show Jeeves).  Andrew relented to Tim’s idea and the two set out to create a show in the completely sung-through style of Jesus Christ Superstar.

It's only your lover returning

The truth is I never left you

All through my wild days

My mad existence

I kept my promise

Don't keep your distance…

 

The song was to come at the point in the show when Eva returns from her Rainbow Tour.  In that context, the first line made perfect sense, though it wasn’t catchy enough.  Tim tried a couple of other lyrics until he pulled a line he had written in the funeral scene, “Don’t cry for me, Argentina” – the title was catchy and exotic enough to get some radio attention.  MCA Records released the single (with “Rainbow High” on the B side).  The song quickly climbed the charts to #1.

 

The Concept Album was released later that year.  The record starred Julie Covington as Eva, C.T. Wilkinson as Che (who would later become the superstar Colm of Les Misérables fame) and Paul Jones as Perón.  The recording was quite successful (even considering the embarrassing insecticide subplot!).  

 

                    “And the insects fall like flies – Kapow! Die!”

 

The recording mixed classic rock, pop, jazz, classical and Latin themes to create a unique sound.

 

Julie Covington’s rendition of Eva’s last words, “Lament”, is perhaps the most beautiful ever recorded. Unfortunately, one of the best verses in the song would later be cut from the stage production:

 

The choice was mine and no one else's                     I could have the millions at my feet                     Give my life to people I might never meet                     Or else to children of my own                     Remember I was very young then                     Thought I needed the numbers on my side                     Thought the more that loved me the more loved I'd be                     But such things cannot be multiplied…

Julie Covington

This was followed up by the line that would be Eva’s theatrical final words:

 

                    Oh my daughter!  Oh my son!

                    Understand what I have done!

 

Out of context, these lines serve as an awkward ending to Eva’s life.  Eva never had children, and therefore sacrificed maternity for fleeting style, glamour, fame, and popularity.

 

Although EVITA was a popular recording, it was neither Tim’s nor Andrew’s desire to have the success of EVITA stop in record stores.

 

Next stop will be London…

 

Production costs were no worry to Andrew and Tim as the Concept Album had sold over two million copies worldwide.

 

Enter Harold “Hal” Prince.

 

Prince, a director of varied musicals (Candide, A Little Night Music, Company, Follies, and Cabaret just to name a few), had wanted to acquire the rights to Jesus Christ Superstar.   He didn’t get his way, though this inspired him to try even harder for the rights to EVITA.  He informed the duo of his desire.  The duo became a trio.

 

Prince, Paige and Lloyd Webber

Tim, Andrew and Hal set out to make a visual EVITA that, up to that point, had only been an aural one. Tim desperately wanted Julie Covington to play Eva on stage, though she would not hear of it.  Therefore, a “call to arms” to find an Eva Perón started.     One day, a tiny bundle of dynamite by the name of Elaine Paige came to audition.  Elaine had played in the chorus in Superstar and had been in a few other shows, though she was on the brink of giving up musicals outright.  Nevertheless, her agent convinced her to try out.

She sang “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” and was asked by Andrew to sing “Rainbow High.”  

Elaine looked at him square in the eye and said:

 

“Oh fuck, I haven’t got the music.”

 

As they say, a star was born.

 

 

Harold Prince wanted the character of Che to be identified with revolutionary leader Ernesto “Che” Guevara.  Guevara was an Argentine, and was in his late teens during the Peronist regime.  Therefore, it’s not absurd to think that El Che’s later political ideas in Cuba were an attack on the corrupt government of his youth.  David Essex, who had starred in Godspell, was cast as Guevara.  He also received top billing because his name was better known at the time than that of the relative newbie Paige.   Prince streamlined the show and took out the awful insecticide subplot (which unfortunately deleted a wonderful rock basher, “The Lady’s Got Potential.”)  In its place, Prince added an interesting political game of musical chairs, “The Art of the Possible.”

David Essex

  

Timothy O’Brien and Tazeena Firth were called in by Prince to help design the show. And design they did!  A giant movie screen would dominate the stage would show documentary film reels of the real Evita doing what she did best:  smiling and waving.     It would serve not only as a constant historical reference, but also as a backdrop of the various locales in the show.  In Eva’s early days, the screen shows a picture of a dusty Argentine town – only to change to flashing images of the busy Avenida 9 de Julio and fashionable Calle Florida when Eva makes it to the big city.  In Act Two, the screen becomes the façade of the Casa Rosada and takes us along with Eva as she tours Europe in the Rainbow Tour scene.

The floor of the stage was to have a set of lights embedded in a pattern that would allow various stage images.  The lights could be lit on just stage left and stage right (to set off the ‘boxing ring’ in the Waltz scene); the semicircle could be lit up (to make eerie shadows in “The Art of the Possible”) or all the lights could flash in random order (when Eva trickles down her “little touches of star quality” at the end of the “Buenos Aires” number).

 

The lights looked something like this:

 

Eva’s costumes were based on actual photos.  The now famous “balcony dress” was based on a Dior gown of Eva’s.  Though O’Brien and Firth couldn’t have known it, the dress was actually gold, not white (as it became on stage).  The designers assumed the color was white from the black and white photos taken of that particular gown:

 

  

 

The whole set had a neo-Brechtian look which made it very simple to travel (and travel it would!).  

 

A creative logo was created which took a modernistic silhouette of Eva’s smiling face (complete with Eva’s ubiquitous chignon) and placed it on top of the rays of the sun from the Argentine flag. Today, it’s as easily recognizable as the Phantom mask, the Cats eyes or the Cosette figure from Les Misérables.

 

EVITA premiered in London on 21 June 1978 at the Prince Edward Theatre to much fanfare.  Elaine Paige, the little chorus girl with a voice like TNT, was now the toast of the West End.  Nevertheless, reviews were mixed.  The critics who had shouted “BLASPHEMY!” at Jesus Christ Superstar’s première were now shouting “GLORIFIED FASCISM!” at EVITA’s opening.  Many took the show to be Tim Rice’s personal views on politics (though Tim was more interested in Evita’s good looks than her bad politics).

 

A few months into the run, Elaine started having problems with her voice.  The score to EVITA is quite rangy for the character of Eva.  Add to the fact that Eva is on stage for about 90% of the show and sings for well over three-quarters of it.  Elaine had to relent 2 of her 8 weekly shows to her understudy, Susannah Fellows.  This created the now common-place occurrence of having an Eva and an alternate Eva.

 

Despite all odds, EVITA ran for eight solid years and made stars out of the women who came after Paige:  Marti Webb, Stephanie Lawrence, Jacquey Chappell, Siobhan McCarthy (who had starred originally as Perón’s Mistress), Jacquey Chappell and Kathryn Evans.

 

California here we come…

 

In 1979, EVITA crossed the ocean.  The success of the Concept Album wasn’t as well founded in the United States.  The recording received little radio airtime because it wasn’t easily categorized (was it rock?  pop?  jazz?  Latin?)

 

Instead of having a big opening on Broadway, the producers decided to test the American waters by having a première in the city that’s about as far away from New York as you can get in the States:  Los Angeles.  

 

Rumors flew about who would play Eva.  Producer Robert Stigwood, supposedly wanted Ann-Margret - no - Raquel Welch - no - Charo (!) - no - Meryl Streep - no -

 

 

Enter La LuPone.

 

Patti LuPone was a 27 year-old Juilliard grad who was working on Stephen Spielberg’s 1941 at the time auditions were announced.   At her audition, Prince was enchanted.  She got the role.  Obscure play star Mandy Patinkin was cast as Che (everyone knew he could act – but the fact that he could sing was not only surprising but quite exciting) and Bob Gunton was set to play Colonel Perón.  

 

Elaine Paige

With the company in place, some changes to the show were inevitable. Though Tim Rice’s lyrics were very popular, certain anglicized phrases like “Get stuffed” had to be changed to suit American tastes (as if “Up yours!” is tasteful).  The score was revised (for example, the rhythm section in “Buenos Aires” changed from rock guitars strumming away to a catchy Brazilian samba beat played on piano) and some things were cut.  Patti LuPone rejected Larry Fuller’s kick-up-your-heels choreography in the “Buenos Aires” number.  Patti quipped:   “[He] had me chugging along like a damn train!”

Patti LuPone & Larry Fuller

This was one of many nuances that would later come to iconify the cast.  Others included:

 

Patti’s infamous slurring of Tim Rice’s already slippery words (“fillmeupwithyaheatwithyanoisewithyadirt…”), her punching the hell out of “star-qual-i-ty!” at the ends of “Buenos Aires” and “Rainbow High”,  and her gasp of breath as she asked Argentina not to cry for her became as well-known as the soon-to-be-diva herself (all of which would be parodied in Forbidden Broadway recordings!).

 

Mandy added his unique ability at accents to a somewhat lagging “Rainbow Tour” number.  His trilingual romp through Europe made the number a lot easier to listen to.  Of course, who could forget the British ambassador’s “On the 9^th February 1935…”?

 

Bob’s trilling of EVERY “r” in the entire show made the viewer ask, “If everyone in this show is from the same country, why does HE have the funny accent?”

 

These idiosyncrasies brought forth the question:  “How does one ‘freeze’ a show when each cast is uniquely different?” Harold Prince had neither the will nor want to work with each future cast’s quirks.  The answer was simple.  Patti’s cast was to be the norm.  The show was “frozen”.  

 

Opening night was on 9 May 1979 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

 

The fear that Patti would lose her voice like Elaine had was allayed by the casting of her alternate, Terri Klausner.  Terri wound up getting the great reviews that Patti had wanted.  The strain of several shows a week and recording the cast album (which, despite all odds won a Grammy Award in 1980) was grinding away at Patti.  Plans were already made for the show to travel to San Francisco, and then move to Broadway.

 

The unthinkable occurred at closing night in L.A.  By the middle of Act I, Patti had stopped singing except when she absolutely had to.  By the end of “A New Argentina”, Patti’s voice was gone.  Backstage was in an uproar.  Terri Klausner would have to go on, but her costumes and wigs had already been packed up for the trip to San Francisco.   Terri went on in Act II, and gave the performance of her life that night, while Patti wept in her dressing room.  

 

Patti LuPone

By the time the show made it to San Francisco, Patti’s voice was still obviously suffering, and reviews were not the best.  Hal Prince reassured Patti and it was at that moment that she realized the weight of the show was on her shoulders.   EVITA headed to Broadway and took it by storm.  Patti had worked out her vocal troubles, and took the show by the reins. She was now the diva we all know and love.  As for Terri Klausner… she never really got a chance to become the star (as was the case in London – for example, Stephanie Lawrence was Marti Webb’s alternate - when Marti stepped down, Stephanie took over the lead).     Rumors about a soon-to-be-made movie version began to fly (oh, if they only knew).

 

Forbidden Broadway created a hilarious parody that set the tone of the day:

 

Don’t cry for me, Barbra Streisand!

The truth is you bought [gasp] the film rights!

Though you’re a belter—

And very shrewish—

You’ll ruin the movie – ‘cause you’re too Jewish…

         

The incessant rumors would not stop until 17 years later when a material girl from Michigan took EVITA to the silver screen.

 

Madonna

 

Despite mixed reviews (as in London), the show won seven Tony Awards (including one for Patti – she really had come a long way).  EVITA was wildly popular.  A disco album of the score was recorded and a TV commercial was recorded that featured Patti with her punching “star-qual-i-ty” bit.

Florence Lacey

The show made an unprecedented move in 1980 – there were to be TWO national touring companies – one starring Loni Ackerman to begin in Los Angeles and one starring Valerie Perri in Chicago.  A few years later, two more touring companies would begin – and a woman named Florence Lacey would take over the role.  “Flo” became the last Eva on Broadway when the show finally closed in June 1983 – she would soon hold the title as the woman who played the role more than any other in the world.

 

EVITA down under…

 

Jennifer Murphy

In 1980, while EVITA began touring in the States, producer Robert Stigwood wanted to take the show to his hometown of Adelaide, Australia.  Jennifer Murphy was cast in the title role.  The showed toured Australia, and a few years later, the show was produced in New Zealand starring English actress Michele Breeze (who was to take over the role in London, though never got the chance to).  When Murphy fell ill, Patti LuPone flew to Australia to play the role. Cast recordings were made of both the Australian and New Zealand casts.     It was time to translate EVITA…

 

No llores por mí, España...

 

It was only befitting that the first language EVITA was translated into was Spanish.  Though Spaniards are not generally fond of Broadway-style musicals, Jesucristo Superstar had played there to wild acclaim. The Madrid production of the show became the first version to break the Harold Prince mold.  Though the gist of the show’s setup remained, there were some unique touches that made the Madrid version very interesting.  First, and perhaps most importantly, the score was re-orchestrated with a true Argentine flavor.  A bandoneón (a small “squeezebox” accordion used in tango), acoustic guitars and other Latino instruments were used to orchestrate the show.  The cost of hiring an orchestra nightly to play such lavish instruments would have been stellar, so the Madrid cast recorded the score on tape to use for the performances.  

 

The costumes also reflected the characters better.  Magaldi was no longer a stereotypical Latino heartthrob with ruffles and a slick, greasy hairdo (could someone tell me whose idea that was?).  He was transformed into an Argentine TANGO SINGER, which is what he was anyway.

 

Madrid Logo

The logo for the show featured Mia Patterson, Paloma’s alternate, because Paloma felt Mia’s profile looked more like the real Eva’s.   The Madrilene première was in December 1980.  Paloma San Basilio played the role to the tee.  Her shrill voice was electric and captured the spirit of the real Evita. Patxi Andión toned down the spitting, furious Che Guevara that Hal created and made him a softer man – whose voice constantly hinted at violence.

Paloma San Basilio

The show was quite popular in Spain (and many people could still remember when the real Evita “went on tour” there!) and transferred to Barcelona for a while.

 

In 1983, Paloma toured Latin America with the show making stops in Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Colombia and several other Latin American nations – though Argentina was not on the list.  

 

Glitter und glanz!

Isabel Weicken

About a month after the Spanish première, Harold Prince directed the first German language production at the Theatre an der Wien in Austria.  The translation was a little awkward as the translator wasn’t the best English speaker. Nevertheless, the show (starring Isabel Weicken and Alexander Goebel) did well in both Austria and Germany.     After the German tour, the company went back to Vienna.  Weicken was attacked outside of her home and her face was badly injured.  After an investigation, it became clear that Weicken’s alternate, Vera Gutman, had paid men to injure her so that she could go on in the role!  Gutman was forced out of the show.  (So much for star quality, huh?)

 

No llores por mí, México...

 

Students of linguistics know that the Spanish spoken in Spain is quite different from the Spanish spoken in Mexico.  Despite the beauty of the Madrid translation of the show, it was not acceptable for the Mexican production.  Marco Villafán had the daunting task of retranslating the entire show.  The translation was much closer to English (and perhaps easier to understand), though not as poetic as that of Spain.

 

Like the Spanish production, Mexico City used a taped orchestration for the performances.  The show reverted to the Broadway costumes and orchestrations.

 

Rocío Banquells

Rocío Banquells and Valeria Lynch co-starred in the main role.  They would both become popular musical theatre actresses (Banquells would go on to star in Cats and Lynch would play in Kiss of the Spider Woman).   For all you trivia buffs, Valeria Lynch was the first Argentine woman to play Evita.   The Mexican cast album featured Banquells, though Lynch put out a single LP titled  “Valeria Lynch:  Lo Mejor de Evita”.

Valeria Lynch

 

Konnichiwa Buenos Aires!

 

In 1982, a unique production began in Tokyo.  The costumes, sets and orchestrations were all rethought – and the cut song “The Lady’s Got Potential” was revived and was used along with “The Art of the Possible.”   The Japanese traditionally do not show beds on stage, therefore, several scenes had to be altered.  “A New Argentina” featured Eva fully clothed in the dress that traditionally was used in the “Rainbow High” number.  “Lament” featured Eva lying on the stage in a purple robe whilst bathed in light.  When Eva dies, the light is cut off (cool, huh?)

Akiko Kuno

A singer named Akiko Kuno (who had played in Japanese productions of West Side Story and Jesus Christ Superstar) played Eva.  Akiko had a unique portrayal of the role and in 1997, took Japanese TV viewers on a tour of Buenos Aires.

 

Não chores por mim, Brasil!

 

The Brazilian production premiered in 1983 in Rio de Janeiro at the Teatro João Caetano.  

 

Victor Berbara, the translator, used the Madrid translation as a basis, and created a very beautiful version.  His “Ponho o Mundo a Teus Pés” (“I’d Be Surprisingly Good For You”) is particularly interesting when translated:

 

I don’t speak of a vulgar love,                     An adventure, and after, goodbye,                     That which I want is to show you                     It was destiny that brings us together                     I swear by God, I will live for you…                     I put the world at your feet…

Cláudia

A singer by the name of Cláudia (just Cláudia – think “Cher” or “Madonna”) played Eva.  Her voice is one of the most unique of all the Evitas.   She used her multi-octave voice to accentuate the score.  Putting touches on songs such as “I’d Be Surprisingly Good For You” and “High Flying, Adored” brought the house down every night.  On the cast album, instead of hitting the low E at the end of “Buenos Aires” and “Rainbow High”, she ratchets up an octave or two!

 

And everywhere else...

 

EVITA has now been performed on every continent (except Antarctica of course – though Andrew Lloyd Webber is probably mounting the first production there as you read this).  The show has been heard in English, both Spain Spanish and Latin American Spanish, German, Portuguese, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Finnish, Bulgarian, Polish, Estonian, Romanian, Greek, Japanese, Korean, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, and Hebrew.  There are more than two dozen cast recordings of the show, and many of them are complete.

 

Sadly, many of the performers and people who have worked on the show are now no longer with us – producer David Land, Stephanie Lawrence in England, Gé Korsten of South Africa, Carlos Augusto Strazzer of Brazil, Tony Alvarez of Australia, and most of the Greek cast…

 

Have I said too much?  

There’s nothing more I can think of to say to you…

 

EVITA has come a long way – and hopefully has a long way to go.  To Tim Rice, Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Land, Robert Stigwood, Harold Prince, and all those who have made the show possible over the years, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the many years of enjoyment you have brought me!

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