AUSTIN, TEXAS - 2000 14 September - 12 November 2000 Zachary Scott Theatre Center

 

Cast:

EVA:  Jenna Busch

CHE:  Gerard Lebeda

PERÓN:  Dan Sullivan

MAGALDI:  Dino Lee

MISTRESS:  Marita Stryker

 

Directed by Dave Steakley

 

Oh, What a Circus: One Ring Evita Opens in TX Sept. 14-Oct. 22

 

As Che sings in Evita, oh, what a circus -- literally. Austin's Zachary Scott Theatre is presenting the Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice musical in a European-styled one ring circus, complete with a high-wire aerialist Eva Perón, a lion-tamer Juan Perón and a ringmaster Che Guevara. This unique production opens Sept. 14 for a run through Oct. 22.

 

First inspired to stage Evita as if Frederico Fellini had directed the show, helmer Dave Steakley became obsessed with the circus and clown motives in the filmmaker's work. Taking his cue from Eva's life (the dictatress' first film was "The Circus Rider," and circus performers were one of the primary groups she reached with her financial aid programs), he crafted a center ring where the action takes place, surrounded by a chorus performing side acts like ball walking, stiltwalking, juggling and balancing, under the tutelage of the Flaming Idiots. Musical director Allen Robertson even reorchestrated the entire score, using the musical sounds of both the circus band and traditional Latin instruments such as Spanish guitar and accordion.

 

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