INTERVIEW WITH RAYMOND JARAMILLO McLEOD

Conducted by Tim Whittemore via e-mail

October 14, 2005

Mr. McLeod played the role of Juan Perón in several productions throughout the United States, but is perhaps most famous for his interpretation in the 20^th Anniversary US Tour. His booming baritone fit the role of the Argentine líder sublimely.

TW: How did you originally get to play Perón?

RJM: I was fortunate enough to be cast in the Papermill Playhouse production which was also directed by Larry Fuller. It was a great role and a great experience for me. We worked very well together. The cast included Judy McLane as Eva. She and I later reprised roles at the St. Louis Muny in the tour in 1999.

TW: The 1999 National Tour had such a stupendous cast – a cavalcade of star quality. What was it like working with such amazing performers?

RJM: It's not often that anyone gets to perform a major role in a major show with an astounding collection of talent. Both Natalie Toro and Raúl Esparza were dynamic forces on stage and I had to work really hard to keep up! LOL! Poor little Perón is almost a second thought in the show. Although he has several duets and soliloquies, he does not have a 'song'. The show revolves around the story of Eva and the discordant voice of Che – both of whom claim to represent the people of Argentina. We all went into rehearsal with a clear notion of how each of our characters would be heard. The resultant tumult of the rehearsal period bled over into performance which gave the show a dynamic tension that I hadn't seen since the original with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin.

TW: Where all have you played the role?

RJM: Papermill Playhouse, New Jersey; St. Louis Muny; 20^th Anniversary Tour.

TW: Do you have any unique/interesting/quirky stories you'd like to share about your time on stage in EVITA?

Raymond Jaramillo McLeod as Juan Perón
on the balcony of the Casa Rosada

RJM: Well, yes. When I was asked to do the national tour by Larry I was a little hesitant to agree because I had two young daughters, one of whom was about to start school. I asked about the possibility of them being in the show and Larry thought it might be an interesting idea. So we brought my daughter Meaghan to audition for Larry Fuller for the national tour of EVITA. Meaghan was five years old. Larry asked her what she wanted to sing and Meaghan couldn't think of anything. So we asked her to sing "Itsy Bitsy Spider," which she had just learned at nursery school. So she did - complete with the proper hand motions! Larry asked if she could sing it without using her hands but she couldn't remember the words without the hands. So Larry came up on stage, faced her away from the lights and sang with her. She got the job! My five year old daughter got her first Equity job. By the end of the tour, she knew her part so well that they asked her to help teach the local children when we moved to a new city. My youngest daughter, Erynn, 3½, had the show completely memorized by the end of the tour and later joined her sister onstage in EVITA at St. Louis.

TW: The "Los 3 Evitas” picture on your website cracks me up every time I see it - what's the story behind it?

RJM: Well, here we are on tour and we've been out there a long time. My daughters know every member, every dresser, everybody associated with the show. One day Ana Maria Andricain and Meaghan's dresser came up with the idea of dressing up Meaghan in Eva's white gown. Naturally, Erynn had to be included in dress-up time so I figured, “What the hell, let's make it a family affair.” I couldn't convince my wife to wear the gown so I said, "If you don't, I will." So I did! We had a great time doing it and got a zillion pictures

and great memories from that day.

Thanks Ray!

Please visit Ray’s website for more information.

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