Evita

WRITTEN BY: Andrew Lloyd Webber
PERFORMED AT: Mandeville Hall, Clemens Center, Elmira
PERFORMED ON: October 3,4,9,10,11 (7:30pm) and 5 (2pm)
DIRECTED BY: John J. Koons
MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Susan Tanner
PRESENTED BY: Elmira Little Theater
CAST:
* CHE GUEVARA- David A. Scott
* EVA PERON (EVITA)- Jessica Ossiboff (Week 1), Kathleen Robinson (Week 2)
* JUAN PERON- Greg Fusare
* AUGUSTIN MIGALDI- Graham Howard (Oct 4,5,9,11), Jose Gomez (Oct 3,10)
* PERON'S MISTRESS- Jacqueline McLean
PEOPLE OF ARGENTINA:
* Kat DeMaria (Younger Eva, Erminda Duarte)
* Anne Rich (Younger Eva, Aristocrat, Children's Ensemble)
* Stuart McLean (Juan Duarte, Eva's Lover, Soldier)
* Christine Gill (Elisa Duarte)
* Kelly Lewis (Blanca Duarte)
* Christopher Yerkes (Eva's Lover, Soldier)
* Martin King (Officer, Bishop)
* Don White (Officer, Soldier)
* Liz Maloney (Marcia: Peron's Secretary)
* Gail Lewis (Aristocrat)
* Michelle Oliva (Aristocrat)
* Ottavio Campanella (Soldier)
* Jarod Parker (Soldier)
* Steven Ostrander (Soldier)
* Ana Liss (Lillian Guardo: Eva's Secretary)
* Katie O' Herron (People of Argentina)
* Cameron Kuebel (Children's Ensemble)
* Jordan Kuebel (Children's Ensemble)
* Gabrielle Oliva (Children's Ensemble)
* Olivia Scouten (Children's Ensemble)
* John Koons (Theater Announcer)
UNDERSTUDIES:
* Kathleen Robinson (Eva)
* Jose Gomez (Che, Migaldi)
* Anna Liss (Peron's Mistress, Eva)
* John Koons (Juan)

PLOT: An Argentine revolutionary (David A. Scott) recounts the life of an actress (Jessica Ossiboff/Kathleen Robinson) whose marriage to a politician (Greg Fusare) led to her emergence as a national icon. A musical play, based on Mary Main's biography "The Woman with the Whip".

HISTORY: Fearing schedule conflicts with "Oklahoma" (which I was cast for in early June), I opted out of auditioning for ELT's "Evita". However, John still wanted to hear me try out, and promised he'd work around the "Oklahoma" schedule if he cast me (which was a good move, since he'd already cast Greg Fusare and Kathleen Robinson, who were also in "Oklahoma"). The tryout went well, and I was cast as Che Guevara, a major character who both narrates the story and interacts with the characters.
It would also be the most singing I've ever done in a musical, and the first full-length musical in which I play a character whose main song(s) actually appear in the movie version. ("My Name" was cut from the "Oliver" movie, "It's a Scandal" was cut from the "Oklahoma" film, and "If I Can't Love Her" had not yet been written when the "Beauty and the Beast" movie was made.) To my delight, it would also be my least comical character in over a year. This, combined with "Oklahoma" (and a cameo for LCP's "Kiss Me Kate" in November), would surely make up for my not having done any musicals the previous year.
The reception to the show was overwhelmingly positive, with various friends, family, and peers being impressed and surprised by what I managed to bring to the role, physically and vocally. Presumably, I had lived up to (maybe even exceeded) everyone's expectations of me. If so, it was the result of being surrounded by talented, good-natured people, most of whom I'd never worked with before, but looked forward to seeing again. It was an awesome show, deserving of what I felt was my most challenging, most musical, and hopefully most successful acting performance to date.