My Top Five @EvitaTour Moments #bwyphl

A few days ago I shared details about Evita playing at the Kimmel Center now through June 22nd. Tuesday evening, Effin Guy and I were invited to the opening night and I have renewed my love of Andrew Lloyd Webber and the woman who was Eva Peron.  This stage production moved me, made me and the audience chuckle, and there may have been the wiping away of a tear or two. There are plenty of reasons to see the show but here are five that

1. The Kimmel Center knows how to put on a show. At the opening night show “Eva Peron” was there to wave to “The Descamisados.” For an hour before the show Eva greeted people who were going to the show or about their business on Broad Street. The model who portrayed Eva was all smiles as she greeted her subjects and was even kind enough to pose for some pictures.

Evita greets The Descamisados

2. Tango Dancers. Students from the Philadelphia Argentine Tango School showed off some of their moves. The tango is slow, graceful and intimate and a huge part of the Argentinian culture and the show. I was so impressed that Effin Guy and I will be heating up the dance floor with Tango moves.

3. Caroline Bowman as Eva. Full disclaimer, Patti Lupone is my favorite Evita but Caroline held her own as the determined and enterprising leader of Argentina. Caroline was a presence on stage, full of energy and life. She owned the stage whenever she appeared and made me believe she was a woman who played by her rules to get what she wanted. Caroline is graceful, has a great voice and WAS Eva.

4. Seeing the words come alive. In spite of my one viewing of Evita as a kid (during dinner theater! On a boat!!), listening to the soundtrack scores of times, and watching the movie version, seeing the play gave me such a different perspective. Eva was master of her own destiny, skillfully selecting men and opportunities to gain what she wanted: her place as a player in Argentina. (One thing not communicated in the musical is that Eva created her own entertainment business at the age of about 20. TWENTY!!) The cast and crew were magnificent, energetic, entertaining1 It was an event. The words that I have hummed and sang for years came alive and I did cry for Argentina.

Best numbers:

• Buenos Aires. Eva arrives in Buenos Aires with a bang and lets the people know just who she is. The dance number shows how shy Eva takes all the city has to offer and uses it for what she needs. Caroline is fresh face yet wise to the games of the city. She is ready for what is to come and rocked the stage to let the audience in on the secret that Buenos Aires may not be quite ready for HER.

• You Must Love Me. Eva learns that she is sick, dying as she makes a bid for Vice President  and she shares a moment with her husband making a tearful plea for him to not count her out. Caroline’s vocals made me cry as she sang these words begging not to be forgotten. Caroline sings the number clutching at her husband as she begs him to love her and remember what she has done for him, for them. It’s heartbreaking as she reminds him that she is still important and useful.

• The Chorus Girl Hasn’t Learned. Eva has grown tired of begging for acceptance and plots ways to make all of the people in the higher classes love her. Instead of playing by rules that she will never be allowed to know she makes up her own. As Caroline sings this she looks both sad and exhausted as she tries to deal. But as she accepts her exclusion, she does with a defiance that never leaves her as a victim.

5. Josh Young as Che.  Josh Young is a local Philly guy, he hails from Wallingford, PA. Che is the everyman of the working class serving as the voice of the people and Josh was Che, questioning what Eva meant and did for Argentina, how the people wold benefit from Eva and not blindly believing the hype.

The show plays now through June 22nd and there are limited tickets available. Do yourself a favor and see the show live; it brings the story of the Eva Peron to life with a fresh perspective and thrilling show.

If you go:

Tickets ranging in price from $20 to $105.50 can be purchased by calling 215-731-3333, online at kimmelcenter.org/broadway, at the Kimmel Center box office, Broad & Spruce Sts. (open daily 10 am to 6 pm) or at the Academy of Music box office, Broad & Locust Sts. (open during performances only). Remaining performances are Thursday at 7:30 pm; Friday & Saturday evening at 8:00 pm; Sunday evening at 6:30 pm, and matinees Saturday at 2:00 pm and Sunday at 1:00 pm.

r’s note: I was given a complementary pair of tickets to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.