Shereen Pimentel dazzles in a striking new revival of Evita at the American Repertory Theater.
Evita is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, about the life of Argentine political leader Eva Perón, the second wife of Argentine president Juan Perón. The story follows her early life, rise to power, charity work, and death. The musical originated as a rock opera concept album in 1976, which led to productions in London’s West End in 1978, and on Broadway a year later. This has been followed by a string of professional tours, worldwide productions, numerous cast albums, and a 1996 film adaptation.
The revival of Evita at American Repertory Theatre started previews on May 17, and opened on May 27, running through July 30.
Going into this production, I didn’t have many expectations, as I was not very familiar with the previous productions or film adaptation of the musical. I didn’t have anything to compare it to, without having even listened to the original cast album. This allowed me to look at the production with fresh eyes.
This production is a remount of the 2019 New York City Center revival, directed by Sammi Cannold.
I loved the scenic design of this production. The use of set pieces and the trapdoor elevator in the stage were very cool. The overall scenic design using neon lights in the set also gives it that bit of grit, almost like this is being retold in a bar.
The choreography is definitely another highlight of this production. I loved the way tango is incorporated into the choreography. The ensemble choreography is stunning on its own, but with a sung through, operatic piece like this, the choreography brings the piece to life.
Shereen Pimentel commands the stage as Eva. She has dazzling chemistry with her costars and a showstopping voice. One of my favorite moments was her “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina.” She captures Eva in her youth at 15, and Eva in her fight for her life at 33. It was wild to watch her transformation on stage. I am excited to see how Pimentel’s career blooms from her. Her vocal talent is already unreal.
Omar Lopez-Cepero‘s portrayal of Che was another standout of this production. I liked how the character Che is narrating the story, but I loved how Lopez-Cepero captured the grit on stage. It’s almost like he’s out of body and adds to the edge of the production. I liked how the blocking was done with Che on the outside of the the frame of the stage for most of the show, and eventually he steps into the block with the other characters. A well-done performance.
In the ensemble, it was great to see Caleb Marshall-Villareal. Last summer, I saw him as Santiago in Moulin Rouge! This production really showcases his talents as a dancer, which was really amazing to see that side of him. He always seems to play the role of a heartbreaker, but it was fun to see a different side of his acting skill as well.
I’m interested to see where this production goes following its A.R.T. run, and I’ll be curious to see if it ends up being Broadway-bound in the near future.
The Broadway Edit 