EVITA Book and lyrics by Tim Rice Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber Prince Edward Theatre, London - 21 June, 1978 (2900 perfs) Broadway Theatre - 25 September, 1979 (1567 perfs) STORY: Evita, the story of ambitious, charismatic Eva Duarte, opens in a Buenos Aires cinema when the death is announced of Eva Peron, née Duarte, and affectionately known by the people of Argentina as "Evita". Che Guevara, acts as narrator throughout this story which follows the unlikely, if real-life drama, of a woman of doubtful virtue who became the wife of the fascist Juan Peron who went on to become dictator of Argentina. Che takes us back to the time when Eva was 15. Even then she was ambitious and the way out of the life she was leading was through tango singer Augustin Magaldi. She follows him to Buenos Aires where she begins to make her mark on the entertainment scene, notably as an actress on the radio. She meets politician Juan Peron and quickly establishes herself in his favour, at the same time, ousting his current mistress, a 16 year old girl. Eva is not content with just being the mistress of a small-time politician. She has ambition enough for the two of them and she pushes him towards supreme power. In 1946 Peron becomes President of Argentina and on the way, he and Eva have married. She, however, is much more than a wife - she is his propaganda machine with the population. She offers them a vision of the future which involves taxing the rich to pay the poor. By the age of 26, Eva has become a heroine in her own right, a Saint Joan for Argentina. Her ambition doesn't stop here - she wants to be a figure on the world stage. Eva embarks on a world tour, the Rainbow Tour as it is dubbed. It is not the success that Eva, and Argentina, hoped for. Spain greeted her but elsewhere the reception was somewhat cool. She returns to Argentina and sets up the Eva Peron Foundation. This proves to be successful and popular but Eva is unwell. She desperately wants to become vice-president to her husband but politically this proves not to be possible. She goes on radio to turn down the offer of the honour of vice-president - even though it was never offered to her. On her deathbed she says she hopes she will be remembered to those who will succeed her. PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS: Eva Duarte - an actress, later the President's wife Augustin Magaldi - a tango singer Juan Peron - a politician, later President of Argentina Mistress Che Guevara - narrator. MUSICAL NUMBERS: Act 1 1. A Cinema in Buenos Aires, 26 July 1952 – Crowd° 2. Requiem for Evita – Chorus 3. Oh What a Circus – Che and Crowd 4. On This Night of a Thousand Stars – Magaldi
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