Che Guevara never could give up his revolutionary ways and, at 39, was executed in Bolivia, after a career fomenting guerrilla warfare in Cuba and throughout South America. An Argentinian by birth and education, he took part in riots against Juan Peron. In Webber-Rice's Evita he is the commentator/storyteller. We see Eva Duarte rise from an illegitimate birth, to struggling actress, to the most powerful woman in Argentina as Eva Peron. She was 33 when she died.
Evita has fared well over the past 30 plus years, and in its current incarnation, the cast does a very good job of keeping to an opera-like style. There is much of the Greek chorus throughout, which is faithful to the original Harold Prince offering. It is, however, a road show, and road shows do show the stress of short stands. The scenery, not matter how unique, how well designed, shows the weariness of being trucked from one city to the next. Also, in this 3,000 seat house, the large stage is dwarfed by the size of the house.
Bradley Dean, as Che, is excellent as both participant and narrator. As an observer, he reacts to the scenes that he has set up. Kathy Voytko, as Eva, depicts the rise from poverty just before Peron's inauguration. Voytko, though, was feeling ill, and called for understudy Kate Manning to do the honors in the second act. Unless we had been told, I doubt many in the audience would have even noticed the change.
The children of San Diego portray the children of Argentina in "Santa Evita" in the second act. Philip Hernandez is Peron and Gabriel Burrafato is Magaldi.
Evita, which was innovative when first produced, musically shows its age, though the story is ageless.
