Move over My Fair Lady: the next vintage production coming to Australia is the original Evita. Opera Australia and John Frost are collaborating to revive the 1978 West End production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s blockbuster musical, directed by Tony Award-gobbling musical theatre veteran Harold Prince.
Conceived as a concept album in 1976, Evita tells the story of Argentine political figure Eva Perón, who when she died at 33 from cancer had become one of the most powerful women in Latin America – and thereafter was afforded an almost saintly status.
Following its 1978 premiere on the West End (with Elaine Paige in the title role), the musical went on to win the Olivier Award for best musical and transferred to Broadway (where Patti LuPone took on the role), where it was the first British musical to win the Tony Award for best musical. In 1996, Madonna starred in the film adaptation of the musical.
The Australian revival will reunite the original creative team: 89-year-old director Harold Prince, choreographer Larry Fuller and designer Timothy O’Brien. The Casting is TBA.
Evita will open at Sydney Opera House in September 2018. Jump on the waitlist – and see what else is coming up in 2017-2018 in musical theatre.