Sara Tubbs and ensemble members in Evita
We know that she tells us “Don’t cry for me,” but we dare you not to shed a tear during the Spotlight Theatre’s production of Evita. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s famous musical about the life of Eva Perón (Sara Tubbs) traces her life story from poverty to political power as the wife of Argentine dictator Colonel Juan Perón (Matthew Downey), with continuous narration by the revolutionary Che (Matthew Call), often offering a more critical perspective on the revered Evita. Director Becca Johnson effectively presents a complex, dramatic portrait of a beloved historical figure, and we were at the opening-night performance on Friday, October 4.
Kitty: This show definitely made an impact because we’ve both been singing the songs since Friday night.
Mischa: Curse you, Andrew Lloyd Webber!
K: But memorable music aside for the moment, this is such an interesting work because it shows two distinct sides to this woman. You have the selfless humanitarian, woman-of-the-people, but she was also really materialistic and self-serving.
M: Yes – she’s complicated. In any case, this musical is intensely focused on the main character, Eva, so let’s state from the beginning that above all, Sara Tubbs was phenomenal in this role. She commanded attention at all times with her presence. Her powerful singing always cut through whatever was going on, with a clear tone and diction, and complete emotional engagement. It was great.
K: Oh, definitely. She fully embodied the character. I think that was particularly evident in the political speeches. Tubbs was very adept at emulating Eva Perón’s very specific charisma, down to her gestures and body language. Call had his work cut out for him to counterbalance that kind of energy, but I think he proved up to the task.
M: It seemed like he took a few minutes to work into it, but then he was all there with a great sense of playfulness along with his strong vocals. And how about that dramatic first appearance?
K: I loved that. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I thought Johnson made a great call with Che’s entrance. It was attention-grabbing and made a very effective use of the playing space. I also thought Johnson did a great job of incorporating Che into the various scenes as a reporter, a server, an onlooker, et cetera. His constant presence in so many different capacities helped cement him as this omniscient narrator. But my favorite number featuring Call had to be “A Waltz for Eva and Che.” He and Tubbs have a beautiful dance number choreographed by Ellie Allen, and the song was a great showcase for Call’s vocals.
M: One of my favorites, too. And a little earlier, I think in “High Flying Adored,” Call pulled out a fabulously powerful falsetto. I have to just mention another of my favorite numbers showcasing Tubbs’ acrobatic singing: “Rainbow High.” In this song, Eva is surrounded by dressers preparing her for her world tour, which means it was equally a showcase for the beautiful visuals, in this case multi-colored fabric and costumes.
K: Yes! Totally agree both about the singing and the costumes. And costumer Sara Wegener deserves so much credit here because this show has So. Many. Costumes. I feel like it’s a given that Eva will have an impressive wardrobe (and she certainly did), but the ensemble had several costume changes throughout the show, as well, and they were all beautifully styled. It must've been a monumental task to have to come up with so many period pieces, but Wegener delivered! She gave us everything from soldier uniforms to stunning ballgowns.
M: The pit musicians, headed up by music director Randin Letendre on keys, were also impressive all through. The ensemble was generally strong, but seemed a little less than confident in the opening minutes. The children, though, featured in “Santa Evita” –
K: (squeal of delight) Lovely. The children’s chorus had wonderfully clear voices, and the soloist Meyer Wikoff was fantastic. I shed a few tears during that number. But I mean, let’s be honest: I was crying a lot during this show.
M: Among the other characters, Downey’s Perón towered over Eva, and he played the role effectively as a strong but more-or-less awkward boss, and took none of the spotlight away from Eva.
K: Which is exactly what’s needed in that role. Perón provides the gravitas, and Eva, the charm. One other actor who kind of blew me away was Harmoni Eiland as Perón’s rejected mistress. She only had one solo number – “Another Suitcase in Another Hall” – but she made a real impression. Eiland has an amazing voice, and she infused that song with intense emotion. I definitely cried. Eiland also sang as part of the ensemble, but I’m sad there wasn’t more opportunity to feature her. She has a beautiful voice. I hope we see a lot more of her in the future.
M: Speaking of underused, there was a group billed specifically as “Dance Ensemble” in the program, but they were not featured much. One number especially, “I’d Be Surprisingly Good for You,” was a little disappointing in that regard, with only a halfhearted dance emphasis. There was a lot of complicated ensemble activity, though, from costume changes to crowd scenes and scene transitions, and it was all carried off seamlessly. I do wish, however, that the production had leaned more into incorporating the audience space into crowd scenes. There were gestures toward this, but then the crowds had to scoot off pretty quickly again.
K: You’re right. And we should mention that this show does move quickly! It’s paced very well, and the ending almost sneaks up on you. But people should see it … and definitely bring tissues.
M: Final thought: This is a great show. In the words of “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina,” don’t keep your distance!
Evita runs at the Spotlight Theatre (1800 Seventh Avenue, Moline IL) through October 13, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)912-7647 and visiting TheSpotlightTheatreQC.com.
