Following on from the success of its production of Grease, the Astra Theatre is embarking on another ambitious project: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s and Tim Rice’s musical Evita, a production filled with memorable tunes, such as Another Suitcase in Another Hall, Oh What A Circus, The Rainbow Tour and, of course, Don’t Cry For Me Argentina.

Evita brings to life the dynamic, larger-than-life persona of Eva Peron. Beginning with a young and ambitious Eva, the production follows her meteoric rise to sainthood. The story tells of the enormous wealth and power she gained and the means by which she became the beloved Evita.

Evita’s memorable Don’t Cry For Me Argentina was recorded and released in 1976, followed by the complete double album release, which went gold.

The stage production opened on June 21, 1978 at the Prince Edward Theatre in London, with Elaine Paige in the title role and Joss Ackland as her formidable Juan Peron.

Auditions will be held for a varied ensemble cast.

Productions of Evita have been performed all over the world, including performances in Austria, Spain, Mexico and South Africa

Following stints in Los Angeles and San Francisco, Evita premiered on Broadway at the Broadway Theatre on September 25, 1979. Evita won an impressive seven Tony Awards, including Best Book, Best Score and Best Musical of the year.

In 1981, the Evita cast recording was awarded a Grammy Award. Productions of Evita have been performed all over the world, including performances in Austria, Spain, Mexico and South Africa.

Eva Peron

And now, for the first time, Evita comes to Gozo. Open auditions for all the roles, including those of Evita, Che, Juan Peron, Arturo Magaldi and the Mistress will be held on September 3.

Evita the musical also requires a varied ensemble cast. The production calls for strong singers, strong dancers and strong actors of all ethnicities, shapes and sizes from the ages of 15 to 70 to portray a variety of roles.

Backed by the same creative team behind Grease, including the support of Studio 18, Evita promises to be yet another incredible and ambitious production. Sigmund Mifsud is the musical director, while Julie Zahra and Mariella Spiteri Cefai share duties as vocal coach and chorus mistress respectively. Chris Gatt and Jean Marc Cafa are in charge of the staging and overall vision of the musical, while Christabel Bajada will be polishing up some snazzy Argentinian tango steps.

The audition pack and more information is available on the Soċjeta Filarmonika La Stella’s website, www.lastella.com.mt.

Tickets for the production will be made available in the coming weeks. For more information send an e-mail to info@lastella.com.mt