EVITA opens at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse on Wednesday, October 31, 2008 at 8pm. Individual show tickets are currently available to patrons. See the Tickets page for more information about pricing and purchasing.

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It is July 26, 1952. A young Argentine student, Che Guevara, is among the audience in a Buenos Aires cinema when the film is stopped by an announcement that Eva Peron, "the spiritual leader of the nation, has entered immortality."

Eva's funeral is majestic. Huge crowds, pageantry, wailing and lamentation prevail. Che Guevara is the only non-participant. Che in Evita, serves as narrator, as well as observer, and at times is simply a device that enables the authors to place Eva in a situation where she is confronted with direct personal criticism. There is no evidence that Che Guevara ever met Eva Peron or became in any way involved with her. However, he was born in 1928 and would have been 17 when the Peron's came into power and 24 when Eva died. He became strongly opposed to the Peron regime during Eva's lifetime.

Thus begins Evita, winner of seven Tony Awards©. Evita brings to life the dynamic, larger-than-life persona of Eva Peron, wife of former Argentine dictator, Juan Peron. Blessed with charisma, Eva Peron captivated a nation by championing the working class. This exuberant production creates a gripping theatrical experience and features Andrew Lloyd Webber's compelling Latin, pop and jazz influenced score. One of the most popular collaborations between Webber and Tim Rice, this legendary musical features the memorable song "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina."

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Fun Facts

1. Evita has been performed in 28 countries in 14 languages.
2. The show was banned in the Philippines by the Marcos regime because of the uncomfortable parallel to the President's wife, Imelda. The ban was lifted in 1986 when they were removed from power.
3. The role of Evita is one of the most demanding in the canon of musical theatre. In addition to singing 13 songs and rarely leaving the stage throughout the entire performance, she goes through 14 costume changes and 4 wigs.
4. Though Don't Cry For Me Argentina was the first EVITA song Rice and Webber wrote, it went through many permutations. In fact, Julie Covington, the Eva on the original 1976 concept album, was called back into the recording studio twice to rerecord the title line to the song. The rejected versions were, "It's Only Your Lover Returning" and "All Through My Crazy and Wild Days."
5. Agustin Magaldi, the tango singer portrayed in the show, really did exist, did have an affair with the 25 year old Eva Duarte, and did bring her to Buenos Aires. In fact, his tango albums still sell in record stores in Argentina.
6. In 1976, Eva's body was finally buried in a mausoleum in Buenos Aires' Recoleta Cemetery. On the side of her black crypt are plaques with quotes from her. One of them begins, "Don't cry for me…"