The MTI Musicals Catalog - Plot & Synopsis

Plot & Synopsis
Evita
Quick Link: The Story | History

Short Synopsis:	Argentina's hypnotic, charismatic and ambitious First Lady is the subject of this dynamic political thriller. Written years after the death of the bit actress who rose to prominence as mistress and wife to Argentine dictator Juan Peron and virtual saint to Argentina's shirtless ones," the musical is as gripping and suspenseful as tomorrow's headlines. A collage of Eva Peron's rise to power and early death, the show is a glittering look at a woman loved by the poor and despised by the rich and powerful - a woman not above taking political matters into her own capable hands. An exciting, compelling musical about a fascinating woman who transcends her time."

The Story:	ACT I The scene opens in a cinema in Buenos Aires, 26 July 1952, the audience is watching a less than distinguished movie (the dialogue is in Spanish). Suddenly, the film grinds to a halt. The people in the cinema begin to protest, but are silenced by an announcement that begins in Spanish and fades into English: Eva Peron - spiritual leader of Argentina is dead. An image of Eva Peron appears on the screen and the chorus moves to positions for her funeral ("Requiem For Evita / Oh What A Circus"). It is here that we meet our narrator for this story (political activist Che Rivera) saying that we have a great story here - learning about Evita (Eva Peron). Che basically tells the audience that they are going to see that this beloved political figure who even considered herself immortal was actually a fraud. A bit of the funeral happens on stage and eventually it evaporates. Che takes us back to learn about Eva. The year is 1934 and we meet a fifteen-year-old girl of no class with no father - Eva Duarte. Eva and her poor family (Mama, three sisters, and a brother) are in Junin watching heartthrob tango singer Augustin Magaldi sing "On This Night of a Thousand Stars." Eva flirts with Magaldi and tells him how she wants to be a part of Buenos Aires - "The Big Apple." She sleeps with him and demands that he take her with him to Buenos Aires where she can be a part of this city and its people. Magaldi, even though he sees that he has his hands full, takes Eva along. The scene shifts to Buenos Aires where Eva is among a variety of people from a variety of classes. In the major production number "Buenos Aires," Eva says that she is going to take this city by storm with her "little touch of star quality." "Goodnight and Thank You" is a number which takes place on a small stage where Che thanks all of Eva's lovers who help her to advance/sleep her way to the top. Magaldi and a variety of businessmen/lovers are all tossed out of a door from which the negligee clad Eva appears. By the end of the number, it's clear that Eva has advanced her way from nothing to actually having her own weekly radio show. Five officers of the G.O.U. (the Argentina army) including Juan Peron are revealed in a semi-circle rocking back and forth in Bentwood chairs. Eva appears on her radio show commenting how the Argentinean people are sick of the decline of a government that has given them nothing. In "The Art of the Possible" the five officers comment on politics being unpredictable yet best suited to keeping them comfortable. The scene shifts to Luna Park Stadium, Buenos Aires, Jan. 22, 1944, where a concert in taking place to aid victims of a an earthquake that devastated the town of San Juan, Argentina. Eva's old flame, Magaldi, is performing. When he comes off stage he is met by Eva, accompanied by an officer, who tells him that his act hasn't changed much over the years. After noticing the officer on her arm, he comments that neither has hers. Juan Peron enters and goes to the stage - greeted by cacophonous cheering. The crowd begins to chant "Peron, Peron." As he leaves the stage, he meets Eva for the first time. She moves away from her date and goes with Peron. The two talk and in the song "I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You" Eva flirts madly with him. Peron replies that he would be good for her, too. After all, she is beautiful and is now a popular screen actress in Argentina. What more could any rising political figure want? Eva goes off with Peron as his bedroom appears on stage. A young girl, aged 15, in a slip, eating chocolates, and reading movie magazines lies on the bed - obviously this is Peron's latest very young mistress. Eva enters and packs the young girl's things in a suitcase and ejects her through the door. The mistress, outside the hall sings "Another Suitcase In Another Hall" with Che and the chorus - it talks of how this scene has played itself out before and how painful it is for her. In "Peron's Latest Flame," Che sings with two factions of Argentine society that were never able to accept Eva - the military and the aristocracy. Here the rich talk about Eva simply not being well bred; the army is upset because she has distracted Peron and has also been given power that no woman, let alone a movie star, would ever be given. Both groups are upset that this lower class, graceless, vulgar, uninspired girl is becoming accepted and admired. This segues directly to the end of Act I "A New Argentina" where Peron and Eva's bedroom appears. During the course of the number, the Peron forces gather: laborers, politicians, white-collar workers to overwhelm the opposition. Each time a new force is introduced, a banner drops and a symbol and slogan of that group is seen. The supporters carry torches and eventually become a torch light parade all surrounding Peron and Eva in admiration. By the end of the number Peron and Eva are in power and the stage dissolves to an elegant, official portrait of Juan and Eva Peron. ACT II We start off at an elevated steel structure, especially built along the face of the Casa Rosada to commemorate Peron's inauguration. The crowd chants "Peron! Peron! Peron!" as he comes to the microphone. Peron takes off his jacket and rolls up his sleeves to show that he is one of the "regular people." As Peron introduces Eva, Che comments on this "tasteless phenomenon" and is dragged away by Peron's heavies. Eva appears in her most elegant ball gown wearing exquisite jewels. In "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" she tells the people of Argentina how she is there for them. She, too, was once a common woman (like many of them) who has now risen to power to help Peron in his crusade to rescue the people by taking money from the rich and giving it to the poor. In "High Flying, Adored," Che and Eva sing of her rise to power and fame. Here is a twenty-six-year-old woman who is now queen of her country. Though Eva thinks she is certainly lucky, she still is certain that she is one of a kind. The scene dissolves into "Rainbow High" where Eva has herself transformed into the virtual goddess she feels the people want to see. Her dressers make sure that everything is the best: clothes, jewelry, make-up, hair, etc. As far as Eva is concerned, she is their savior and must look the best all the time. She has also been preparing to go on a solo tour of Europe where she will visit all the great European dignitaries while her husband and retinue receive reports of her trip. In "The Rainbow Tour" Che plays the parts of all the people Eva meets in Europe. For the most part, her tour of Europe was an incredible triumph - even though the King of England didn't invite her to Buckingham Palace. This and a few other snubbings enraged her. "The Actress Hasn't Learned the Lines You'd Like To Hear" shows a new Eva who is more business-like, embittered, and impatient. The aristocracy are divested of their jewels and finery and transformed from garish wealth to drab poverty. Ironically enough, Che informs her that things really haven't changed that much for the poor. She tells him that everything will be justified by her foundation where Che and the workers sing "And the Money Kept Rolling In (and Out)" showing how Eva randomly gave money to the poor to help them in a variety of ways. In reality, she was only giving a portion to the poor and keeping the rest (a large portion) for herself. As time moves on, she becomes more adored than ever. Children appear all dressed in white singing "Santa Evita." Workers enter with candles and join in. Che comments that Eva seems to actually be preparing herself for sainthood. Che and Eva sing and dance together in "Waltz for Eva and Che." He asks her how long she thinks she can keep this charade going. She tells him to go and not remind her of everything she already knows to be true about herself and all she has done. Anyway, it appears that her body is "falling apart." Argentina, which only a few years ago had the second largest gold reserves, is now bankrupt. This is due to Peron and Eva's mismanagement and extravagant spending. Peron sings "She Is A Diamond" to his officers telling them that they need to give her a break because she is all the people of Argentina have. Mostly, she is the one who has kept the government forces where they are. The officers respond that she is the one who has kept "him" where he is. Dissension is in the air. Peron talks to Eva in "Dice Are Rolling" telling her that he is losing power in spite of all that she has done. She won't let that happen and wants to become vice-president. Peron says it isn't politically possible. Anyway, she is dying. If that is the case, she must become vice-president - now. Unfortunately, she is too weak and in too much pain to make anything work. She prepares for her "Final Broadcast" where on the radio she tells the people that she will not take any more titles or honors. She simply wants to go on as "the woman who brings her people to the heart of Peron." Eva's life flashes in front of her in "Montage" and eventually a nurse helps her to bed. In "Lament" she basically feels for all that has happened to her and because of her. Eva dies. A coffin is brought on stage. Che speaks to the audience for the first time without musical accompaniment. "Money was raised to build a tomb, a monument to Evita. Only the pedestal was completed, and Evita's body disappeared for seventeen years."

History:	Evita began life as a theatrical concept album, a quasi-operatic pop music-retelling of the life of Evita Peron. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice wrote and produced the 1976 album, their first collaboration following the sensationally successful Jesus Christ Superstar. The Evita double album spawned two hit singles, Don't Cry For Me Argentina" and "Another Suitcase In Another Hall." Following the success of the album, Robert Stigwood produced the show for the London stage, under the direction of Harold Prince. Upon its premiere it was hailed as one of the greatest works to emerge from the English musical theatre. A combination of brilliant writing and spectacular stagecraft, Evita became an all time long-run hit in the West End. It opened on Broadway in 1979, and became the musical hit of that season, winning Tony Awards for its authors as well as for director Prince and stars Patti Lupone and Mandy Patinkin. It played over fifteen hundred New York performances and toured the country for many years. The eagerly anticipated motion picture version was released in late 1996. The New York City premiere sold out long before the movie's scheduled Christmas Day opening. Directed and adapted for the screen by Alan Parker and starring pop diva Madonna, Jonathan Pryce and Antonio Banderas, the movie represented the first time in many years a major Broadway musical was brought to the silver screen."