THE BASICS: EVITA, the 1980 multiple Tony Award-winning musical by Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice, in a “concert performance” presented by Starring Buffalo, with their signature method of mixing Broadway professionals, Buffalo professionals, and this time the high school choirs from City Honors and Frederick Law Olmsted, opened on Friday, November 4 at 7:30 pm, with two remaining shows this Saturday, November 5 at both 2 pm and 7:30 pm at Shea’s 710 Theatre, at the corner of Main and Tupper across from the “Theatre District” plaza.
Runtime: Two hours with one 20-minute intermission in the attractive 710 lobby/lounge area.
THUMBNAIL SKETCH: Set in Argentina between 1934 and 1952, EVITA charts Eva Peron’s (born Duarte) rise from poverty to become the most powerful woman in Latin America, with many very enjoyable songs in addition, but definitely not exclusive, to the hit “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina.” Far from a dry lesson in South American political history, this is a tuneful story of ambition run wild.
THE PLAYERS, THE PLAY, AND THE PRODUCTION: The Starring Buffalo concert performance features Tony Award-Winning Lena Hall (Best Featured Actress in a Musical as “Yitzhak” in HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH) as Eva Perón. (Fun fact: Lena Hall is the stage name of Celina Consuela Gabriella Carvajal.) Also onstage is Robi Hager (SPRING AWAKENING) as Che, and Nicholas Rodriguez (COMPANY, TARZAN) as Juan Perón, performing alongside Buffalo area stars Anna Fernandez (Artie Award-Nominee, A CHORUS LINE) as The Mistress, and Raphael Santos (Artie Award-Nominee, THE TOXIC AVENGER) as Magaldi with Blaise Mercedes (Artie Award-Nominee, WEST SIDE STORY), Victoria Pérez (multiple Artie Award nominations), Mateo Rivera, Joe Russi, Madalyn Teal, and Dan Torres, as well as dozens of Western New York singers, dancers, and musicians (offstage, led by Daniel Bassin).
As you can tell by many of the last names, the producers have called in some of the best Latin talents, many of them locally affiliated with Raíces Theatre, Buffalo’s Latino theater group. There were three outstanding performances. First, from Broadway’s Robi Hager as Che, a made-up character that narrates the action and provides an alternative narrative to the blind worship of Evita. Even though, in reality, Juan Perón did meet a few times with the Argentine-born revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara, that is NOT the character we see on stage. In fact, in South America, the name or nickname “Che” might even translate to simply “guy” or “dude.” After the opening choral “Requiem for Evita,” Hager has the opening song “Oh, What a Circus” and he set the standard of excellence that, for the most part, was upheld all evening.
Evita curtain call – photo by Peter Hall
Also delivering at that high level was Buffalo’s Raphael Santos as “Magaldi,” Evita’s first love/stepping stone, and a sensuous tango singer with a smooth and silky voice. Note to Buffalo producers: ¡Queremos más Santos! We want more Santos!
The third highlight came from Buffalo’s Anna Fernandez, tall and lovely, with a pure voice that captivated the audience. She was also invaluable in group numbers helping to sweeten the sound. Fernandez recently starred as “Morticia” in O’Connell & Company’s ADDAMS FAMILY and I would say that this is her year. On stage she sat next to her ADDAMS FAMILY co-star, Madalyn Teal and the two of them seemed to be having so much fun! A major goal of Drew Fornarola when he began Starring Buffalo productions was to bring together musical professionals who might not otherwise get a chance to work together and you got the feeling that Fernandez and Teal were “in the moment.”
By the way, in his opening remarks, director Fornarola explained that the group first assembled on Wednesday morning, and had put this all together in just three days. Amazing.
My only disappointment was in the vocal performance of Lena Hall, who may have had a cold. Her voice was often raspy and at times a little screechy. That may not be entirely on her. The role is notoriously difficult. In fact, in an interview with the NY Times critic Jesse Green, Patti Lupone said “EVITA was the worst experience of my life…I was screaming my way through a part that could only have been written by a man who hates women.” At intermission, a local director told me that when Madonna sang the role, it was transposed down to a more reasonable key. He also suggested that if the tempo of “A New Argentina” had been faster, then Ms. Hall could have just touched on the high notes instead of being forced to hold them.
That aside, there are many, many delights in this production of EVITA that I don’t have space for, but when you go, (it’s on stage again Saturday November 5 at both 2 and 7:30) you’ll be more than entertained. I’m giving it Four Buffalos, which means that “Both the production and the play are of high caliber. If the genre/content are up your alley, I would make a real effort to attend.”
Meanwhile, across town, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is also putting on a semi-staged bit of music history. Instead of Argentina in the 1940s and 50s, it’s New York City and Berlin, Germany in the 1920s, 30s, and 40s.
THE BASICS: PROHIBITION, presented on the BPO Pops Series, conducted by Bradley Thachuk with three vocalists – Broadway’s Bronson Norris Murphy as the “Dapper Young Man,” Off-Broadway’s Madison Claire Parks as the “Young Ingenue,” and international blues and jazz vocalist Myra Maud well-cast as the “Cabaret Singer” opened at a Friday morning Coffee Concert with one more performance, Saturday evening, November 5, at 7:30 at Kleinhans Music Hall. 716-885-5000 bpo.org Runtime: 2 hours with one intermission
THUMBNAIL SKETCH: With vintage photographs projected on the overhead screen along with “silent movie” cues in a retro typeface appearing to flicker like an old movie, we are treated to 26 musical numbers, all arranged by Jeff Tyzik, all presented without introduction, as things move quickly along featuring a variety of (very retro) musical styles in this highly produced program. This is not the music of your grandparents. It’s the music of your grandparents’ grandparents. And it’s so much fun!
THE PLAYERS, THE PLAY, AND THE PRODUCTION: After an orchestral number we are first treated to 1931’s “My Canary Has Circles Under His Eyes” with lyrics by Ted Kohler. If that name rings a bell, it could be because he was a favorite collaborator with Buffalo’s own Harold Arlen. So there are several more now-forgotten songs, but then there are more well-known hits including “La Vie En Rose,” and “Mack The Knife,” and one made very popular by The Andrews Sisters with the Yiddish title “Bei Mir bist Du Schön” (To me you are lovely). In the first half, we go between New York City and Berlin during the Weimar Republic, a place and time familiar to many through the musical CABARET.
You can see the entire playlist along with artist bios here.
There’s an extensive segment dealing with the Great Depression including “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime” followed by more upbeat numbers such as “We’re In the Money,” “On The Sunny Side of the Street,” ending with Irving Berlin’s “Puttin’ On The Ritz.”
As mentioned there is no commentary as is usual with Bradley Thachuk Pops Concerts. Instead, the three vocal stars enter in various costumes to sing solos, duets, or trios. There’s some dancing and sometimes they just sit at a tiny table for two and gaze into each other’s eyes singing a love duet.
I must say that in these anxious times it was reassuring to remember that as a nation we endured such national mistakes as Prohibition and that we also got through The Great Depression.
As with EVITA, I’m giving it Four Buffalos, which means that “Both the production and the play are of high caliber. If the genre/content are up your alley, I would make a real effort to attend.”
Kleinhans Music Hall is at “3 Symphony Circle” Buffalo, 14201 where Porter Avenue, Richmond Avenue, North Street and Wadsworth meet at a traffic circle. Visit www.bpo.org or call 716-885-5000. Full-service bar in the lobby or across the lobby in the Mary Seaton Room. Masks are optional.
*HERD OF BUFFALO (Notes on the Rating System)
ONE BUFFALO: This means trouble. A dreadful play, a highly flawed production, or both. Unless there is some really compelling reason for you to attend (i.e. you are the parent of someone who is in it), give this show a wide berth.
TWO BUFFALOS: Passable, but no great shakes. Either the production is pretty far off base, or the play itself is problematic. Unless you are the sort of person who’s happy just going to the theater, you might look around for something else.
THREE BUFFALOS: I still have my issues, but this is a pretty darn good night at the theater. If you don’t go in with huge expectations, you will probably be pleased.
FOUR BUFFALOS: Both the production and the play are of high caliber. If the genre/content are up your alley, I would make a real effort to attend.
FIVE BUFFALOS: Truly superb–a rare rating. Comedies that leave you weak with laughter, dramas that really touch the heart. Provided that this is the kind of show you like, you’d be a fool to miss it!
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