In what is sure to be the most entertaining history lessons you'll ever receive, the University drama department is closing out it's 2010-11 season with Evita, the classic 1978 musical with music and lyrics by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Evita chronicles the rise to power and eventual death of Eva Peron, the second wife of Argentinean dictator Juan Peron. Director and Prof. Robert Chapel chatted with tableau about his latest production.
tableau: Why did you choose to make Evita this spring's production?
Chapel: We had never done an opera in the department, and I realized we finally were at a time when we definitely had the singers to do this ... It also allows for a great deal of time on stage for an ensemble to do many different things, [which is] very good for many of our student-actors.
tableau: What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of taking on such a classic production?
Chapel: One of the advantages is that this show, within the confines of a university theater, is eminently doable in regards to the technical elements of the show - although our costume shop had to work overtime to create over 100 costumes. It is also a great show for the members of the ensemble - [a lot] to do throughout, playing many different roles. One does worry that because of the somewhat recent release of the film, differences - and a few glaring ones - between the screenplay and the musical play will be surprising to an audience and subsequently not pleasing. Fortunately, this has been a worry that has proved to be unnecessary.
tableau: As the director, what was the most rewarding part about putting on this particular show with your current cast and crew?
Chapel: First of all, I have been blessed to have amazingly talented leads: Gracie Terzian sings Evita's songs as well as they can be sung; Gavin Rohrer brings out an intellectual quality in Che that I have not seen in other productions of this show; Ali Stoner brings a lovely pathos to her song "Another Suitcase in Another Hall," and she has done an absolutely wonderful job choreographing the show; and Adam Smith and Scott Russell deliver well-sung and well-rounded performances as Peron and Magaldi ... It has been a labor of love and sheer hard work on everyone's part, and being part of this group of dedicated artists has been truly rewarding.
tableau: How do you think the story of Evita is historically relevant today?
Chapel: This is first of all, of course, a true story about a despot and his wife who rose from poverty to become the first lady of Argentina. Their government was corrupt and, as we're seeing in the Middle East today, dictatorial corrupt governments get overthrown. But this is not only about corruption, but about a woman's sheer willpower to rise regardless of all of the obstacles facing her and about her tragic end, at the peak of her popularity, when she succumbs to cancer.
tableau: Is there a particular message you hope the audience will take away from the show?
Chapel: I hope the audience goes away fascinated by this story and runs to get a book and read about Eva Peron's life [to] fill in the many holes left unsaid due to time constraints within the course of the musical. It is a quite an interesting story.
Evita opened last weekend and is running April 27-30 at 8 p.m. and April 30 at 2 p.m. at Culbreth Theatre.
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