Bay Street's "EVITA" Rocks!

Bay Street Theater and Sag Harbor Center for the Arts’ production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s award-winning, bio-operetta “EVITA,” was just extended through September 2, due to popular demand.

Saturday’s opening night performance proved to be a thought-provoking and intimate restaging of Hal Prince’s original production. From the moment you walk into the theater to locate your seats, you’re instantly transported to another time and place by Anna Louizos set design of a gritty Argentinean, 1930’s, tango club. The tight-knit ensemble, already in character, is mingling on stage, chatting at tables, tending bar, and dancing to live music.

Although the rock opera is four decades old, Will Pomerantz, an immensely talented and innovative director performs his magic, and voila! – Bay Street’s revival seems fresh and relevant. The premise of how media manipulates, and how an entertainer, with a less than stellar past, becomes a politician, certainly resonates with today’s American political scene where every other actor and reality star wants to be and actually can be the next President of the United States.

The story centers on the iconic Eva Perón and her meteoric rise to the top as the First Lady of Argentina. This rag-to-riches story is set in Buenos Aires between 1934 and 1952, and opens with an announcement of Eva’s death. To some, she was a saint, to others a sinner, but the one thing that most people can agree upon is that she was a force to be reckoned with. Arianna Rosario is an impressive Eva, sensuous in her dancing, evocative with her vocals, and captivating as an actress. She’s absolutely stunning when she appears in a breathtaking white gown, designed by the massively talented Lindsay W. Davis.

Omar Lopez-Cepero gives a powerful performance as Juan Perón, bringing a vocal richness that adds depth to his portrayal of this controversial figure. There’s undeniably great chemistry between Ms. Rosario and Mr. Lopez-Ceparo, and I wasn’t surprised to later learn that in real life they’re very much in love and engaged to be married.

Trent Saunders portrays Che, the antagonistic commentator of the show, with conviction and amazing charisma. His vocal abilities enhanced the production as he expertly belted out some of Tim Rice’s most memorable and biting lyrics.

Marcos Santana’s adrenaline-pumping choreography will make you want to go out and learn how to tango.

Other cast members include Kyle Barisich as Magaldi, who gets some of the best laughs in the show, and Gabi Campo as The Mistress. Ms. Campo has a beautiful voice and incredible stage presence.

The multitalented Ensemble members, whose high-octane dancing and arresting vocals greatly contributed to the shows overall success, include: Julian Alvarez, Edgar Cavazos, Lauren Csete, Elisa Galindez, Danelle Rivera, Juan Guillen, Jose Ozuna, Carolina Santos Read, and Dakota Quackenbush. Ms. Quackenbush, who will be entering 7th grade in September, is the youngest cast member, and yet, she performed her solo like a veteran stage performer.

Other members of the creative team include: Aaron Jodoin (Music Supervisor), Mike Billings (Lighting Designer), Jon Weston (Sound Designer), Andrew Diaz (Prop Designer), Robert Bennett (Production Stage Manager), Denise Yaney (Assistant Stage Manager), and Stewart/Whitley (Casting).

Bay Street’s “EVITA,” is hauntingly mesmerizing. Sensational staging, high-energy choreography, combined with a live orchestra and powerful vocals all add up to a musical megahit.

For more information or to purchase tickets, log on to www.baystreet.org or call the Box Office at 631-725-9500, which is currently open daily from 11 am – showtime.

Photo by Lenny Stucker/lennystucker.com

Cindi Sansone-Braff is an award-winning playwright and author of “Grant Me a Higher Love,” and “Why Good People Can’t Leave Bad Relationships.” She has a BFA in theatre from the University of Connecticut. Last summer, “Tomorrow’s Classic Theatre Company” produced her full-length play, “Beethoven’s Promethean Concerto in C Minor WoO,” a theatrical tribute to the man, the myth, the music, which received an “Encore Theater Award,” and “Digital Journal” named it the “Best Indie Play of 2017.”