Christ's College and Rangi Ruru Girls' School present Christchurch's first large-scale musical production since Covid Lockdown.
Under Covid Alert Level 2, most people will see the show in dedicated venues around town.
There is no private online access to any recording of our Evita. You can only view our show at the special satellite theatres on the designated nights at 7pm.
Five performances only: Wednesday 9 September until Sunday 13 September, 2020.
The tickets for the Assembly Hall have all been sold. By special arrangement, there are limited tickets available for the live feed simulcast at our satellite theatre at The Piano.
Evita ... live streamed is sensational. Those who had the pleasure of attending the live stream events at Wednesday’s opening night are truly amazed at how spectacular this show is. The close ups of the cast are unbelievable! So, get your friends together and enjoy watching the professionally produced live simulcast at The Piano, don’t miss your opportunity to see this outstanding production.
The rise and rise of Eva Perón is an unlikely subject for a musical. Sir Tim Rice and Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber thought differently. They immortalised a woman who died almost 70 years ago.
Born in rural poverty, by twenty-seven Evita had become Argentina’s first lady. Along the way, she escaped her modest village for Buenos Aires and her tango-singer lover for more influential men.
In 1943 she met Juan Perón, an ambitious colonel in the military government of the day. They complemented one another perfectly. He wanted political power, she knew where it lay.
To the descamisados, “the shirtless ones”, Eva represented hope, living proof of the possibility of escaping to a better life. The elite, who had squandered Argentina’s riches, labelled her a whore, whose cult of personality threatened the equilibrium of the nation.
She championed workers and women’s rights but history debates whether she exploited her position. Her death from cancer at 33 and the outpouring of grief this occasioned (700,000 attended the funeral) brought speculation to a halt.
Was she a champion or an opportunist? The Evita Musical allows scope for both interpretations. Ché, the narrator, weaves through the action like a Greek chorus. He talks to the audience, glancing suggestively at them to highlight his observations, often cynically commenting on Evita’s journey.
A new Argentina, the chains of the masses untied!
A new Argentina, the voice of the people cannot be denied.
Eva’s short but turbulent story is brought to the stage by a stellar Rangi Ruru Girls' School and Christ’s College company who bring energy, vitality and vivid storytelling to this legendary musical – EVITA!
College and Rangi have done it again.
It opens at the close, with the sombre announcement that Eva Perón, dynamic and beloved first lady of Argentina, has died – and then springs to vibrant life, charting the rise and rise of this charismatic woman, from rural poverty to the height of her powers as the wife of Argentine president Juan Perón, before coming full circle and ending with her untimely death.
College and Rangi Ruru have done it again. They have taken this masterpiece of musical theatre by Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Tim Rice and created a compelling, memorable production – and, perhaps channelling the spirit of Eva, they have not let obstacles get in their way. Covid alert level 2? Restrictions on audience size? Physical distancing requirements? No problem. They got creative, found a solution, got permission to live stream the production, booked cameras, outside broadcast facilities and satellite venues, and made sure the show can go on.
And what a show.
Leads Georgina Scott as Evita, Dominic Edmond as Ché, and Fletcher Anderson as Perón have extraordinary presence, they own the stage. Ché swaggers and struts, immune to Eva’s charms, and drives the story along. Evita is magnetic, seductive, enthralling, irresistible. Perón exudes power. This trio of stars are ably supported by cast-off lovers Lily Barrowcliffe as the Mistress and Ollie Jones as Magaldi, as well as a large cast of talented singers and dancers.
Behind the scenes, the show is equally as sharp. Under the direction of Rangi Ruru’s Janet Kingsbury, the orchestra doesn’t miss a beat, reflecting and underscoring the mood of every scene, every song. The costumes, makeup and sets brilliantly evoke the look and feel of Argentina in the 1940s and 50s.
Whether you are seated in the Assembly Hall or watching the professionally produced live simulcast at one of our satellite theatres, don’t miss the opportunity to see this outstanding show.
For advertising and sponsorship opportunities, please contact skeach@christscollege.com or b.woodham@rangiruru.school.nz