Diego Rodriguez and James Olivas will star alongside Rachel Zegler in “Evita,” which opens on Broadway next spring.
Rodriguez and Olivas are reprising their roles as Che and Juan Perón, respectively, from last summer’s acclaimed West End production. As previously announced, Zegler is reprising her Olivier Award-winning role as Argentinian first lady Eva Perón.
Director Jamie Lloyd’s revival of the hit rock opera musical, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, was a massive hit last year in London. The musical follows the rags-to-riches story of Perón and features songs like “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina,” “Oh What A Circus” and “Another Suitcase in Another Hall.”
Rodriguez is returning to Broadway after his turn in Lloyd’s popular “Sunset Boulevard” revival, starring Nicole Scherzinger. Olivas is making his Broadway debut in this production.
Other cast members in “Evita” will include Bella Brown, who is transferring to Broadway as The Mistress and the alternate Eva Perón, and Ángel Lozada as Agustín Magaldi. The ensemble will feature Giuseppe Bausilio, Mely Berdion, Brandon Borkowsky, Ayla Ciccone-Burton, Grace Conrad, Christian Jesús Galvis, Tommy Gedrich, Sydney Jones, Natasha Leaver, Maggie Likcani, Mireia Mambo, Sebastian Martinez, Justice Moore, Pepe Muñoz, Julio Rey, Ken San Jose, Victor Carrillo Tracey, Damani Van Rensalier and J’Kobe Wallace. Swings for this production are Alexis Hasbrouck, AK Naderer, Regine Sophia, Francisco Thurston, Bryce Valle and Michael Bryan Wang.
“Evita” originally debuted in London’s West End in 1978 starring Elaine Paige, and it transferred to Broadway in 1979 led by Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin. It has been revived several times on Broadway and the West End over the years and was adapted into a 1996 film starring Madonna and Antonio Banderas.
“Evita” will play at the Winter Garden Theater after Lloyd’s adaptation of “Much Ado About Nothing” plays a 10-week engagement at the same venue starting on Oct. 31.
Lloyd previously revealed he is making one major change from the West End production of “Evita.” In London, Zegler sang “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” outside, from the balcony of the theater, which was then projected on a screen inside the venue for ticket buyers. For logistic reasons, they won’t be replicating the iconic sequence.
“When we started discussing a New York production, it became apparent that our Palladium staging of ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina’ would not be possible,” Lloyd said when it was announced that “Evita” would transfer to Broadway. “I am really excited to explore a new idea, made especially for Broadway.”