Eva Perón was an amazing woman. In her 33 years, she rose from a poor girl to a radio and film star and eventually became the First Lady of Argentina. She’s remembered for her campaigns for women’s suffrage and advocating for the poor. To this day there is an ideology called Peronism. With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, Silhouette Stages’ Evita is a smash. Director Daniel Douek, Music Director Virginia Moses, and Choreographer Amie Bell made the performances believable, the music melodious, and the dancing sizzle. Many of the tunes had a rock and roll feel. Evita was initially a rock opera album released in 1976. It received the Tony Award for Best Musical, the first British musical to do so. The singer Madonna appeared in a 1996 film adaptation. The 1980 commercial for the Broadway version of the show was epic. That version starred Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin (The Princess Bride). Samantha McEwen Deininger as Eva Perón with Matt Sheer as Juan Perón (right) and ensemble member J.R. Hontz (left) in ‘Evita.’ Photo by Shealyn Jae Photography. Samantha Deininger’s performance as Eva Perón was unforgettable. Angelic and magnificent are the words that come to mind when I think of her singing voice. She brought so much emotion to songs such as “I’d Be Surprisingly Good for You,” “You Must Love Me,” and the staccato-like “Buenos Aires (Just a Little Touch of Star Quality”). Deininger enthralled the audience with her rendition of “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina.” She evoked emotion and depth in that and other songs. The character Che, who was supposed to be Argentine-Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara, served as an omniscient narrator who guided the audience through Eva’s story like a Greek chorus. His appearance in the musical is a historical inaccuracy. As far as we know, Che Guevara never met in person or even spoke on the phone with Eva Perón. As a voice of the working people, Brian Dauglash gave Che attitude and a cynical edge. He was featured in such songs as “High Flying, Adored,” “Waltz for Eva and Che,” and “Eva’s Final Broadcast” — all duets with Deininger. Brian Dauglash as Che in ‘Evita.’ Photo by Shealyn Jae Photography. Matt Scheer looks like his character, three-time Argentinian President Juan Perón. He showed strong emotions in “Montage” and “Lament.” Both those songs documented Eva’s sickness and eventual death. The show barely touched on the bizarre true-life story of what happened to her body after she passed. Agustín Magaldi was a tango singer who, according to the story, brought Eva to Buenos Aires, in essence discovering her. Historically, it is unclear that this ever happened. Henry Cyr was perfectly cast as Magaldi. His performance was fantastic and he looks like an old picture of Magaldi. Magaldi was a bit of a “tool” (both used by others and arrogant) in the show. Cyr’s breakout performance was in “On This Night of 1,000 Stars,” which featured Projection Designer Chris Uehlinger’s star-studded backdrop. Samantha McEwen Deininger as Eva Perón and Henry Cyr as Agustin Magaldi in ‘Evita.’ Photo by Shealyn Jae Photography. Julie Mimms gave seductive vibes as Perón’s Mistress. Mimms had a somewhat humorous duet with Deininger in “Another Suitcase in Another Hall,” which related how Eva went through men and how Perón went through women. Eva was his second wife, and after Eva passed away, he married a third wife, Isabel (who went on to be one of the world’s first female heads of state in 1974). Bell choreographed stellar moves that punctuated and enlivened the songs. Ensemble members such as Jae Jones, Erica Miller, Otega Okurume, and Jose Reyes Teneza stood out in the carefully choreographed numbers. Costume Designers Tricia Anderson and Tara Herbert gave Deininger many fabulous outfits, each apropos for given scenes. She gave some ensemble members and Scheer impressive-looking military uniforms. Her best work in the show may have been Cyr’s pink and black floral-print suit. Hair and Wig Designer Tommy Malek gave Deininger and ensemble members period hairstyles. She gave Scheer and Cyr slicked-back, Germanic hairstyles like the late pop singer Falco. An upstage podium with the Argentine seal painted on it was nearly all that the set consisted of. Scenic Designer Kateri Pelton made much of little. Evita evokes curiosity about what really happened to these characters because there is almost no spoken dialogue, only musical. The show leaves much history to unpack. Subjects like Argentinian women’s voting rights were briefly alluded to. As Douek, who was born in Argentina, wrote about Eva, the truth “is elusive and complex. I hope our production of Evita will raise our audience’s curiosity for that woman, who, in the short span of 33 years, managed to touch the lives of millions of people.” This show is a musical lover’s dream. The singing is magnificent, the dancing is outstanding, and the music is spectacular. The run is short so grab your ticket today. Running Time: Two hours and 25 minutes including one 15-minute intermission. Evita plays through November 3, 2024 (Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm, Sundays at 2:00 pm), presented by Silhouette Stages performing at Slayton House in the Wilde Lake Village Center, 10400 Cross Fox Lane Columbia, MD. Purchase tickets ($24, adult; $20, senior, student, military, educator; $15, child) online. For additional information, call 410-216-4499 or email [email protected] COVID Safety: Masks are highly encouraged but not required. Evita Lyrics by Tim Rice, Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber CAST Eva Perón: Samantha Deininger Che: Brian Dauglash Juan Perón: Matt Scheer Agustin Magaldi: Henry Cyr Perón’s Mistress: Julie Mimms PRODUCTION TEAM Director: Daniel Douek Music Director: Virginia Moses Choreographer: Amie Bell Costume Designers: Tricia Anderson and Tara Herbert Hair & Wig Design: Tommy Malek Projection Designer: Chris Uehlinger Scenic Designer: Kateri Pelton ENSEMBLE Megan Barnes Libby Burgess Tori Farnsworth J.R. Hontz Judah-Isaac Canizares Gillian Keirn John Lynch Erica Miller Julie Mimms Otega Okurume Nathanael Quay Katie Sheldon Jose Reyes Teneza Carolina Tomasi