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A woman with a voice

Posted at 1:45 PM on October 1, 2010 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Music, Theater

Behind the Scenes with EVITA from Theater Latte Da on Vimeo.

Theater Latté Da's production of Evita opened at the Orday Center for Performing Arts last night, and it's already extended its run by two weeks to accomodate demand for tickets. Theater Latté Da is known for taking big musical pieces and presenting them in a more intimate setting. Artistic Director Peter Rothstein says he chose Evite because he was looking for a work that was dance-driven, that could be approached more physically.

I think there are many big Broadway musicals that benefit from an intimate setting where character and drama can replace spectacle. Evita is an incredible character study and a pretty dynamite drama. I also look for programming that is surprising, unexpected and hopefully makes people say, "I wonder what Latté Da will do with that."

So why perform Evita now? Rothstein says Evita became a hero and a savior in large part because Argentinians were desperate for someone they believed could save them from economic trauma. Hmmm, now why does that sound familiar...?