‘Evita’ on Sondheim stage Friday

Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's blockbuster hit musical 'Evita” celebrates the 40th anniversary of its 1979 Broadway debut, live on stage at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center's Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Staged by Andy Ferrara with musical direction by Lloyd Cooper, the tour brings together talent from around the country to perform one of the best-known musicals in history.

'Evita” charts the young and ambitious Eva Peron's meteoric rise to sainthood. Set in Argentina between 1934-1952, the Tony Award-winning musical follows Eva Duarte on her journey from poor, illegitimate child to ambitious actress to, as wife of military leader-turned-president Juan Peron, the most powerful woman in Latin America, before her death from cancer at age 33.

The events in Evita's life are presented in song, while the story is led by the show's narrator, Che.

Well-known numbers include 'Don't Cry for Me Argentina,” 'Oh What a Circus,” 'Buenos Aires” and 'Another Suitcase in Another Hall.”

'With what's going on in the world of politics today, there's no better time to revisit this iconic work of musical theater,” praised Ferrara. 'We are excited to bring ‘Evita' to theaters across the country.”

One of the most lauded works in musical theater history, 'Evita” has earned accolades and awards across the globe, including the Olivier Award, Drama Desk Award and Tony Award for Best Musical. The 1980 Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album went to Rice and Lloyd Webber for 'Evita.” Twenty-five English language recordings of the cast album join foreign language versions in Spanish, German, Japanese, Hebrew, Czech, Korean and Icelandic among many others.

The popular film version of 'Evita” won the Academy Award and Golden Globe for the new song 'You Must Love Me,” which Madonna, as Eva, sang in the film. 'We are excited to include ‘You Must Love Me' in our touring production of ‘Evita,'” shared Cooper. 'Thanks to Rice and Lloyd Webber, the musical has grown even richer with the addition of this gorgeous ballad.'”

'Evita” reunites Ferrara with longtime collaborators Chad Bonaker (lighting design), Nicholas White (sound design) and Thomas Marquez (wardrobe coordinator). Award-winning set designer Bruce Brockman has created a new look for 'Evita,” coordinating with video designer Mark Ciglar to add a special high-tech dimension to this production.

'With the increasing use of video on Broadway and in touring productions, we felt it was time to bring this technology to our production of ‘Evita,'” continued Ferrara. 'With our video walls, we can take the audience cinematically from rural Junin to the Casa Rosada, cross the Atlantic on Eva's Rainbow Tour, bring her back to her beloved descamisados, and do all of it seamlessly onstage.”

Starring as Eva is Miami-based actress Yael Reich, who has been featured in national tours of 'Rent” and 'Mamma Mia!” among other hits. She is joined by Los Angeles actors Lance Galgon as Che and Gary Barton as Juan Peron. A talented cast of singer/dancers and orchestra of nine musicians round out the touring company, under the auspices of general manager/executive producer Paul Rambacher.

Tickets for 'Evita” are $54 for Zone 1, $49 for Zone 2, $40 for Zone 3, $24 for Zone 4 and $15 for youth and students. Tickets are available at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center's ticket office, 472-2787 and www.FairfieldACC.com.