‘Evita’ enthusiastic after three years

Press, 10 February 1982, Page 3

‘Evita’ enthusiastic after three years

After being involved in the stage musical "Evita” for more than three years. Michele Breeze still remains enthusiastic About the show. She will play the leading role. Eva Peron. in the musical during its New Zealand tour. She was in Christchurch briefly yesterday for publicity photographs before the show’s Auckland premiere on March 10. “Evita" is in its fourth year in London’s West End. after opening on June 21. 1978. and according to Ms Breeze it is “still packing them in.” The show was good from beginning to end. she said. Being involved with “Evita" for more than three years, the show still “grabbed her." Ms Breeze said that she had heard of people who had seen the London show 20 to 30 times, and each time they had seen a new aspect of the musical. She was first under-study to the first leading lady of "Evita." Elaine Paige, which involved taking the role twice a week. Her association with “Evita” may not end after the New Zealand tour is over. A screen test has been arranged in Britain for the role in the film version to be directed by Ken Russell. “Evita" was written and composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, who also wrote “Jesus Christ Superstar," and is about the life of Eva Peron, the second wife of the Argentinian dictator. Juan Peron, who helped her husband to power in 1945. She died of cancer in 1952. “Evita" will open in Christchurch's Theatre Royal from May 5, after being shown in Auckland and Wellington, and will run for two weeks and a half. The promoter of the musical, Mr Stewart Macpherson, said it was unlikely that the Christchurch season would be extended because of problems with "theatre availability." All profits from the three opening nights of “Evita” in New Zealand, will be given to the New Zealand Cancer Society’s anti-cancer appeal, the Press Association reported from Wellington yesterday. Sir John Marshall, the appeal chairman, said that Mr

Macpherson had made'a significant gesture to help the campaign, which would ef-

fectively take place on May 15 with a national door appeal and other events.