Regent’s Park Theatre have today announced principal casting and full creative team for their production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita.
Chicago-based Samantha Pauly makes her UK debut in the role of Eva Peron, direct from her performance in SIX (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre) and as Valkyrie in Bat Out Of Hell (US Tour). She appears alongside Ektor Rivera, also making his UK debut, having recently played Emilio Estefan in On Your Feet! on Broadway and US Tour. In addition to lead roles in Rent, Hairspray and High School Musical, Ektor was selected by Jennifer López to be one of the lead singers in the US Television and Live show Q’Viva! The Chosen, which was seen by over 30 million television viewers.
An original Broadway cast member of Disney’s Aladdin – where he has been performing on and off for the last 5 years – Trent Saunders returns to the UK in the role of Che following his appearance as St. Jimmy in Green Day’s American Idiot (Hammersmith Apollo). Nominated for an Olivier Award for her role as Kylah in Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, Frances Mayli McCann plays the role of The Mistress.
Joining Director Jamie Lloyd are: Soutra Gilmour (Designer), Fabian Aloise (Choreographer), Alan Williams (Musical Supervisor), Jon Clark (Lighting Designer), Nick Lidster for Autograph (Sound Designer) and Barbara Houseman (Season Associate Director, Voice and Text). UK casting is by Will Burton CDG for DGA, and US casting by Tara Rubin Casting.
Jamie Lloyd said “After an international search, I am incredibly excited about the amazing talent we have discovered, and the variety of voices we have assembled, to share this story today. Samantha Pauly will lead a thrillingly diverse and powerful company.”
Evita premiered in the West End in 1978, and features a chart-topping score including Don’t Cry For Me Argentina, Oh! What A Circus, Another Suitcase in Another Hall, and the Academy Award-winning You Must Love Me, originally performed by Madonna in the motion picture.
The fastest selling production in the theatre’s history, Evita plays at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre from 2 August – 21 September.
