Hannah Corneau, according to the Chicago Tribune, will star as Eva Peron, the role created in London by Elaine Paige and subsequently on Broadway by Patti LuPone. As is customary with the vocally demanding role, Corneau will play six performances with Samantha Pauly playing two shows a week. The cast will also include Austin Lesch as Che, Larry Adams as Juan Peron, David Schlumpf as Magaldi and Eliza Palasz as the Mistress with William Carlos Angulo, Lauren Blane, Brian Bohr, Brianna Borger, Jameson Cooper, Bobby Daye, Alana Grossman, Anne Gunn, George Keating, Lauren Kias, Josh Kohane, Kristina Larson-Hauk, Russell Mernagh, Christine Mild, Sayiga Eugene Peabody, James Rank, Todd Rhoades, Emily Rohm, Laura Savage and Jason Slattery.
The production will be directed and choreographed by Alex Sanchez with musical direction by Ryan T. Nelson.
Evita, which premiered as a two-LP recording starring Julie Covington (Eva) and Colm Wilkinson (Che), features a score by Andrew Lloyd Webber (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics). Hal Prince staged both the original London and New York productions of the musical, which made stars of Paige (in London) and Mandy Patinkin and LuPone (on Broadway). The score features such tunes as “Don't Cry for Me Argentina,” “Buenos Aires,” “A New Argentina,” “Another Suitcase in Another Hall,” “I'd Be Surprisingly Good for You” and “Rainbow High.” Madonna, Antonio Banderas and Jonathan Pryce starred in the film version.