Two Eva Perons to Alternate Title Role in the Raven's "Evita"

Director John DeGaetano thought he’d have trouble finding one "Evita" for a production opening June 21 at the Raven Performing Arts Theater. Instead, he found two -- both gifted sopranos willing to take turns as Eva Perón, wife of the Argentine dictator, Juan Perón.

“We have a wonderful opportunity to bring two different looks to this demanding role,” says DeGaetano, with the air of a man who’s asked for a tree and been given an orchard. Both the well-traveled Lauren Post from San Jose Calif., and Ana Laura Nicolicchia, a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, will share the title role in the June 2013 production of "Evita.

The Raven Players first put on Evita eight years ago, the theater's director of communications Carol Noack reminds us, as their first "really top-level show – everyone loved it, and the cast was terrific."

But it was a relatively spare production, Noack says, and this time director DeGaetano was interested in trying a more robust version. "Between the cast and the crew we have more than 50 people involved. And it’s thrilling that the musicals that the Raven Players put on are drawing such broad interest from performers that we got actors from way out of our area at our auditions."

Part of the fun of seeing the Raven’s Evita will be the question, “Which soprano will it be?”

A singer all her life, California native Lauren Post has toured the seven seas as a headlining singer for Carnival Cruise Lines, where she debuted her one-woman show, “Hooray for Hollywood.” Recently, she’s been a soloist in several venues in California, and she also sings in the Festival Chorale under the direction of Maestro Donald Runnicles from the San Francisco Opera at the Grand Teton Music Festival in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Ana Laura Nicolicchia, born into a family of musicians in Buenos Aires, studied opera under Professor Andres Bugallo, Choir Director of La Plata City Cathedral, who guided her through acceptance to the Classical Music Conservatory of Buenos Aires, and induction into the prestigious Musiké National Choir. She has also performed in England and Italy and collaborated in English and Spanish with Barbara Streisand’s band members.

As well as his two Evitas, Gaetano is thrilled to have the singing sensation Pedro Rodelas as Che Guevara. As a part-time member of the San Francisco Opera chorus, Rodelas performs regularly with “The Three Waiters,” and has played “Chef Pierre” for eight annual Bracebridge Dinners at Yosemite National Park. His operatic stage credits include principal roles in La Bohème, Carmen, Tosca, and Madame Butterfly. Musical theater credits include Tony from West Side Story and Harold Hill from The Music Man.

The Raven Players is one of only a few theater companies licensed to perform Evita outside New York. The musical debuted in London’s West End in 1978, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, and includes the hit numbers “Another Suitcase in Another Hall” and “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina.”

“In some ways,” notes DeGaetano, “Evita is a Cinderella story turned on its head—the little girl from Los Toldos, a dirty, poor village far from Buenos Aires. The difference is that this Cinderella isn’t a good girl winning her prince almost by chance, but a cunning woman driven to achieve fame and power by any means.”

Evita is a Raven Players Production. Show dates: June 21, 22, 23 (matinée), 27 (value night), 28, 29, 30 (matinee); July 5, 6, 7 (matinee), 12, 13, 14 (matinée). Sunday matinées start at 2 pm; all other dates at 8 pm.

General Admission: Adults $30, Seniors (65+) $25, Students with ID $25. ALL RESERVED SEATING for this event. $15 for Value Night, available at the door only. Tickets available online at www.raventheater.org; in limited quantities, cash/check only, at Copperfield's in Healdsburg and Santa Rosa; and at Pages in Windsor.

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