Valentine's Day Memory: Experiencing "The NEW Evita" Matinee at the Fox Theatre February 14, 1999

The original Broadway production of "Evita" debuted 20 years earlier, directed by the legendary Hal Prince. The musical, with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, celebrates the life of Argentina's iconic Eva Perón. The first three U.S. touring companies brought this spectacular show to audiences across the country, and in 1999, a new production billed as "The NEW Evita" was making waves.

I told Terry I was heading out to shop for his Valentine's Day gift, but little did he know, I already had a ticket for the matinee show and couldn't get him one. He was supposed to be visiting his mom out of town, but his plans got canceled. After the show, I hopped on the MARTA train to Perimeter Mall to buy Terry some cologne and didn't tell him until many years later that I saw "Evita" that day.

I was super excited to see the show because I had seen Natalie Toro, who played Evita, in "CATS" as Grizabella and absolutely loved her voice. To my surprise, Natalie Toro wasn't scheduled for this performance, but Ana Maria Andricain, the alternate Evita, was amazing. Raymond Jaramillo McLeod somehow made Juan Perón kind of sexy—something I never thought I'd say! The role of Perón's mistress was played by a young lady named Angela Covington, who was only 16 at the time. Her rendition of "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" was the best I've ever heard. The fact that Angela was so young added a sleazy vibe to the role of Juan Perón.

Ana Maria Andricain as Evita

As much as everyone was there to see "EVITA" and whoever was playing the iconic role created by Julie Covington on record, Elaine Paige in London, and Patti LuPone on Broadway, the real star of this production was a relatively unknown actor playing Che named Raúl Esparza. His performance was incredible and truly moved the plot along.

The production was based on the original Hal Prince production as seen on Broadway and the first three U.S. touring companies. It was billed as faithfully directed and choreographed by the original Broadway choreographer, Larry Fuller.

This production of "Evita" opened almost 20 years to the day after its American debut at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. This tour was supposed to open on Broadway after the tour ended, but it never made it, and the production was canceled despite the touring production's tickets selling well.

Some reviews mentioned that the production's set seemed dated. However, I loved it because I knew it was the closest to the original Broadway production and the original tours, which I was too young to have seen. It gave me a chance to see what the spectacle might have been like. Perhaps the reviews a bout the set contributed to the fact it didn't make it to Broadway.

The reorchestrated score didn't sound like the original Broadway cast album and sounded a bit more like the original Spanish cast recording, which I've owned since the mid-1990s and have loved. Though the show's ads were built around its star Natalie Toro, Ana Maria Andricain delivered a dynamic, dramatic, and heart-wrenching performance. You completely forgot that she was not the main performer in the role of Evita. If you have read any of my thoughts on seeing "The Phantom of the Opera," you will know that I love to see the understudies and alternates. As much as I would have loved to see Natalie, Ana was an absolute jewel. If it hadn't been the last performance before moving to the next city, I would have bought tickets to see Natalie in the role.

With all the positive things I can say about this production, the only thing that bothered me was the way certain words were pronounced in an attempt to give it a more authentic Latin feel. "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" is such an iconic number, and hearing the word "Argentina" pronounced ahr-hen-TEE-nah was off-putting. Something I found interesting at the show's merchandise stand was that they had typical show merchandise featuring the show logo and programs. However, instead of selling the original Broadway cast recording, they were selling the original concept album from 1976 featuring Julie Covington and Colm Wilkinson. This seemed odd to me since the show had changed quite a bit by the time it made it to the stage in 1978 and most definitely by the time the original Broadway production opened. I'm assuming that choice may have been due to the fact that Lloyd Webber was still feeling the burn from Patti LuPone's settlement after he fired her from Sunset Blvd.

If I could turn back time and take this cast with me, I would have loved to see them alternating alongside the original Broadway cast. After the show ended, I hightailed it to Perimeter Mall on the MARTA train and bought some cologne from a kiosk before heading back home to give it to Terry. As I said, I didn't tell him until years later, and he was still not happy that I saw it without him. His only exposure to "Evita" has been the movie with Madonna, and he's still holding a grudge!

I hope you enjoyed reading about my Valentine's Day memory of seeing "Evita" at the Fox Theatre. Do you have any memorable theatre experiences or personal stories you'd like to share? I'd love to hear about them in the comments. If you enjoyed this post and would like to support my storytelling journey, any small token of appreciation is always welcome. Let's keep the joy of theatre and storytelling alive together!

Madonna Blond Ambition World Tour 1990

Madonna Blond Ambition 1990 LaserDisc

The Blond Ambition World Tour is a gem for any Madonna enthusiast. Various performances were filmed throughout the tour, including the color musical footage used in the movie "Truth or Dare" which was filmed in Paris. The standalone performances that were officially released, filmed in Yokohama, Japan and Nice, France were only ever released on LaserDisc as Pioneer was the main sponsor of the tour. For a short time in the late 1990s, Madonna's fan club did offer a limited release of the Japanese performance on VHS. Rumors have circulated for years that either the Japanese or French shows would get a DVD release but it's never happened. Bootleg releases of performances in Houston, Texas as well as New Jersey have made it into the hands of collectors also. The Barcelona, Spain performance was filmed for Spanish television, in spite of technical issues and the fact that Madonna was miserable the entire time while putting on a top notch show and it has also made it's way into the hands of collectors. The 3 "official" recordings can be identified by Madonna's hairstyle and among fans the shows are known as: The One With the Ponytail (Yokohama) The One With the Poofy Hair (Barcelona) and then there's The One With the Curly Hair, also known as the Nice, France show. This review is drawn from the final show of Madonna's groundbreaking Blond Ambition World Tour in Nice, France, which aired on HBO a few hours after the tour wrapped up. While it's technically only available on LaserDisc, you can find DVD transfers on eBay as well as some brave souls periodically upload it to YouTube. No matter your viewing preference, it as a fun nostalgic trip back to 1990. The concert is a visual and auditory feast, featuring some of Madonna’s biggest hits like “Vogue” “Like a Prayer” “Express Yourself” and “Open Your Heart.” Each musical number is meticulously choreographed, blending provocative themes with high-energy dance routines.

Madonna with the iconic ponytail

Madonna’s costumes, designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier, are iconic. The most memorable is undoubtedly the cone bra corset, which has since become a symbol of pop culture. The stage sets are equally impressive, with elaborate backdrops and props that transform with each song, creating a dynamic and immersive experience.

The infamous Barcelona performance

However, the tour wasn’t without its challenges. Madonna faced criticism and controversy, particularly from religious groups, due to the provocative nature of her performances. The Vatican even condemned the tour, calling it blasphemous. Despite this, the tour was a commercial success and is often credited with redefining the modern pop concert.

Madonna during the European leg of the Blond Ambition Tour

Reviews at the time were mixed but leaned towards positive. The New York Times praised Madonna’s ability to blend spectacle with substance, noting that “her concerts are as much about theater as they are about music.” Rolling Stone highlighted the tour’s influence on future pop performances, stating that “Madonna has set a new standard for live shows.”

For years I had watched my VHS copies of The Virgin Tour as well as Ciao Italia aka The Who's That Girl Tour, the Virgin Tour being my favorite, until I saw this concert. This was the concert the brought my already obsessive fandom over the top. From Express Yourself to Open Your Heart, I was hooked. The arrangement of Like A Virgin, while not traditional, was naughty and unbelievable for the time but so very awesome. The arrangement of Like a Prayer was the remixed version found on the Immaculate Collection album which in my opinion is far superior to the original version on the Like A Prayer album. My absolute favorite number in the set list was the song she closed out the show with, Keep It Together, a minor hit from the Like A Prayer album. To this day, I am convinced if the live version, complete with the Family Affair intro, was released as a single in 1990, it would have made it into the top 10.

Overall, the Blond Ambition World Tour is a must-watch for anyone interested in the evolution of pop music and performance art. It captures a pivotal moment in Madonna’s career and showcases her as a trailblazer in the music industry.

If you are interested in acquiring your own copy of Blond Ambition on DVD click here to check out the eBay listings but remember, these are transfers from LD to DVD in spite of sellers claiming they are remastered in HD.