4.3 Evita!

The Gospel of Musical Theatre

It's Evita (1978)! The culmination of Lloyd Webber’s collaboration with lyricist Tim Rice, this show offers an epic look at politics, celebrity, and gender through the life of a contemporary saint, Argentina’s beloved First Lady Eva Peron (1919-1952).

We wonder:

– Whose politics are at work in Evita? What does the musical say about Argentinian politics, British politics, and maybe even North American politics?

– What does Evita have to say about sainthood? If Eva Peron is beatified by the Roman Catholic Church, what will that mean about how she is remembered?

– Do acts of charity enable or indict the structural forces that keep some people in power and others in poverty? What kind of social justice is Evita illustrating?

You’ll hear:

– Mandy Patinkin, Patty LuPone and Bob Gunton on the 1979 Original Broadway Cast Recording

– Madonna singing “You Must Love Me” and “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina (Miami Mix)” from the 1996 Motion Picture Soundtrack

Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt!