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Blond ambition

National ‘Evita’ touring production sturdy, serviceable

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theater, gay news, Washington Blade
theater, gay news, Washington Blade

Caroline Bowman in ‘Evita.’ (Photo by Richard Termine; courtesy Kennedy Center)

‘Evita’

 

Through Oct. 19

 

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

 

2700 F St. NW

 

$39-125

 

202-467-4600

 

Kennedy-center.org

 

Since its London world premiere in 1978 and subsequent global success, Andrew Lloyd Weber’s “Evita” has been produced ad infinitum.

And whether it’s Broadway’s Patti LuPone or Madonna on the big screen, the woman in the title role ultimately determines each version’s success. Playing Argentina’s controversial first lady who slept her way to power and position and died young isn’t easy — the part is vocally challenging and requires more than a modicum of charisma.

In the national tour of the 2012 Broadway revival now at the Kennedy Center Opera House, Caroline Bowman takes on the part. As the young Eva Duarte, Bowman misses the grit and energy of the provincial teenage dancehall girl — she might as well be playing the naïve ingénue in a comedy of manners. But it’s her turn as the slightly older and blonder Eva in which Bowman excels, skillfully conveying the outsized ambition and complexities churning behind Eva’s calculated façade.

In fact, neither Bowman’s performance nor the entire production staged by Michael Grandage really take off until Eva bleaches her hair.

Told in flashbacks, the sung-through pop opera begins and ends with Eva’s funeral. Young Eva and the musical fable’s narrator Che (Max Quinlan) emerge from a shadowy gathering of mourners and the story unfolds. In fast moving scenes, Eva climbs from poor, illegitimately born provincial girl to radio actress to girlfriend and later wife of military officer and politico Juan Perón (Sean MacLaughlin). Yes, in pursuit of fame and fortune she changes men like underwear but all that stops with Perón. In him, Eva finds her ticket to the big time.

Despised by the bourgeoisie and the military for her low birth and undue influence her husband, Eva finds an adoring power base in the working classes. “I am you,” she sings to them. As first lady, she gains popularity by funding numerous charities.

Her ascent is tracked musically with “Buenos Aires,” “High Flying, Adored” and, most memorably “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” which she sings to the crowds from the presidential residence’s balcony.  Diamond like in a shimmering strapless ball gown, Eva’s beatification is complete. Not one to miss an opportunity, Perón puts his wife’s charisma to use and sends her on a European goodwill tour. Her Rainbow tour is cut short by the cancer that will soon kill her at 33 in 1952.

Set and costume designer Christopher Oram envisions a gloomy Buenos Aires of soaring colonnades, tall arched windows and heavy doors. His costumes are painstakingly period (‘30s and ‘40s). Most striking are Eva’s balcony scene gown and Dior-inspired traveling suits.

Throughout the show, choreographer Rob Ashford cleverly employs tango in scenes involving mourners, lovers and friends. He even partners soldiers in a more combative variation of the dance.

Lloyd Weber’s score is gorgeously sung by the three principals and Christopher Johnstone as Magaldi, the schmaltzy tango singer who reluctantly brings teenage Eva to Buenos Aires.

Without his trademark beret, Quinlan’s Che is less politicized. He possesses the irony but lacks the fire of a revolutionary. As quietly ambitious Perón, McLaughlin (whom local audiences will remember from Signature Theatre) is terrific. He’s a seductive presence and makes a believable love match for Bowman’s Eva.

Unfortunately an otherwise strong and energetic effort is marred by some audio problems. On press night, Tim Rice’s lyrics were difficult to decipher. Those familiar with the songbook fared best.

Still, this “Evita” is a production well worth seeing.

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Books

Celebrate Pride month by reading these books

History, pop culture, and more

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(Photo courtesy of Terri Schlichenmeyer)

You’ve done your share of marching.

You’re determined to wring every rainbow-hued thing out of this month. The last of the parties hasn’t arrived yet, neither have the biggest celebrations and you’re primed but – OK, you need a minute. So pull up a chair, take a deep breath, and read these great books on gay history, movies, and more.

You probably don’t need to be told that harassment and discrimination was a daily occurrence for gay people in the past (as now!), but “American Scare: Florida’s Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives” by Robert W. Fieseler (Dutton, $34) tells a story that runs deeper than you may know. Here, you’ll read a historical expose with documented, newly released evidence of a systemic effort to ruin the lives of two groups of people that were perceived as a threat to a legislature full of white men.

Prepared to be shocked, that’s all you need to know.

You’ll also want to read the story inside “The Many Passions of Michael Hardwick: Sex and the Supreme Court in the Age of AIDS” by Martin Padgett (W.W. Norton & Company, $31.99), which sounds like a novel, but it’s not. It’s the story of one man’s fight for a basic right as the AIDS crisis swirls in and out of American gay life and law. Hint: this book isn’t just old history, and it’s not just for gay men.

Maybe you’re ready for some fun and who doesn’t like a movie? You know you do, so you’ll want “Sick and Dirty: Hollywood’s Gay Golden Age and the Making of Modern Queerness” by Michael Koresky (Bloomsbury, $29.99). It’s a great look at the Hays Code and what it allowed audiences to see, but it’s also about the classics that sneaked beneath the code. There are actors, of course, in here, but also directors, writers, and other Hollywood characters you may recognize. Grab the popcorn and settle in.

If you have kids in your life, they’ll want to know more about Pride and you’ll want to look for “Pride: Celebrations & Festivals” by Eric Huang, illustrated by Amy Phelps (Quarto, $14.99), a story of inclusion that ends in a nice fat section of history and explanation, great for kids ages seven-to-fourteen. Also find “Are You a Friend of Dorothy? The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped Shape” by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Levi Hastings (Simon & Schuster, $19.99), a lively book about a not-often-told secret for kids ages six-to-ten; and “Papa’s Coming Home” by Chasten Buttigieg, illustrated by Dan Taylor (Philomel, $19.99), a sweet family tale for kids ages three-to-five.

Finally, here’s a tween book that you can enjoy, too: “Queer Heroes” by Arabelle Sicardi, illustrated by Sarah Tanat-Jones (Wide Eyed, $14.99), a series of quick-to-read biographies of people you should know about.

Want more Pride books? Then ask your favorite bookseller or librarian for more, because there are so many more things to read. Really, the possibilities are almost endless, so march on in.

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Music & Concerts

Indigo Girls coming to Capital One Hall

Stars take center stage alongside Fairfax Symphony

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The Indigo Girls are back in the area next week. (Photo courtesy of Vanguard Records)

Capital One Center will host “The Indigo Girls with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra” on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, June 20 at 8 p.m. at Capital One Hall. 

The Grammy Award-winning folk and pop stars will take center stage alongside the Fairfax Symphony, conducted by Jason Seber. The concerts feature orchestrations of iconic hits such as “Power of Two,” “Get Out The Map,” “Least Complicated,” “Ghost,” “Kid Fears,” “Galileo,” “Closer to Fine,” and many more.

Tickets are available on Ticketmaster or in person at Capital One Hall the nights of the concerts. 

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Calendar

Calendar: June 13-19

LGBTQ events in the days to come

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Friday, June 13

“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s new location at 1827 Wiltberger St., N.W. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected]

Women in Their Twenties and Thirties will be at 8 p.m. at Wundergarten. An update will be posted the night of the event on where to find WiTT’s table. There’ll be a Pride flag to help people find the group. For more details, join WiTT’s closed Facebook group

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Pride Month Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach bar and Restaurant. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

Saturday, June 14

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Pride Month Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including Allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Rainbow History Project will host “Behind the Scenes With the Senior Curator of ‘Pickets, Protests and Parades’” at 7:30p.m. at Freedom Plaza. This behind-the-scenes experience offers a rare glimpse into the creative process behind this groundbreaking showcase of DC’s LGBTQ+ history. Learn about the bold design decisions that shaped the Quote Wall and Hero Cubes and the powerful stories that almost made the cut. Tickets cost $82 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

Monday, June 16

“Center Aging Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected]

Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary. Whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more information, visit their website at www.genderqueerdc.org or check us out on Facebook

Tuesday, June 17

Bi+ Roundtable and Discussion will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting. Check out Facebook or Meetup for more information.

Wednesday, June 18

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

“Legends Live Loud: A Queer Karaoke Experience” will be at 7 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This will be a dynamic, Center-wide karaoke event celebrating the brilliance and cultural impact of some of our most colorful queer icons. The Center will honor legends through music, pop culture, dance, and inextinguishable liberation. For more details and to sign up, visit the DC Center’s website

Thursday, June 19

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Book Club” at 7:30 p.m. at Federico Ristorante Italiano. This book club is co-hosted by EQUALITY NoVa and is another opportunity to engage in a fun and rewarding activity. The group doesn’t discriminate when it comes to genres it reads – from classic literature to best selling novels to biographies to histories to gay fiction. For more details, visit Eventbrite

Cultivating Change Foundation will host “Cultivating Pride Happy Hour” at 5:30 p.m. at Dacha Beer Garden. This Pride month, the organization is inviting LGBTQ+ people and allies in food and agriculture to come together in communities nationwide. These informal gatherings are a chance to connect, celebrate, and build community, whether it’s over coffee, a cocktail, or a conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

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