1987 AUSTRALIAN REVIVAL

State Theatre, Sydney
July 18, 1989

This is one of the most fascinating of all Evita productions. Announced with huge fanfare to star the Concept Album's Eva, Julie Covington, it would be the first time the woman who created the role would do it on a stage.

In concert with the promotions, the Concept Album was finally released in Australia on CD (for unknown reasons, MCA had only the American Cast Recording on CD. The Concept Album wasn't released on CD anywhere else until 1992). The advance booking flyer is pictured below.



In that flyer is both the announcement of Covington's playing the role, and a photo which may be the only one known of her in costume. Is it Covington?



In any event, Julie Covington dropped out just days before opening and one of London's most popular Evas, Stephanie Lawrence, dropped everything and flew in with all her own costumes, to open the show. There was huge coverage of her arrival in the press, complete with photos of her sitting on her costume trunks at the airport. Nobody seems to have gotten a shot of Covington leaving Australia. Stephanie was the heroine of the day.

CAST

Eva--Stephanie Lawrence
Alternate--Delia Hannah
Che--Glenn Shorrock
Alternate--Stephen Fisher
Peron--David Weatherley
Magaldi-Phillip Wilson
Mistress- Anita Combe

The People of Argentina: David Adams, Scott Archer, Peter Bodnar, Emma Callaghan, Stephen Clarke, Margaret Crouch, Ian Crow, Jennifer Eldridge, David Haines, Leanne Holloran, Robert Henderson, Jonathan Maher, Micheal Montgomery, Julie O'Brien, Stephen Robertson, Kitty Silver, David Storer, Debbi Wells, Kathleen Wilson, Steve Wood. Children (2 only at any performance): Katie Black, Nicole Callaghan, Tamsin Carroll, Julie Visilkova.

Directed by Thomas Guerra
Choreography by Richard Stafford Musical Director Penelope Dodd
Stage Manager/Director Jayne Hedley-Boreham
Orchestra: Michael Williams (keyboards/Assistant Musical Director), Ian Bloxsom (percussion), Andy Brown (bass guitar), Peter Cross (trumpet), Tony Gorman (flute, clarinet, tenor sax), Deborah Hart (French horn), Tony Hicks (drums), John Hoffman (trumpet), Chuck Morgan (electric 7 acoustic guitars), Jay Stewart (keyboards).

Photos

© 2001