At the closing night's performance, gold Evita medalions were awarded to cast members Joshua Bancel and Margaret Ede, who had been with the company since opening night seven years earlier.
Among many performers in the seven years who went on to do interesting things, Peter Karrie (who was the Che understudy in the final London cast) played the TV Commentator in Chess and then became of the more highly regarded Phantoms in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical. Daniel Benzali went on to star in the innovative Stephen Bochco TV series Murder One. Connel Miles was lauded for his definitive performance in Blood Brothers both in London and America.
One of the London tabloids printed the following the day before Evita's closing night:
CRYING ALONE, THE EVITA WHO LOST OUT
Elaine Paige will be there. Tim Rice will be there. Stephanie Lawrence will try to make it and even David Essex says he will try to get along. The final night of Evita at the Prince Edward Theatre tomorrow promises to be one of the most memorable showbiz events of the year.
And never will the luck that every star needs be more clearly demonstrated than by the absence of the girl who almost beat Elaine Paige for that first night title role.
She was Verity Anne Meldrum. She didn't get the part. Heartbroken, she went on to marry a pianist, but the marriage broke up.
She now lives in a small flat and is on the dole.
This material is strictly subject to the fading memory of the author, who heard these stories firsthand.
Any lapses, mistakes or stories misheard should be forgiven due to extreme age.
© 2000
