Electrifying Che Guevara steals the spotlight

The Village Theatre's first take on "Evita" is fueled by the rigorous direction of Steve Tomkins and Brian Yorkey, and by an electro-magnetic performance from Louis Hobson.

A deconstruction of the rise and fall of Argentine national icon Eva Perón, this 1978 musical boasts more sonic variety and dramatic sophistication than several later Andrew Lloyd Webber pop-operas combined. But the vocal demands and epic, precision-tooled staging required make it a risky choice for regional companies.

In Issaquah, "Evita" rises above some obvious flaws to achieve a strong melding of dance (choreographed by Tomkins), score and story.

As the cynical ghost of Argentina-born revolutionary Che Guevara, Hobson's fire keeps the show revved. He prowls the stage with a panther's lithe, hungry tread. And as the ubiquitous narrator of Eva's saga, he sings with a passionate indignation and stinging clarity that never flag.

Harold Prince, the original director of "Evita," wanted the musical to have "a strange juxtaposition of myth and reality" reminiscent of the Orson Welles film, "Citizen Kane." His inventive production meshed smartly with Lloyd Webber's sweeping, Latin-spiced score, and librettist Tim Rice's take on the unholy merger of celebrity, media and political corruption.

Adapting the look and tenor of Prince's staging, the Village presents Broadway veteran Jennifer Paz as Eva Duarte, a provincial climber who sleeps and claws her way to the top in 1940s Argentina — thanks to just a bit of "star quality."

But Evita ("little Eva") won't rest until she's a superstar and her husband Juan Perón (solid Eric Polani Jensen) is a corrupt ruler. Then in her early demise, she becomes a populist saint.

Petite, earnest Paz captures Evita's focused ambition, but not all of her blinding charisma. She sings the anthem "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" and other tunes well. But beyond her natural vocal range, her articulation and tone suffer — especially when overpowered by the sadly erratic pit orchestra (led by R.J. Tancioco).

"Evita" isn't just a star vehicle, though, and the Village's ensemble cast is sharp and cohesive.

And speaking of stars: The magnetic Hobson might become one. After a terrific Seattle tenure, he is moving to New York to give it a shot — but promises to return next spring to star in "West Side Story" at 5th Avenue Theatre.

Misha Berson: mberson@seattletimes.com