Kennedy, Chioran, Young et al. Set For EVITA At Stratford Shakespeare Festival, 5/28-8/30

Beginning previews tonight, May 28 at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival will be a new production of EVITA directed by Gary Griffin. The show will play at the Avon Theatre in Startford, Ontario. Starring in the show will be Chilina Kennedy as Eva Peron and Josh Young as Che Guevara. Juan Chioran will play President Juan Peron, and Vince Staltai will play Magaldi.

Tracey Flye will choreograph the show with musical direction by Rick Fox. The cast also features RUdy Webb, Jordan Bell, Kristian Truelsen, Naomi Costain, Julius Sermonia, Stephen Cota, Jaz Sealey, Lindsay Crozall, Steve Ross, Keisha T. Frazer, Jennerifer Rider-Shaw, Nicko Giannakos, Josie Marasco, Lorena Mackenzie,  Eran Goodyear and Douglas E. Hughes.

As ambitious as she is charismatic, Eva Duarte rises from poverty in rural Argentina to become first the mistress and then the wildly popular wife of President Juan Perón. Blending the personal with the political, this landmark of the modern musical theatre paints a dazzling portrait of a woman who helped shape history.

Chilina Kennedy has appeared at the festival as Maria in WEST SIDE STORY. Most recently, Chilina appeared as the guest artist for an evening with Jason Robert Brown at Toronto's Glenn Gould Studio. Credits include The President (Lydia), Wonderful Town (Eileen), Summer and Smoke (Nellie), Mack and Mabel, Gypsy, Major Barbara, Follies - In Concert (Shaw Festival); Variations on a Nervous Breakdown (TIFT); the world première of The Lord of the Rings (Mirvish); Mamma Mia! (Sophie) (U.S. first national tour); Anne of Green Gables (Anne), Emily and the workshop of Not Wanted on the Voyage (Charlottetown Festival); On Albert Street (Angelina) and Seussical - The Musical (Mayzie) (Theatre Aquarius); A Chorus Line and The Last Resort (Stage West).

Juan Chioran's credits include The Madonna Painter (Factory); The Light in the Piazza, A New Brain (Acting Up Stage); Cymbeline, The Three Musketeers, Hecuba (Chicago Shakespeare); Private Lives (Theatre Athena); Blithe Spirit, An Ideal Husband (Citadel); Much Ado About Nothing, Goodnight Desdemona... (CanStage); Love's Labour's Lost (NAC); The Producers (Mirvish - Dora Award); Present Laughter, The Play About the Baby (Soulpepper); Anything That Moves (Tarragon); Kiss of the Spider Woman (Broadway/first national - Ovation, Carbonell and Jeff awards). Film/TV: The Border, Finn on the Fly, Republic of Love, The Perfect Son, Universal Soldier, Roxy Hunter, The Call, This Is Wonderland, Cheetah Girls, Monk, Dracula (Gemini Award), Queer as Folk, Relic Hunter, Naked City II, Rebound.

Josh Young is making his Startford debut, his credits include Les Misérables (Marius, third U.S. tour), West Side Story (Tony, 50th-anniversary international tour), A Little Night Music (Henrik, Baltimore Center Stage), Songs for a New World (Man 1, Syracuse Stage), See Rock City (Rick/Cutter, Transport Group), The Woman Upstairs (Jack, NYMF). Training: Pennsylvania Governors School for the Arts (drama/voice); BFA, Syracuse University (musical theatre). Web Sites: Visit www.josh-young.com for other credits and information or to order his debut album (also available at the Theatre Store). Josh is the founder/producer of a concert series to give exposure to the next generation of musical-theatre songwriters: www.cuttingedgecomposers.com.

Josie Marasco recently participated in the workshop of the new musical play Amelia: No Ordinary Girl with the Toronto Operetta Theatre. Favourite credits include Anne of Green Gables, Canada Rocks, Something Wonderful (Charlottetown Festival, three seasons); Chicago (Neptune Theatre). Film/TV: Stunt double in CTV's Flashpoint, seasons one and two; Class Act (Life Network).

Vince Staltari's selected theatre credits: Forever Plaid, Sparky (national tour); Into the Woods, the Baker (Da Capo Productions); Anne of Green Gables, Gilbert (Red Barn); Chicago, understudy Amos (Neptune Theatre); Cats, Skimbleshanks and understudy Gus (Huron Country Playhouse/Theatre Aquarius); The Producers, understudy Franz (Neptune Theatre). Training: Graduate of the Sheridan College musical theatre performance program.

Following previews EVITA will open on June 10 and run in rep until October 30.

For more information visit www.stratfordshakespearefestival.com

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