Steadstyle Chicago
	March 2009 Theatre Review by Alan Bresloff
	Evita When one thinks of "Evita," the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice spectacular story of Eva Peron, one thinks of a large stage production, full orchestra and a large cast with elaborate sets and costumes.  But once again Theo Ubique Theatre Company, under the direction of Fred Anzevino, proves that a small talented troupe can make this story come alive (and with more meaning) on its tiny little stage in Rogers Park. What a show!  Ten (yes ten) very talented actors with great voices fill the No Exit Cafe with the sounds of this musical.  In the intimate little cafe with very little scenery and no glitz, they bring us the wonderful story of Eva Peron as told by Che' Guevara.  Maggie Portman gives a solid performance in the title role, and Chris Damiano handles the role of Che with style and grace, hitting every note as it should be sung.  The rise of this poor girl to become a near Saint to the people of Argentina was done as a recording back in 1976 and then was made into a full scale production that won seven Tony Awards.  The characters in this production come to life as powerfully as they did in any previous production that I have seen.  Jeremy Trager, while a little young in face, takes on the role of Juan Peron and once again brings his solid acting ability to the stage.  He is a delight to watch. The ensemble may be small, but what they lack in numbers is outweighed by the tremendous talent they bring to this marvelous production.  Jenny Lamb plays many roles including the mistress.  Her rendition of "Another Suitcase In Another Hall" has just the right touch to make one feel sad for her.  Michael Wheelwright's Augustin Magaldi (in addition to the other roles he plays) is perfection.  The rest of the ensemble (Nick Minas, Amy Brophy, Sarah Hayes, Ben Mason and Anthony Apodaca) prove beyond a doubt the importance of a solid ensemble.  They sing, they dance and even make set changes.  Bravo! The choreography by  Brenda Didier is astounding considering the size of the stage, and the music directed by Ryan Brewster is perfect.  Being this close to the action brings a new life to the story and the energy of this cast is powerful.  They go off as one character and come right back on as another on a cleverly designed set by Nate Crawford.  I was very impressed by this production.  In fact, so impressed, I plan on going back to see it again.  This is a show you will not want to miss.  If you have seen the show before, be prepared for a little more feeling than you ever experienced before.  If you have never seen "Evita," you will see a production that will warm your heart. "Evita" will continue through June 27, 2009 at The No Exit Cafe, located at 6970 N. Glenwood.  Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 7 p.m.  Tickets  are $30 and can be ordered by calling 773-347-1109.   If you want to truly get into the Argentina experience, you can partake of a pre-show dinner of Argentine cuisine, one hour before showtime.  Ask about this when you call in your reservation.  Parking is a bit of a problem so you might want to take public transportation.  #151 Sheridan or the #22 Clark or the Red Line to Morse Avenue is the easiest.   For more info visit www.theoubique.org.   About Alan Bresloff Alan Bresloff, once an actor himself, has been covering the Chicago Theater Scene since 1993, first as the Theater and Arts critic for LaRaza newspaper, then with Salsachicago.com and then onto Extra Newspaper and The Epoch Times.  He also writes for ElImparcial and TeleGuia.  His reviews can also be seen on www.theatreinchicago.com.  Alan does not call himself a "critic" but a "reviewer" as he tries to educate the reader about theater itself, what is a good value, what to look for in a play or musical and more.  "Exposure to theater is a very important part of a young person's life" he says. "Learning about the arts and culture is in fact learning about life" and he tries to explain more in his reviews than just if it is good or bad.  Even some of the poor productions have some value, he often says and he would love your feedback on shows that you have seen.  You can write him here or at albresloff@sbcglobal.net.