The show has been sold out twice now! And as far as I can predict, we'll be sold out again this weekend. It's really been an incredible run of Evita. Everynight something changes just a little bit, to keep everyone on their toes. Nothing in the show changes persay, but the energy changes. And each performance we become a tighter cast, and we become Argentina a little bit more every day. And we fall in love with Eva like never before.
I'm so proud of this show. I think this is the first production I've been in in a long time that I've actually encouraged, pleaded, and begged people to come see. It's really exciting! It's a feeling I've missed. And I can't believe the turn out we've had of audience members! I haven't had more than two friends come to see me yet..but that's changing this weekend! I've got ALOT of friends coming to support me in Evita! And I think they'll be very surprised at the difference of performance at New Line of myself and all the other actors onstage than they've had in other productions at other venues. It's really a different feel, this musical. Evita is not your typical show. And I can't wait to see how surprised my loved ones are at the end of it this weekend.
And hellllllllllo! Did you watch the KDHX clip of "Two on the Aisle!?" that was so cool. We've been getting great reviews! And why shouldn't we! New Line has created a beautiful show that audience members really get caught up in. It's exhilirating.
I hope more than anything at the end of every performance that every person in the theatre is moved. Whether they've fallen in love with Eva, as the cast has. Or whether they question Eva's questionable rise to fame and fortune, like Che. I hope you cry. I hope you feel our pain. I hope you feel as if you are a part of Argentina's rise of the working-class. I hope you recognize the similarities of Evita with our current political and national issues. I hope you feel inspired after seeing Evita. And most of all, I hope you forget you're seeing a production on stage. There's nothing I love more than hearing my audience say that they forgot they were in a theatre; that they were really involved in the story, they became the storytellers as well.
I can't wait to see how this weekend goes. I've had butterflies in my stomach all month! I can't wait to laugh, to dance, and to sing for you all. And I can't wait to expose my heart and soul onstage. If you haven't seen Evita at New Line theatre yet, I strongly encourage you to get there quickly. You will not regret it.
For Argentina!!!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
It's what I do! It's what I live for!
First weekend of performances down! And I couldn't be more pleased with how it's turned out. I'm so happy with what we've done with this show. Everyone adds just the right amount of spice to Evita and we heated up a very nice recipe, if you ask me. John and Taylor are rockin' it! Every night I wonder who's going to win in the end, Evita? or Che? Even though I already know. That's how involved we get onstage, though. We get so wrapped up in the story, sometimes we forget that we're telling the story. Every night we learn more about Eva, the woman who saved Argentina. And every night it gets harder to watch her die right in front of us.
My mom asked me last night, after seeing the show for the first time, "So what were you thinking about when you were crying onstage?" and I responded, "I'm crying because Eva is dieing, Mom. I really love her. And it's devastating that we're losing our saviour, and our friend." and she pulled me in a little closer to her and said, "No, really. What were you crying about."
For my mother and anyone else who may need help understanding why I love Eva so much, here's some answers. I believe in being the character, first and foremost. When I become Paola Rosales (the name I made up for my Argentine character) I am no longer Terrie Carolan. Not even a little bit. Sometimes I try to put a little bit of me into my characters, but this show was different.
There is nothing South American about me, so I couldn't contribute anything I had previously to Paola. With that being said...
Eva Peron changed the course of government and politics in Argentina, and gave hundreds of families help. Not only did she hand out money to the poor, and gave women voting rights, and gave so many people more than what they had before--she gave us something to believe in. (Like Obama gave everyone "hope.")The working class wasn't acknowledged by the government until Eva Duarte came along. And she was one of us. We are her descamisados. Which made her such a saviour in our eyes. She knew the struggles and hardships that came with being born into working class. And she wanted to help us, and she did. She may not have done everything the ethical-way, persay. But she got to the top, nonetheless, and she really did love us and want to change Argentina for the better.
I really hate to use this comparison, but think of it this way. Jesus died so that we could be saved, right? In a way, Eva went around helping people, spreading love, and in the end she died an untimely death. No she didn't heal anyone, or claim to be a saviour. But she saved us and broke the chains of the upper/middle class that ruled Argentina unfairly for decades. Didn't you cry when you watched Passion of the Christ? It's almost like that. We're watching Eva die, and we know that things will never be the same. Not only are we losing the woman who changed our country, we're losing our friend. And that's never easy.
I hope that the audience sees our love for Eva. We aren't crying because out of memory recall. If I was crying because my pet snake died last Friday, it just wouldn't work. You have to become part of the story. You have to feel what the people felt in 1950 when Eva reigned with Juan Peron. You have to understand what their lives were like, where they worked, where they ate, where they danced, how they moved, and how they thought. I truly want my audience to believe that I'm an Argentine. I work hard to support my family. I am a woman. I am Roman Catholic. And Eva Peron gave me hope.
I hope that helps, Mom. :]
This weekend really has been great. Thursday night was only a preview, but really it was a real show. I had real nervousness. So, it was definitely real! haha. I'm so happy to be a part of New Line's production. I haven't felt this great about a show in a while. I can't wait to see how tonight's show goes. And then next weekend and then next, and so on. I'm very excited for a new audience every night.
That sensation you get when you're walking out onstage, and you realize you can't turn back. Yeah..I really love that feeling. Being so exposed to an audience. It's make it or break it. Thrilling. It really really is.
And don't be afraid to dance along to our show in your seat. We really love enthusiastic audiences. :]
My mom asked me last night, after seeing the show for the first time, "So what were you thinking about when you were crying onstage?" and I responded, "I'm crying because Eva is dieing, Mom. I really love her. And it's devastating that we're losing our saviour, and our friend." and she pulled me in a little closer to her and said, "No, really. What were you crying about."
For my mother and anyone else who may need help understanding why I love Eva so much, here's some answers. I believe in being the character, first and foremost. When I become Paola Rosales (the name I made up for my Argentine character) I am no longer Terrie Carolan. Not even a little bit. Sometimes I try to put a little bit of me into my characters, but this show was different.
There is nothing South American about me, so I couldn't contribute anything I had previously to Paola. With that being said...
Eva Peron changed the course of government and politics in Argentina, and gave hundreds of families help. Not only did she hand out money to the poor, and gave women voting rights, and gave so many people more than what they had before--she gave us something to believe in. (Like Obama gave everyone "hope.")The working class wasn't acknowledged by the government until Eva Duarte came along. And she was one of us. We are her descamisados. Which made her such a saviour in our eyes. She knew the struggles and hardships that came with being born into working class. And she wanted to help us, and she did. She may not have done everything the ethical-way, persay. But she got to the top, nonetheless, and she really did love us and want to change Argentina for the better.
I really hate to use this comparison, but think of it this way. Jesus died so that we could be saved, right? In a way, Eva went around helping people, spreading love, and in the end she died an untimely death. No she didn't heal anyone, or claim to be a saviour. But she saved us and broke the chains of the upper/middle class that ruled Argentina unfairly for decades. Didn't you cry when you watched Passion of the Christ? It's almost like that. We're watching Eva die, and we know that things will never be the same. Not only are we losing the woman who changed our country, we're losing our friend. And that's never easy.
I hope that the audience sees our love for Eva. We aren't crying because out of memory recall. If I was crying because my pet snake died last Friday, it just wouldn't work. You have to become part of the story. You have to feel what the people felt in 1950 when Eva reigned with Juan Peron. You have to understand what their lives were like, where they worked, where they ate, where they danced, how they moved, and how they thought. I truly want my audience to believe that I'm an Argentine. I work hard to support my family. I am a woman. I am Roman Catholic. And Eva Peron gave me hope.
I hope that helps, Mom. :]
This weekend really has been great. Thursday night was only a preview, but really it was a real show. I had real nervousness. So, it was definitely real! haha. I'm so happy to be a part of New Line's production. I haven't felt this great about a show in a while. I can't wait to see how tonight's show goes. And then next weekend and then next, and so on. I'm very excited for a new audience every night.
That sensation you get when you're walking out onstage, and you realize you can't turn back. Yeah..I really love that feeling. Being so exposed to an audience. It's make it or break it. Thrilling. It really really is.
And don't be afraid to dance along to our show in your seat. We really love enthusiastic audiences. :]
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