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Don’t cry for Rachel Zegler. As has been rumored for some time, the actor will make her West End debut in a revival of “Evita,” Variety has confirmed.
“Evita” is being directed by “Sunset Boulevard” helmer Jamie Lloyd and is set to begin previews at the London Palladium on June 14. The musical will officially open on July 1 and run through Sept. 6.
Zegler has big shoes to fill in portraying the political leader Eva Perón, the second wife of Argentine president Juan Perón. Theater legends Elaine Paige and Patti LuPone originated the role on the West End and Broadway, respectively, while Madonna starred in the 1996 film adaptation.Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the music for “Evita,” which chronicles the life and times of Perón, including her origins, rise to fame, political career and untimely death. The show, which counts “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” as one of its most famous songs, originally debuted in London’s West End in 1978. “Evita” began as a rock opera concept album and transferred to Broadway in 1979, starring LuPone and Mandy Patinkin. It has been revived several times on Broadway and the West End over the years.
“Evita has been such an important musical to me since I was a little girl, when my dad and I would sing ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina’ together on my back patio,” Zegler said in a statement. “The opportunity to bring Jamie Lloyd’s singular, visionary ideas to life onstage is an honor unlike any other. The stage has always felt like home to me, and I can’t wait to make my West End debut in such great company.”
For her part, Zegler has experience in crushing tough acts to follow. In 2018, she was plucked from obscurity to star in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” adaptation as the Maria to Ansel Elgort’s Tony. She beat out tens of thousands for the role, which served as her feature film debut. Zegler also made her Broadway debut as another famous protagonist, Juliet, in last season’s “Romeo + Juliet,” a modern-day adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic.
Zegler parlayed the critical success of “West Side Story” into leading roles in the “Hunger Games” prequel “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” in which she again flexed her vocal chops as impoverished tribute Lucy Gray Baird, as well as Disney’s “Snow White” remake with Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, which opens on March 21.
Deadline was the first to report the news of Zegler’s casting.
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