EVITA Original Broadway Cast: Where Are They Now?

Evita is making its way back to Broadway, but it’s been more than four decades since Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Tony Award-winning musical first arrived in New York City. 

Starring Patti LuPone as the iconic Eva Perón, the original Broadway production of Evita opened on September 25, 1979, at the Broadway Theatre, where it played more than 1,500 performances through June 26, 1983. 

Alongside LuPone, the production starred Mandy Patinkin as Che, Bob Gunton as Peron, Jane Ohringer as Peron’s Mistress and Mark Syers as Magaldi. It went on to win Tony Awards for Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Patinkin), Best Actress in a Musical (LuPone), Best Book of a Musical (Rice), Best Direction of a Musical (Harold Prince), Lighting Design (David Hersey), Best Original Score (Webber and Rice) and Best Musical. 

Before Rachel Zegler takes to the balcony to sing “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” BroadwayWorld looks back at the original Broadway cast. 

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Patti LuPone was already Tony Award-nominated for her work in The Robber Bridegroom by the time she was cast as Eva Perón in the original Broadway production of Evita, for which she won the 1980 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and Drama Desk Award.

However, she once told Alec Baldwin on his Here’s The Thing podcast that she didn’t want to do it. At the time she was also shooting the Steven Spielberg film 1941. “I went to the final callback, but I was really mad because I didn’t want to do this musical. I didn’t like the music,” she admitted, calling it “noise from Britain.” 

“I went out and, in the final audition, I was wet from my knees down,” she said. “I was wearing sneakers and jeans, not knowing it was going to snow. I was so stupid; I didn’t look at the weather report. I went out there and I blasted, literally blasted through, ‘Rainbow High,’ ‘Buenos Aires’ and ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina.’ And there were tears in my eyes, apparently. There were tears of rage. Certainly not tears of… And I left, and I got a call on the set.” 

“They said you’ve got the part,” she continued. “And I started to cry again, because I had promised David [Mamet] that I would reprise The Woods at The Public Theater.” Still, she said, “I knew I had to do it,” adding she felt the show “would change the course of my career.” 

It certainly did, as LuPone became one of the defining Broadway performers of her generation, starring in Anything Goes, Sweeney Todd, Gypsy (winning her second Tony), Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, War Paint, Company (winning her third Tony), The Roommate and many, many more. She has also had a successful career in film and television. 

In recent years, however, LuPone has said she is done with Broadway. “Broadway’s now turning into a combination of Disney, Las Vegas and the circus,” she told The Hollywood Reporter in 2023. “Plays are closing. The education of an audience is in grave danger. And so what’s the point? Plus Times Square is a nightmare. It’s like the lowest common denominator of humanity hanging out in Times Square. They’re not going to the theater. They make it difficult for people who are trying to get to the theater. And then when you go to the theater, it’s way too expensive and it’s compromised. So I’ll never do eight shows a week again, ever.”

It was recently announced that LuPone will star as Diana Vreeland in a new production of the one-woman play Full Gallop, written by Mark Hampton and Mary Louise Wilson, beginning January 8, 2027, for a 12-week engagement at NY City Center, Stage II.  

Though Mandy Patinkin already had a handful of Broadway credits to his name, Evita skyrocketed the actor to stardom. His performance as Che earned him the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. 

Of working with costar LuPone throughout the years, Patinkin told the New York Times in 2021, “You’ll never find a better partner to be with onstage, she’s just absolute magic. I’ve never felt safer with anyone. She could throw a dagger right between my eyes and I know it would stop one millisecond right before it hit my forehead. If you feel a little tired or worn out, if something has happened to you, she’ll pick you up and make sure you’re alive.”

After his time in the musical, Patinkin became one of Broadway’s most iconic leading men, earning Tony nominations for his performances as George in Sunday in the Park With George and Burrs in Michael John LaChiusa’s The Wild Party. He also starred in The Secret Garden, Falsettos and more. 

Patinkin also had a successful career in film and television with The Princess Bride, Chicago Hope, Criminal Minds, Homeland and numerous other projects. 

Bob Gunton originated the role of Juan Perón in Evita, winning a Drama Desk Award for his performance. He was also nominated for a Tony. After Evita, he went on to star in numerous other Broadway productions, including the 1989 revival of Sweeney Todd, for which he also received a Tony Award nomination. His other theater credits include Working, King of Hearts, Big River and more.

Since Evita, Gunton enjoyed a prolific screen career, most notably playing Warden Samuel Norton in The Shawshank Redemption and Capt. Benjamin Maxwell in the 1991 Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “The Wounded.” 

“Of course, Shawshank is what most fans come up to me about,” he once said in an interview with StarTrek.com. “They’re really paying homage to the movie itself, which is tremendously revered around the world. I have to say that many are also interested in my TNG appearance, after all those years, as well as Ace Ventura, Dead Silence and, yes, 24. Surprisingly, many folks come up to talk about Broadway shows I have starred in, including Evita, Big River and Sweeney Todd.” 

Jane Ohringer originated the role of Perón’s Mistress in the original Broadway production of Evita. According to the Los Angeles Public Library, Lloyd Webber stated in his autobiography that he “much liked a girl called Terri Klausner” during Evita’s audition process. Klausner auditioned for the role of Peron’s mistress, but she was instead offered the part of Eva Perón alternate. 

Ohringer was given the part of Perón’s Mistress, but it appears she largely stepped away from the spotlight after Evita. 

Mark Syers, who originated the role of Magaldi in Broadway’s Evita, tragically died shortly after his time in the show. According to the New York Times, Syers and another man were killed when their cars collided head-on on a highway in New Jersey. Before Syers’ death, he appeared in Under Fire, Pacific Overtures and Jesus Christ Superstar, among others. He was 30.

Terri Klausner was cast as the Eva Perón alternate in Broadway’s Evita and appeared in the ensemble when LuPone was on in the lead role. Before the musical opened at the Broadway Theatre, it briefly played the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles and the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco. According to the Los Angeles Public Library, Klausner performed as Eva at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on May 6, 1979, making her the first actress to perform the role in the United States. In a 1986 interview, she said, “There were two benefit performances before the opening night and Hal Prince informed me that I would be going on for those performances and it was pretty scary because I had not had a rehearsal yet, as Eva…I don’t really have too much recollection of those two performances. I know I got through them and, I guess, saved the day.”

After Evita, she performed on Broadway in Sophisticated Ladies and in various cabarets. According to a bio online, her Off-Broadway credits include Goblin Market, Bed & Sofa, Lies and Legends, New Tunes, The Cole Porter Review and Oh! Coward! Klausner received two Drama Desk Award nominations, a New York Drama League Award and an Obie Award, and she has directed the musical theatre program at Coupé Theatre Studio in Nanuet, New York. 

Nancy Opel understudied the role of Eva Perón and also appeared as a Person of Argentina. She once said that she had seven auditions when she was 22 years old before she was cast in the Broadway production of Evita. “It was an amazing learning experience for me, especially that I had a chance to do the part so much and to just do any part that long,” she recalled. 

Opel went on to perform in numerous Broadway shows, including Sunday in the Park With George, Anything Goes, Urinetown (for which she received a Tony Award nomination), Wicked, Fiddler on the Roof, Memphis, Cinderella, Honeymoon in Vegas and more. She also received Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations for her performance in Off-Broadway’s The Toxic Avenger. 

People of Argentina 

David Staller played Ernst Ludwig in the 1987 revival of Cabaret and became the founding artistic director of the Off-Broadway theatre company Gingold Theatrical Group. He has directed all of George Bernard Shaw’s 65 plays. According to his bio, he is a “frequent guest lecturer at schools, clubs and organizations, and has become the go-to speaker for all things Shaw.”

Michael Lichtefeld went from performing in Evita to becoming a Broadway choreographer. His credits include Sweeney Todd, The Secret Garden (Drama Desk nomination), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Sound of Music, Little Women and more. 

Carlos Gorbea, who also acted as dance captain and assistant stage manager for Evita, went on to be stage manager of Tricks of the Trade and Sophisticated Ladies. He was production supervisor on Gypsy Passion.  

Sal Mistretta appeared on Broadway in Welcome to the Club, Sunset Boulevard and Cabaret after Evita. He also appeared in five first national tours, Off-Broadway productions, regional shows and more. He died after a long fight with pancreatic cancer on January 26, 2023, in the Palm Springs home he shared with his husband of 46 years, Jeff Jelineo. 

Tom Carder, who also understudied the role of Che in Evita, was in the original Broadway cast of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. 

​​Teri Gill, who was in the ensemble of Evita, went on to appear in Broadway’s A Doll’s House.

Pat Gorman appeared in the original Broadway company of Merlin after Evita and was also in the original cast of 1987’s Anything Goes.

Rex David Hays also covered the role of Perón while appearing in the ensemble of Evita. He had already appeared on Broadway in Angel and King of Hearts. The actor died in September 2006.

James Sbano, who originally appeared in the Evita ensemble, went on to replace in the role of Che. He had already appeared on Broadway in Jesus Christ Superstar, The Leaf People and Hair, and he appeared in Marlowe after Evita. 

Peter Marinos, who originally appeared in the Evita ensemble, went on to replace in the role of Magaldi. He subsequently appeared in the original Broadway casts of Zorba, The Secret Garden and The Producers. 

Anny De Gange remained in theater after Evita, appearing in Raggedy Ann, Les Misérables and Roza, where she served as assistant stage manager, dance captain and understudy for several roles.

Paula Lynn had already appeared on Broadway in Mack & Mabel and Rockabye Hamlet before Evita. She went on to appear in Sophisticated Ladies, where she was a featured performer and understudy. 

Susan Terry’s post-Evita Broadway career included Zorba, Anything Goes and City of Angels. According to her bio, she also appeared in the popular Off-Broadway revue Forbidden Broadway and recorded three audio children’s books for Disney.

David Vosburgh, who had a handful of Broadway credits before Evita, went on to appear in A Doll’s Life, Take Me Along, Cabaret and Sweeney Todd. Vosburgh, who was also the founder and artistic director of Opera Western Reserve, died in 2023 at age 85. 

John Leslie Wolfe appeared in Passion as Fosca’s Father and covered several roles after Evita. He also was in the cast of Broadway’s Parade. He racked up numerous national tour and regional credits, and he appeared in film and TV. 

Nancy Wood also understudied the role of Perón’s Mistress in Evita. She also was in the cast of A Chorus Line. 

Peppi Borza worked on the West End aside from his time in Evita. According to Sarasota Magazine, Borza was longtime friends with Dusty Springfield, who was by his side after he was diagnosed with AIDS. He died in July 1990. 

Robin Cleaver appeared in the original Broadway company of Merlin after Evita and also appeared in the West End.

Marcia O’Brien sang the role of Thiang in The King and I at Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre and sang with the Indiana Repertory Theatre Cabaret following Evita, according to her obituary. She died in November 2008. 

Jack Neubeck went on to replace in the role of Perón and understudy the role of Magaldi. He was also in the cast of Broadway’s La Cage aux Folles. 

Robert Tanna appeared in the original Broadway company of Merlin after Evita.

Clarence Teeters was also part of Holiday on Ice and worked with Mary Tyler Moore, according to a post from The AIDS Memorial. Teeters also worked in Germany, where he performed a one-man show. He died of AIDS at age 22 in 1988.

Mark Waldrop went on to appear in the cast of Broadway’s La Cage aux Folles after Evita and was a production consultant on Bea Arthur on Broadway. 

Christopher Wooten, who was a child actor in Evita, went on to work in the industrial valve and instrumentation industry, according to his LinkedIn.