Ricky Martin will be ‘the danciest Che ever’ in upcoming ‘Evita’ musical
By AMARIS CASTILLO
Channel: Entertainment
Glee isn’t the only show that sees the value in Ricky Martin’s fancy footwork.
In the singer’s upcoming role as Che in the Broadway revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita, he was recently billed to be “the danciest Che ever” by choreographer Rob Ashford. Forty-year-old Martin spoke to Vanity Fair recently about his rehearsals with the Tony-winning choreographer.
“He told me, ‘Rick, I’m gonna bruise you.’ And I’m like, ‘Bring it on.’” the Puerto Rican singer told the magazine.
Helmed by British director Michael Grandage, Evita centers on first lady Eva Perón (played by Argentinean actress Elena Roger), wife of Argentinian president Juan Perón (played by Michael Cerveris) and a larger-than-life political figure. Martin’s Che role is the show’s narrator, and the singer said his character gives him the push he needs as an artist. Some of the songs included in the show are “Buenos Aires” and “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” which was famously performed by Madonna in the 1996 film Evita (Antonio Banderas played Che in that film).
Martin, whose previous Broadway experience was in 1996 when he played lead Marius Pontmercy in Les Miserables, said the score in Evita is “different from pop singing.”
“It’s more classical and everything is more pronounced. The range vocally is pretty aggressive, which I love,” Martin said. “It’s about challenges.”
As for his dance moves in the highly anticipated musical, Martin said he most looks forward to performing the Act Two song, “Waltz for Eva and Che.” The song, according to Martin, marks “the first time [Elena Roger and I] actually look in each other’s eyes.”
“And not only that, we dance the waltz and we can add a little bit of tango to it,” he said. “It’ll be a very special moment.”
Evita officially opens at New York City’s Marquis Theatre on April 5.
