`Evita,'
Fund-Raiser
For JARC
alsa rhythms in Israel?
The same salsa adding
more of a south-of-the-border
feel to the 20th anniversary
production of Evita?
Oh, yes! .
Just ask Amir Levy, the Israeli born
dancer who will infuse the Tim Rice-
Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with
the pulsating movements of the tango.
"Being an Israeli is being a person
exposed to many different cultures,"
says Levy, who will be in Detroit Nov.
3-22 while the Tony Award-winning
pop opera is staged at the Masonic
Temple Theatre.
Levy has two featured parts in the
mega-musical about the rise and fall of
Evita Peron, wife of Argentine dictator
Juan Peron. —
In this version of the play, which
casts Latin actors in the four lead
roles, he dances as a Spanish cowboy
in the number called "Buenos Aires,"
which celebrates Evita's decision to
move to the city from her little vil-
lage. Later in the show, he becomes a
tango dancer, representing, with his
partner, the relationship between
Peron and Eva when they first meet;
the song "I Will
Be Surpris-
ingly Good
for You"
character-
izes the
Amir
nature of
Levy:
the union of
Israeli
two very
salsa.
strong personalities.
At-the end of the show, in a seg-
ment where Eva Peron's life flashes in
front of her, the audience sees the
tango couple again.
The tango is from Argentina,
and I think it's only natural for the
Latin rhythms to be part of this show,"
says Levy, who danced with Ballet His-
panico after moving to the United
States four years ago.
Levy grew up in a home where
dance was highly respected. His moth-
er appeared in professional ballet pro
ductions and later opened her own
dance school. When he was 7, he
asked to take classes.
"Maybe it's in the genes," says the
entertainer. "When.I graduated high
school, I moved to Tel Aviv and joined
the Bat-Dor Dance Company.
"I danced there for five years during
. my military service and a year later
moved to New York and danced with
Ballet Hispanico for two years. Then I
decided what I really wanted to do was
more musical theater, so I started audi-
tioning."
Levy was able to get work with the
national touring company of
Victor/Victoria and also appeared in
The Rhdio City Christmas Spectacular.
"When we got to the final number,
which is the Nativity scene, it reminded
me a lot of my hometown. The scenery,
the sheep, the camels and the old out-
fits-reminded me of the Bedouins I
used to see."
We invite you to view the Gallery's new artists.
Please join us Saturday, October 31st
and 'Sunday, November 1st
for wine tasting aruf hors &oeuvres.
Danielle Peleg Gallery
Specializing in modern fine art.
4301 Orchard Lake Road • West Bloomfield
(248) 626-5810
— Suzanne Chessler
Hours: Mon-Sat 10:30-6:00, Sun 12:00-5:00
Evita runs at 8 p.m. Tuesdays,
Wednesdays, Thursdays and
Fridays; 7:30 p.m. Sundays; and
2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays,
Nov. 3-22, at the Masonic Tern-
ple Theatre. $30-$55. (313)
832-2232 or (313) 872-1000.
The Thursday, Nov. 5, perfor-
mance of Evita will benefit
JARC (Jewish Association for
Residential Care).
All young adult ticket holders
are invited to a Young Adult Pre-
Glow to be held in the Crystal
ballroom in the Masonic Temple.
Tickets begin at $50. To order
benefit tickets and for more
information about the pre-glow,
call JARC 9-5 p.m. weekdays at
(248) 352-5272.
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Detroit Jewish News
10/30
1998
89