MIDDLETOWN - High flying adored, did you believe

       In your wildest moments

       All this would be yours

       That you’d become the lady of them all

      

       The lyrics above are, of course, from the Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber classic Evita that opened on Broadway back in 1979 and played 1,567 performances before it closed in June of 1983. It starred Patti LuPone in the title role and Mandy Patinkin as Che.

       To the best of my knowledge, there has never been a major revival of this show on Broadway until just a few years ago. Critics called the revival seductive, sexy and sublime and a big, fat blockbuster. Lucky for us the revival is now on tour with one of its early stops at The Bushnell just in time to start the 2014-15 Broadway season.

       Evita visits Hartford Sept. 23-28 and there just couldn’t be any show more worthy of starting the new theater season. This Tony-Award winning musical returns at last! As the promotion piece says, â€�"Evita: The Truth is she never left you!”

       The story of the phenomenal rise from the slums of Argentina to the presidential mansion as First Lady, Evita became one of the most powerful women in the world--while her greed, outsized ambition and fragile health made her one of the most tragic. Losing her battle with cancer in 1952, Evita’s life and political career was sadly cut very short. She was 33 years old when she died from cancer, throwing the country into grief and chaos without her. This is the story of how she rose to power, how she used (and abused) that power, the good she did and the bad. She was certainly loved by all her people, but hardly was a saint.

       Being the first revival of one of the most amazing musicals ever, this is a real treat. Many of you were too young to have seen the original production that long ago, but let me assure you that this is one show truly in a league all its own. With songs like â€�"High Flying Adored,” â€�"Rainbow Tour,” and, of course, â€�"Don’t Cry for me Argentina,” you will be knocked out. This revival also is going to turn the sensuality up a few degrees with sizzling dances like the tango (hey, it does take place in Argentina, right?) and lots of high energy all around. Evita has all the possibilities of being a spectacular musical adventure if you’ll surrender yourself to her and let it wash over you like the music will do.

       Add to the story her husband, Colonel Juan Peron, and his drive for military power and strategy to become a great leader while taking a back seat to his wife’s fame. The third part of this story is the narrator, Che, who begins by introducing Eva to us in 1934 at the age of 15, when she has her first love affair with a tango singer. From there we have her blackmailed to go to Buenos Aires with hopes and dreams of making it big and climbing the social ladder. It is here where she meets Peron, they marry and the two worlds and personalities clash. Eva’s thirst for power is evident in everything she does, while the world around her spins at her command.

       This is one torrid story that will have you mesmerized and singing the score for weeks. Evita. Experience it for the first time or return for more. It will be a truly memorable night in the theater.

       This show, as I mentioned earlier, begins the 2014-15 Broadway series at The Bushnell, and what a way to start. Later in the season we will enjoy an encore presentation of Wicked plus several new musicals not to be missed like Kinky Boots. Another revival for the first time, this one coming early next year, is Pippin. Plus the new musical Once, the reworked Camelot and so many more. With this line-up of shows, there is something for every pallet. I hope you’re ready for another great year at the theater.

       Jeffrey LaGrange can be reached at jefflagrange@yahoo.com