Evita producer on Rachel Zegler casting: ‘We saw an audition tape and she was sensational’

There are some major new productions opening this summer, and one of them is Jamie Lloyd’s London Palladium revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Evita. 

The show reunites Lloyd and Lloyd Webber, alongside producer Michael Harrison, following their critically lauded production of Sunset Boulevard which first opened in London before an ongoing transfer to Broadway.

It was Harrison who, last night, picked up the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy, having co-produced the comedic smash hit Titanique, which continues its season at the Criterion Theatre in the West End.

While on the green carpet, Harrison spoke to WhatsOnStage about Zegler landing the role and his excitement for the coming summer:  “Rachel was desperate to play Eva Péron – it was her idea. We saw an audition tape and she was sensational. She worked with our musical supervisor in New York on the material, the versions of the songs were terrific.”

The production is branded as an “evolution” of the Lloyd take on Evita first seen at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in the summer of 2019 – which was met with critical acclaim. Harrison believes all the elements are in place for a similarly exciting Palladium season: “Jamie is excited. Andrew and Tim are excited. It should make for a fabulous summer at the Palladium. Ticket sales are already through the roof – and we’re thrilled about that.”

Tickets for Evita are on sale below –  it will run from 14 June to 6 September 2025, with a press night set for 27 June.

There will also be 5,000 tickets available across the run at £25 exclusively for under 30s, key workers and those receiving government benefits. These tickets will be available across all levels of the theatre, and go on sale at a later date.

Zegler can currently be seen in cinemas in the live-action version of Disney’s Snow White, with further Evita casting to be revealed in due course.

You can listen to an extended interview with Rice for free here: