Below is the list of talented actors, singers and dancers who are bringing EVITA to LIFE! We are fortunate to have such a talented group! Click HERE for more information about the show. Click HERE to purchase tickets online. |
| Actor | Role | Bio |
| Alex Santoriello | Che/ Narrator | Alex Santoriello is a professional actor, singer & producer best known for originating roles in three Broadway musicals: Les Miserables, Chess & Three Penny Opera; as a producer on the Broadway musical, A Tale of Two Cities. He made his equity debut at the Paper Mill Playhouse & his New York debut at AMAS Repertory Theater. He played Gus the Theater Cat in a Broadway tour of Cats & Pontius Pilate in two major touring productions of Jesus Christ Superstar. Alex produced & directed the world premiere of A Tale of Two Cities in concert at the Circle Theater in Indianapolis that included a cast of Broadway veterans along with Richard Kiley who narrated the action, a fifty-voice choir & a forty-piece orchestra. Alex appeared in the TV soap opera All My Children & in the Academy Award nominated film Far From Heaven. A successful concert career brought Alex to Barbados. After several returns Alex moved there & taught singing to young people & served as the first musical director of the Barbados National Boys Choir. He fronted the popular rock ‘n roll band “GetBak” & performed at over one-hundred charity events including the reopening of the historic Kensington Oval in Bridgetown & the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Gala. He founded Lexy Piano Bar, which was rated by Zagat as one of Barbados’ top five night spots. Alex is a licensed commercial pilot, an active flight instructor & an avid sailor who has logged thousands of miles at sea. Alex performed and worked with Sirs Sting, Cliff Richard, Tim Rice, Cameron Macintosh & Trevor Nunn; Benny Anderson & Bjorn Ulveaus (ABBA); John Caird, John Dexter, Andrew Wilk, John Lodge, Dennis Quaid, David Cassidy, Richard Kiley, Michael Crawford, Maureen McGovern, Georgia Brown, Ted Neeley, Carl Anderson, Colm Wilkinson, Claude Michel Schoenberg, Alain Boublil, John Clifton, Neil Berg & his sister Jill Santoriello. Alex directed and starred as Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha, Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, and Judas Iscariot in Jesus Christ Superstar. |
| Dawn DiNome | Eva Peron (March 20 – 7:00 PM, March 21 & 22 – 2:00 PM) | Originally from NY, where she studied Musical Theatre, Dawn is an accomplished Actor, Singer, and Dancer. She has performed in various theatrical productions both nationally and internationally. Some of her prior roles include: Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar, Dulcinea in Man of La Mancha, Reno in Anything Goes, Polly in Crazy For You, and Charity in Sweet Charity. She is currently living in Central Florida where she is the Musical Director at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Wildwood. She sings for most of the masses every weekend, and directs the choir. She performs for many local venues throughout The Villages. She also is the lead singer in her father’s band Flashback. |
| Mary Jo Vitale | Eva Peron (March 20 – 2:00 PM, March 21 & 22 7:00 PM) | Mary Jo is no stranger to the folks here in the Villages. She has performed in and around the area for nearly 10 years and has taken part in numerous charity events and variety shows in addition to her many solo performances. She is affectionately known as “The Sweetheart of the Villages.” Mary Jo and her husband Marc (Pastor of Hope Lutheran Church in the Villages) have been married for 13 years and have two beautiful children. She expresses beauty and feeling in her vocal interpretations as well as tremendous musical versatility and limitless positive energy. The Villages is thrilled to call this amazing performer one of their own. Last year, Mary Jo played the role of Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar! |
| Tim Casey | Juan Peron | Tim grew up in the theater playing his first role in Teahouse of the August Moon at the tender age of 11. Educated at Temple University, he studied as a Theater/ Television major, which led to a 25+year career in corporate television before focusing on technology during the later part of his career. At his prior home in Medford Lakes, New Jersey, Tim performed leads in Deathtrap, as well as Dracula and did some directing. Then he took a 20+ year hiatus from theater to focus on public service, becoming a Councilman and ultimately serving as Mayor. Since retiring to The Villages, Tim has appeared in Company and in KC Productions of Les Miserables, as the Padre in Man of La Mancha, Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls and Pontius Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar. This past Fall Tim directed KC Productions’s Young Frankenstein and appeared as the Hermit. |
| Dave Saxe | Agustin Magaldi | Dave is thrilled to make Evita his TV-Savannah Center debut. Not quite a full-time resident, Dave is a professional actor-director at Nittany Theatre at the Barn (Boalsburg, PA) where he serves as Producing Artistic-Director operating one of America’s oldest-barn summer-stock theaters. At the Barn, Dave has directed Always…Patsy Cline, 1776, Calendar Girls, Play Murder, Church Basement Ladies, Looking, and the world-premiere of Mae by TV’s Nashville award-winning songwriter, Shawna Harrington. Under the pen-name “Sterling Sax” Dave serves as the Barn’s playwright-in-residence having penned Betty Crocker, Rock ‘n Roll, and Kinsey, Play Murder, Treasure Island, and the Barn’s upcoming adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. Among other plays he’s authored are the musicals Swearing Off Women!, The Royal Gilberts performed at The State Theatre, and the celebrated “Fred Waring Trilogy” of “live radio” performed at the Shawnee Playhouse. His recent Barn acting credits include playing 12 different roles in the zany comedy, Greater Tuna, Ben Gunn in Treasure Island, Sancho Panza in Man of La Mancha, Larry in Company, Gomez Addams in The Addams Family, Floyd in Love, Sex, and the I.R.S., Doug Panch in 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Sergeant Trotter in The Mousetrap. Other favorites roles include John Adams in 1776 at PSU’s Pavilion Theatre and Horace in Hello Dolly and Alfred P. Dolittle in My Fair Lady at PSU’s Eisenhower Theatre. While on Fullbright in Europe, Dave also appeared as Father Moynihan in Jenny Kissed Me at the Regensburg Theatre (Germany). Getting his start as an Actors Equity performer in Chicago, in his ‘younger days’ Dave ran the Rogers-Hammerstein gauntlet, performing in Carousel (Billy, Jigger, and Mister Snow), South Pacific (Lt. Cable), and Oklahoma (Curley). Other favorite works include Kiss Me Kate (Fred/Petruchio), Sweeny Todd, Camelot, Brigadoon, and The Music Man. As a resident American history-education professor-nut at Penn State, Dave teaches American Heritage and occasional theatre courses. |
| Kathleen Kane | The Mistress | Born in Philadelphia, PA, Kathleen is known internationally as an artist. Her impressive and captivating talent along with an incredible passion for her audience exudes through her voice with a vocal range of Contralto, to Mezzo Soprano, which allows her to sing her genres of music including pop, contemporary, jazz, and Broadway. This vivacious entertainer has stunned and delighted countless audiences of all ages including performances at Disney World, SeaWorld, Universal Studios, and many other tourist attractions. One of her favorite places to perform is The Villages. Before moving to Florida, Kathleen began her career on the stages of off Broadway, on both the East and West coasts. This music is where her heart still lies. Kathleen always embraces the journey and she knows the roads ahead are endless. Most recently she appeared as Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Golda in Fiddler on the Roof, Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar and Inga in Young Frankenstein. |
| Diane Booth Duguay | Ensemble | Diane has performed on several occasions with the Make Someone Happy shows at Savannah Center. She has also done murder mysteries and cabarets with M&M Productions, and is a member of The Villages Theater Co where she participates in Mistletoe to Go shows for the holidays and played Theresa in the holiday one act play. Her latest appearance at the Savannah Center was in the ensemble of Young Frankenstein. |
| Susan Bradley | Ensemble | Susan is originally from Scranton PA. Soon after moving to The Villages 10 years ago, she began lessons in tap, jazz and ballet and discovered that she loves dancing and performing. She has been a dancer with The Villages Gemstones Dancers for 7 years and performs at all the town square events. She recently joined Dance Fusion where she appeared in Home for Christmas choreographed by Sue Schuler. Dancing with the EVITA cast is an exciting opportunity for her. |
| Diane Capasso | Ensemble | Di started dancing at the age of 20. She studied at the Juilliard school of dance for 2 years and was in and out of studios in NY for 15 years. Di was a ballroom champion in the Waldorf Astoria Amateur Competition of 1978. She appeared in Grease with the Rosie O’Donnell cast in 1994. She loves learning and performing many styles of dance in The Villages. Groups she has performed within the Villages include Aloha O ‘KA Hula, Shaka Dance Company, Dance Fusion , 2nd Debut Twirling Team. Most recently she appeared in Carols by Candlelight. |
| Janet Casavant | Ensemble | Janet is originally from Bridgeport, MI. She moved to Largo, FL in 1993 and to the Villages in 2012. After doing ballroom dancing for several years, she started taking tap and jazz lessons in the Villages two years ago. Janet is a member of the Shaka Crew Thriller group. She performed with Dance Fusion in Divas vs Divos and Carol of the Bells. Her last performance was in Carols by Candlelight. |
| Anne Graham | Ensemble | Anne grew up in a military family and lived in six of the United States, Bermuda, and Guam. As a young girl, she learned and performed hula dancing while living in Guam. In 2008, Anne retired as a registered nurse and moved to The Villages with her husband to have fun! She rekindled her passion for performing and dancing by learning clogging and relearning hula dancing. She has been a member of the Aloha O’ Ka Hula Dance Troupe and the Shaka Crew Dance Company since 2009. Anne is thrilled to be a member of the EVITA ensemble. |
| Helen Greenberg | Ensemble | Helen moved to the Villages six years ago but only recently retired from teaching. She has been singing her whole life with various choral groups but singing in Carnegie Hall and Kennedy Center in Washington were highlights. This will be Helen’s first opportunity to participate in a theater production and she is excited to be part of Young Frankenstein. Helen met Steve singing in their college chapel choir, and it’s been a bravura performance ever since. |
| Steve Greenberg | Ensemble | Steve is performed his first theatrical event since High School this past Fall as a part of Young Frankenstein. He has participated in various choral groups including sacred and orchestral music, groups varying in size from 15 to 150. Steve sang with the Daylesford Singers in Bermuda in a Cole Porter review and The Bermuda Philharmonic performing works of Mendelssohn. |
| Mike Hassett | Ensemble | Mike and his wife Carol retired last year, and moved from Pennsylvania to The Villages. Mike performed in a variety of roles in Hello Dolly, Annie and Jesus Christ Superstar in the late 1990s at the Greensburg Theatre in Pennsylvania. Most recently Mike appeared as Brandy Bottle Bates, Society Max and the Waiter and in Guys and Dolls and in the Ensemble in Jesus Christ Superstar, |
| Tom Heim | Ensemble | Tom is originally from the Harrisburg, PA area. He and his wife, Gloria, moved to The Villages about a year and a half ago. Guys and Dolls was Tom’s first performance in The Villages. The acting/singing bug hit Tom later in his life. About 8 years ago, he started performing in Christmas and Easter dramas at his mega church in Camp Hill , PA. He acted, sang, and danced in all of these dramas for 7 years. Most Tom appeared Guys and Dolls and Jesus Christ Superstar. He sings in the choir at New Covenant U M Church in The Villages and he loves all sports. |
| Holly Jeske | Ensemble | Holly Jeske was born in Atlantic City New Jersey. She performed on stage dancing, singing and acting from the age of 4 though 17 on the Steel Pier and other venues in and around the South Jersey area. She studied classical voice for 5 years as well as tap, ballet, and drama. Since moving to the Villages in 2012 with her husband and Arabian Horse “Cass,” Holly has danced and sung in several shows with several theater groups including the recent role of Sister Mary Anmesia in Nunsence. She is a current member Music in Motion and Villages Pops Chorus. She also appeared in KC Productions Man of La Mancha. |
| Kay Jobe | Ensemble | Kaye is originally from Lexington, KY where she entered the world of dance at the age of 4. During her high school years she became a part time dance instructor at a popular Lexington Dance Studio teaching tap and jazz. While acquiring her teaching degree at the University of Kentucky she was a member of UK Troupers, an entertainment group where she sang and performed as the group’s Jazz Dance Soloist. After graduating from UK she was a dance instructor for the Parks and Recreation Dept. in Lexington. While teaching Middle School for 32 years Kaye enjoyed dancing and singing in the Lexington Women’s Club Follies in their annual show for charity. In the last 25 years she has played bass in several local Rock bands. With her husband, Bob, she moved to The Villages in 2011 which led her back into the dancing world. She’s been a member of the Gemstone Dancers for 5 years and is currently a member of Evolution Dance Company. Acting has become a new avenue for Kaye to explore and she is now in the production of Sweet Charity. |
| Jean Kagan | Ensemble | Jean grew up in Johnstown, PA. After moving to The Villages in 2000, she began dancing with a clogging group that performed on the town squares for various holidays and became instructor and choreographer for the team for 10 years. She also played accordion, Irish whistle and Bodhran in an Irish band that performed at clubs in The Villages. She was a tenor drummer with The Sounds of Scotland for 5 years. She presently plays the accordion and Irish whistle with The Parking Lot Band in The Villages and is a dancer with The Aloha O’Ka Hula Dance Troupe. She is thrilled to be dancing with the cast of Evita. |
| Howard Kirschenbaum | Ensemble | Howard moved to The Villages eleven years ago with his wife Sue. He has appeared in Man of La Mancha as well as Jesus Christ Superstar. Some of his previous roles include Babet in Les Miserable, Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Search for the Temple of Shalom at Temple Shalom, as Alf Scrag in Little Abner at Parker Playhouse, Ft. Lauderdale, Fl., The Scare Crow in a Halloween show in Weston, Fl. |
| Judith Maguire | Ensemble | Judith was born and raised in Minneapolis Minnesota and has been involved in some type of dance most of her life. Soon after she moved to The Villages in 2011 Judy joined the newly formed Villages Gemstone Dancers. Judy enjoyed the challenge of creating some choreography for the Gemstones. They can be seen performing at most of the Village festivals in the town squares. Judy was selected to be a dancer in Questar Productions early in 2016. She is currently a performing member of Evolution Dance and will be dancing in their January production of Fractured Fairy Tale. Judy is thrilled to be dancing in EVITA with KC Productions and is looking forward to many more dance opportunities. |
| Gay McCants | Ensemble | Gay moved to The Villages after a career as a Medical Marketing Rep, with limited theatrical experience. Before coming to The Villages, she played Amnesia in Nunsense. Gay’s first big role here, was Olivia Newton John’s character, Sandy, in Grease. The following are just a few more productions with Gay singing, dancing, acting or performing all three: The Betty Gantz Show; Broadway Bound Players; The Villages Musical Company; Church on the Square; Questar; KC Productions, and, Music in Motion. Gay portrayed many characters, such as: Dolly Parton, Theresa Brewer, Marilyn Monroe, Barbara Mandrell and many others. Gay also wrote the lyrics to several songs at age 15, owns the copyrights, and recorded two. |
| Kristin Miller | Ensemble | Dr. Kristin Miller is a physician, M.D. board certified in Anti-Aging, Regenerative & Functional Medicine and Family Medicine. She came to The Villages from the Midwest, and after a successful medical career, is enjoying participating in the arts here. She has a background in dance and art from an early age. Kristin has performed with the cast of Questar Productions in the shows Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Magic & the Music and Christmas Spectacular. She then joined Evolution Dance as a performing member dancing, singing and acting, and last year, she became a member of the performing dance group Music in Motion. Kristin enjoys working on many artistic projects and sings in the choir at Hope Lutheran Church of The Villages. She is thrilled to be part of the cast of EVITA with KC Productions. |
| Dave Newell | Ensemble | Dave is a retired pharmacist from Peoria, IL. Dave has sung with his church choir back in Illinois for the past 20 years, and for the past 14 years has been a member of the Morton Civic Chorus. Morton Civic Chorus performs “Encore,” a week long choral show, on the behalf of the Central Illinois Memorial Kidney Fund. The chorus has raised over 1.5 million dollars on behalf of kidney dialysis patients throughout Central Illinois. Dave was in the cast of Jesus Christ Superstar and Young Frankenstein this past Fall. Dave also sings locally with the Brothers in Song, Community United Methodist Church choir and the Christian Chorus. |
| Dave Olsen | Ensemble | Dave’s acting career began with him playing King Alfonso at Medeival Times for over 500 performances before moving to The Villages. Since that time his done many plays here including: Neil Simon’s Rumors, The Miracle Worker, Beckett, Edward Albee plays, as well as Miracle on 34th St. as Santa. He has also performed in the musicals Annie Get Your Gun, 42nd Street, White Christmas, Les Miserables and Man of La Mancha. Dave has been in many event shows and productions. Most proudly for the Martin Luther King’s scholarship Award ceremony. He’s performing many musical genres from Elvis to Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers, Englebert Humperdinck, Johnny Mathis just to name a few. |
| Bob Petrucelli | Ensemble | Bob has previously performed with: Broadway Bound Players, B & B Productions, M&M Productions, Lake Miona Theater, Shaka Crew Dance Company and the Villages Theater Company. He appeared in Jesus Christ Superstar, as Pedro in Man of La Mancha and as Big Jule in Guys and Dolls. He is a board member of the VTC and has performed in their productions, the Shows To Go traveling Comedy show, as well as coordinating and performing in the Traveling Holiday Show, Mistletoe To Go. Most recently he appeared as Inspector Kemp in KC Productions’ Young Frankenstein. |
| Violet Ray | Choreographer, Ensemble | Violet began dancing at the early age of 2-1/2. Her love of dance has taken her through many different disciplines of dance. She is internationally known for her line dance choreography. After moving to The Villages, Violet found herself on the theater stage in the roll of Liat in South Pacific and Blessington’s Secretary in The Solid Gold Cadillac. Violet has also appeared in character rolls along with being a dancer in Oklahoma, Carousel and White Christmas. She is the Director and Choreographer for Aloha ‘O Ka Hula Dance Troupe and the Shaka Crew Dance Company. Violet also dances with Evolution Dance Company and the Orlando Magic Silver Stars. This past Fall she appeared in and choreographed Young Frankenstein. |
| John Rogerson | Ensemble | Upon arriving in the Villages in 2002, John discovered a passion for musical theater. His most recent roles include Nathan Detroit in Guys & Dolls, Harold Hill in Music Man, Billy in Carousel, Will Parker in Oklahoma, and Bob Wallace in White Christmas. John plays baritone horn and violin in the Villages Concert Band and Orchestra, sings with Brothers in Song and North Lake Church, and performs in numerous benefit concerts. |
| Laura Ann Saxe | Ensemble | Laura Ann (Dellie) is a proud Registered Nurse and is delighted to make her TV-Savannah Center debut. A professional singer-actor-dancer, Laura has just finished up her third season at Nittany Theatre at the Barn where she appeared in Always Patsy Cline (Louise), the first-ever all-female production of 1776 (John Adams), Betty Crocker, Kinsey, and Rock n’ Roll, The Addams Family (Alice) Company (Joann), Twelve Angry Men ( Juror #3), Calendar Girls ( Annie), Play Murder, Treasure Island, and Man of La Mancha (Housekeeper). An Actors Equity actress from Chicago, where she met hubby Dave, Laura had the opportunity to co-star with Broadway’s Mark Jacoby as Carla in Nine. At the famous Candlelight Playhouse Laura played Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls, completed a one-year stint as Grace Farrell in Annie, Sonja in Playing Our Song, among dozens of other musicals. Laura also appeared in an ABC-TV special with Lisa Hartman-Black and worked with the famed Lorne Green (Bonanza). Other favorite roles include Dolly in Hello Dolly, Kate in Kiss Me Kate, Nellie in South Pacific, Rona in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Glenda in The Wizard of Oz, Betty Meeks in The Foreigner, and Mrs. Boyle in The Mousetrap. Laura is also pleased to add her work in the world premieres of Swearing Off Women, The Royal Gilberts, and the celebrated Fred Waring Radio Show series performed at the Shawnee Playhouse in the Poconos. |
| Gerry Sherman | Ensemble | An injury suffered in pickleball 12 years ago resulted in Gerry looking for something else to do as a Villager . . . he found musical theater. Gerry had never performed on stage before his first appearance as Heinzie in The Pajama Game. Bitten by the bug, he went on to become well known in The Villages as a musical theater character actor: Ali Hakim in Oklahoma, Bud Frump in How to Succeed in Business, Jeff Douglas in Brigadoon, Marcellus Washburn in The Music Man, Motel the Tailor in Fiddler on the Roof, Bobby in A Chorus Line, Phil Davis in White Christmas, Mary Sunshine in Chicago and most recently starred as Frederick Frankenstein in Young Frankenstein. Gerry says he could never have learned these roles without the help of his wonderful wife, Freya, who is always willing to help him learn his lines. |
| Linda Succi | Ensemble | Linda is thrilled to be performing in her first Villages production. She has performed in NYC Hairspray and The Laramie Project as, Ma. Gypsy as Tesse Tura, The Music Man, Almost Maine Ginette, Guys and Dolls as a Hot Box Girl, Young Frankenstein and other community theater plays including the Village Theater Companies Production of Office Hours. She has directed two school musicals 101 Dalmatians and Cinderella. She has produced The Loving Dancing Show. Linda is a retired school principal. She is a competitive ballroom dancer. Linda studied theater at HB Studios in Manhattan. |
| Beverly Wehrheim | Ensemble | After retiring from a career in contract management, Bev moved from Pennsylvania to The Villages in 2003. She immediately got involved in many activities new to her and discovered a love for being on stage. She has performed with several resident groups, including Music in Motion, The Villages Philharmonic Chorale, and the Pops Chorus. Roles in other Villages productions have been Annie Oakley U/S in Annie Get Your Gun (2009), Gypsy Rose Lee in Gypsy (2010), ensemble of 42nd Street (2012), Carrie Pipperidge in Carousel (2013) and Jesus Christ Superstar (2017). She will be performing the role of Mae in The Pajama Game in 2018. |
| Dianne Zugnoni | Ensemble | Dianne was a dance teacher for over 40 years. Director of her own TV Cable Kids Talent Show for over 3 years. Owner and director of the Dianne Lynn Dance Theatre for 25 years. Many of her students were State and National First Place Winners and went on to have roles on Broadway, Miss NY, Stomp Productions, TV Shows and National Commercials. Dianne has also won “Miss Choreographer of the Year” |