While Madonna’s version of Evita had a cast of hundreds and a budget of millions, the Des Moines Playhouse’s version of the Tony Award-winning musical brings the story of Juan and Eva Peron to playgoers through exciting music and superb acting in an intimate setting. The rock-opera “Evita” by Andrew Lloyd Webber, repopularized by the 1996 movie starring Madonna, will be live on stage at the Des Moines Playhouse April 18 through May 11.

The musical tells the story of Eva Peron, actress, mistress and wife to Argentine dictator Juan Peron and saint to Argentina’s “shirtless ones.” The show will give audiences a look at a woman not above taking matters into her own hands.

“It’s a very modern story. It’s about a woman kind of sleeping her way to the top,” said Lee Ann Bakros, public relations director for the Playhouse. “It’s her [Eva’s] own body that defeats her, rather than anyone else,” Bakros said about the battle with cancer that ends Eva’s life.

Bakros said the stage version of “Evita” is different from the movie in several ways.

“The stage version is not as sympathetic to the Perons as the movie,” she said. The play shows how the Perons, while helping the peasants of Argentina, sought to gain money, fame and power for themselves.

“He’s definitely from a corrupt system of government,” said Jeremy Nuss about his character Juan Peron. When Peron comes into power, with Eva at his side, they see opportunities to pad their wallets at the people’s expense.

In the stage version, Juan and Eva’s marriage is based, not on love, but on a mutual respect for each other’s power, Nuss said.

The Playhouse does not attempt to reproduce the lavish Argentine landscapes used in the movie. Instead, real-life slides of the Perons and Argentina are used to supply the feel of the South American country. An otherwise sparse set, including a platform, balcony and archways provide a backdrop for the 24-member cast.

With extravagant hats, jewels and furs, Eva Peron’s wardrobe in the Playhouse production mirrors that of Peron’s real-life wardrobe.

While the “shirtless ones” wear a lot of browns in the production, Eva’s dresses, especially the inaugural gown, are “fabulous,” Bakros said.

The men’s costumes in “Evita” run parallel to the military uniforms used in the movie.

One difference is that the character of Ch‚, played by Antonio Banderas in the movie, wears only military fatigues in the Playhouse version.

In the movie, Banderas wears a variety of costumes fitting the particular setting and the role he is playing as the narrator.

To give audiences an additional view into the reign of the Peron’s, the Playhouse will show the “Evita” biography video in the lobby before the show. The Playhouse gained access to the video, originally shown on A & E cable channel, through Barnes & Noble bookstore in Des Moines.

The cast includes actors of all ages, including a chorus of eight children. Playing the title character of Eva Peron, opposite Nuss, is Kathi Fieldsend.

Fieldsend past Playhouse roles include the Baker’s Wife in “Into the Woods”, and Adelaide in “Guys and Dolls”.

Nuss, a Marshalltown native, has been in Playhouse productions of “The Music Man,” “Mr. Bumble,” and “Oliver!”. Newcomers to the Playhouse include Adam Groves as Ch‚ and Jill Ziegler as Peron’s mistress.

“Evita” runs April 18-19, 23-26, 30, May 3, 7-10 at 8 p.m. (Wednesdays through Saturdays); April 20 at 7:30 p.m. (this Sunday); April 27, May 4 and May 11 at 2 p.m. (remaining Sundays).

Tickets range in price from $8 to $19 with discounts on day-of-show tickets.

Tickets can be purchased at the Playhouse box office, by phone at (515) 277-6261, by fax at (515)277-8019 or by e-mail at [email protected].