Evita

Here’s the perfect plotline for a Broadway musical: Slut becomes a saint. We’re talking about Eva Perón, former first lady of Argentina, and the classic 1978 pop opera Evita, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, of course. In 1979, the show opened on Broadway for its enviable run of 1,500-plus performances, achieving showbiz immortality and making a leading lady out of Patti LuPone along the way. In Masquerade Theatre’s production, Houston’s reigning musical diva Rebekah Dahl assays the role, which should fit her musically and dramatically like one of Evita’s couture gowns. Having already conquered Sondheim (Sweeney Todd), Berlin (Annie Get Your Gun), Styne (Gypsy) and Loesser (Guys and Dolls) for her home theater company, Miss Dahl is ripe for Sir Andrew. A line from Evita runs, “just a little bit of star quality.” In Dahl’s case, make that “a lot.” 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays. Through May 31. Hobby Center, 800 Bagby. For information, call 713-315-2525 or visit www.masqueradetheatre.com. $30 to $50.

Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Starts: May 22. Continues through May 31, 2009

This article appears in May 21-27, 2009.