Some Enchanted Eden! Espinosa Prepares for the Ford Amphitheatre 7/24

There is an air of enchantment about Eden Espinosa! Perhaps that's because fairytales and bedtime stories seem to follow her wherever she goes. Audiences across the country have seen her flying on her broomstick above the Land of Oz, heard her singing an "Unfinished Lullaby" beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, and giving a rather interpretive (adult) rendition of how the cow jumped "Over the Moon". On Friday, June 24th, Espinosa will take the stage again, tackling the oldest story in the book--local girl makes good--only this time, with a very special twist: the fairytale is her own. 

The second installment of Upright Cabaret's "Wicked" Summer Nights concert series at the Ford Amphitheatre is the reimagining of Eden Espinosa's solo show ME, which received rave reviews and played to sold out crowds both in Los Angeles where it was first debuted and New York last March 2009. According to director Billy Porter, "The Upright Cabaret at Mark's and Joe's Pub engagements were always considered workshop entities that would hopefully develop into a larger concert/theatrical experience. Landing at The Ford Amphitheatre is the realization of those goals!"

Upright Cabaret producer Chris Isaacson assures previous viewers that while the fundamentals are intact, this is not the same show. "We've added some new songs, different arrangements, backup singers, and there will be some special guests. Everything about this show will be on a grander scale, including Eden herself."

Opening for Espinosa will be folk/blues singer and cabaret favorite Audra Mae, who calls Eden a "constant inspiration" for her. "She's the type of performer who is always observing and taking in new ideas, you will never see the same performance twice. Being Eden's opening act is such an honor and so exciting. I can hardly wait!"

The concert promises to be Eden Espinosa as we've never seen her before, but perhaps as she was always meant to be seen. "Since 'Wicked' at the Pantages in Los Angeles, where she was committed to doing eight shows a week, Eden has really had time to live and grow both as a person and as a performer." says producer Shane Scheel. "This time we're not going to see "the girl who plays 'Elphaba'." We're meeting the real Eden Espinosa." For fans, it is the performance they've been waiting for, and for Espinosa, it will be the performance that's been a lifetime in the making.

Born and raised in Southern California (Anaheim Hills), Espinosa began her career, appropriately enough, at the magical kingdom of Disneyland. She then went to Universal Studios, where she was noticed by Brooklyn creators John McDaniel and Jeff Calhoun, who cast her in the title role of the Broadway bound musical. Brooklyn's opening on Broadway was fortuitously delayed, allowing Espinosa to make her Broadway debut as the original Elphaba standby in Wicked. After Brooklyn closed, Espinosa donned the Wicked Witch's pointy hat again, playing the role in San Francisco, Broadway, and then bringing it home to Southern California, where she stayed for two engagements, both opening and closing the Los Angeles production. Ultimately she would become one of the most renowned performers to ever play the role. Eden also starred as the title role in Reprise's production of Flora the Red Menace, and was Maureen in the final Broadway cast of RENT.

With every step in Eden Espinosa's career, with each new role she undertakes, she adds more credence to an already cemented talent. We know she can sing but even with rangy pop scores like Wicked and Brooklyn, there has not been a show yet that truly encapsulates the sheer versatility of her voice. Her sound is electrifying and interpretation compelling. She is raw and etched with emotion one minute, crystalline and sweet the next, then deep and soulful. 

Espinosa is so much more than just a pretty face and an amazing voice. She is a performer, in the truest sense. Whatever she is feeling, she conveys genuinely. When it comes to scripted material, there is no mistaking the fact that she can act. Take away the songs and she will still show you better chops than a Morton's franchise. But the most enjoyable moments of Eden Espinosa onstage are when she gets to be herself. Audiences can see the unfiltered personality that they have only seen glimpses of in her previous roles. The vulnerable ingénue, the defiant heroine, the fun-loving ham.

For the restless natives wondering when they are going to see more roles for Eden Espinosa, take heart. The casting director's job is not an enviable one in her case. She can sing anything, but no one else can sound like her. She's strikingly gorgeous, but she can't be typecast. She can play any part, but there has not been a role yet that perfectly fits her personality. And even if there was a role that was completely tailor-made, who could they find to replace her? What do you do with a performer that is so spectacularly one-of-a-kind?

Thankfully, the Upright Cabaret Boys (Chris Isaacson and Shane Scheel) are ready with the answer. Give her a large stage in the open summer night air; fill the place with a screaming crowd of family, friends, and fans; point the spotlight; and turn her loose. Let Eden Espinosa sing her songs, tell her story, be in her element, and show us why there truly is no place like home.

Eden Espinosa: ME performing One Night Only on Friday, July 24 at 8:30pm at the Ford Amphitheatre, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East in Hollywood. Produced by Chris Isaacson and Shane Scheel, directed by Billy Porter with musical direction by James Sampliner (Broadway: BKLYN: The Musical, Legally Blonde) and Chris Bratten. 

Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.fordtheatres.org or www.uprightcabaret.com/events or by calling (323) 461-3673.

For more information on future Upright events, including the star-studded concert with "Wicked" creator Stephen Schwartz and special guest acclaimed soprano Lauren Flanigan on August 23rd, visit www.uprightcabaret.com/events.

Eden Espinosa Photo by Tye Jakobs

Story by Amber Romina Cassell