Upright Cabaret Presents Eden Espinosa In 'ME' One Night Only 7/24

Upright Cabaret (www.uprightcabaret.com), L.A.'s premier theatrical showcase featuring an eclectic mix of artists from stage, screen and recording, presents the second of their amazing "evenings under the stars" at the Ford Amphitheatre as they present the electrifying star of "Wicked" at the Pantages and also as Maureen in the recent filmed stage version of "RENT" - Eden Espinosa starring in "ME" with musical direction by James Sampliner (Broadway: BKLYN: The Musical, The Wedding Singer, Legally Blonde) and Chris Bratten. Directed by Upright Cabaret Artistic Director Billy Porter and performing ONE NIGHT ONLY, Friday, July 24 at 8:30pm at the Ford Amphitheatre, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East in Hollywood.

The acclaimed star of Broadway, Los Angeles and San Francisco productions of "Wicked" makes a triumphant return to her hometown with her critically acclaimed solo show. Espinosa will "shed the green" from her most famous role to share a piece of herself in "ME", singing songs that are close to her heart by the artists who have inspired her. With special guest, singer-songwriter (and niece of Judy Garland!) Audra Mae.

Eden Espinosa is the voice of the new Disneyland Fireworks Summer Spectacular "Magical" and recently closed the Los Angeles production of Wicked in Southern California, where she was born and raised. She has performed the role of Elphaba to critical acclaim on Broadway, the San Francisco stop on the national tour, and in the Los Angeles, making her the longest running 'Elphaba' in Wicked history. While in Los Angeles, Eden took a 6 month break from Wicked to perform the title role in Flora, the Red Menace for Reprise! in Los Angeles, and then joined the final Broadway company of Rent as Maureen at the Nederlander Theatre in New York. She created the title character in Brooklyn the Musical and performed it from the original workshop, on through its Broadway run. You may have heard her on such recordings as Hair (BCEFA benefit recording), The Maury Yeston Songbook, Bright Lights, Big City, John McDaniel Live at Joe's Pub and Scott Alan's Dreaming Wide Awake. Eden made her solo debut at Upright Cabaret in Los Angeles with "ME" in Dec 2008 where the show was developed, and then performed the "ME" to sold out audiences at Joe's Pub in New York this past March 2009.

Audra Mae was born and raised in Oklahoma. The oldest of 6 children, and brought up in music theatre, she left home at 18 to pursue a career in recording music. Audra tried college outside of Nashville, TN for a year. However, after realizing she spent little time in class and, instead, wrote songs all day, Audra Mae decided to move to Los Angeles. Two years after arriving in LA, and playing live shows, Audra Mae earned a deal with Warner Chappell Publishing. She has now lived in Los Angeles for five years and in November of 08 her cover of Bob Dylan's Forever Young was featured on the FX series Sons of Anarchy. Audra Mae's new EP is an introduction to the artist and showcases her ability to create and interpret genuinely infectious melodies and lyrics giving the listener a true sense of Audra's perspective on her experiences. Talent runs deep in her veins as she is the great grandniece of Judy Garland and the great-granddaughter of Garland's band leader Bobby Sherwood.

Upright Cabaret (www.uprightcabaret.com) is redefining the cabaret milieu for a new generation of audiences. Founded by producers Chris Isaacson and Shane Scheel in 2005, Upright seeks to celebrate old style cabaret while simultaneously turning it on its ear, bringing young Broadway and young Hollywood together in a live setting. Upright performers run the gamut from Tony-nominated divas to up-and-coming recording artists to film and TV stars. Indeed, Upright's talent roster reads like a "who's who" of the entertainment industry, including current American Idol finalist Adam Lambert, film actress Katy Mixon (Four Christmases, HBO's East Bound and Down), Neil Patrick Harris (CBS's How I Met Your Mother & ABC's Doogie Howser, M.D.) and Hunter Parrish (Showtime's Weeds). Upright's roster also includes Michael Urie (ABC's Ugly Betty), Vicki Lewis (NBC's NewsRadio), Busy Phillips (NBC's Freaks & Geeks, ER), and cast members from over 75 Broadway productions, including Wicked, Rent, Jersey Boys and Spamalot, to name a few!

Upright Cabaret, born and bred in West Hollywood, and has been taking Southern California by storm, with shows in Palm Springs, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Avalon and recently on the East Coast at Joe's Pub in New York City. Upright will soon be taking its act on the road outside of the Golden state, with a planned concert tour slated for Spring, 2009. For more information, please visit www.uprightcabaret.com and www.myspace.com/uprightcabaret or www.youtube.com/uprightcabaret