Review: EDEN ESPINOSA LIVE AT THE ORINDA! at Orinda Theatre

Eden Espinosa

Live in Orinda Series

Orinda Theatre

16 October 2022

Live performance entertainment is just now recovering from the funk of COVID, and we should all feel comforted that small non-profits like Michael Williams and his Live at the Orinda! series are forging ahead with a full season of concerts at the historic Orinda Theatre. In his words, "After these past two years, we've realized just how important this unity through music really is. Music provides a sense of nourishment for the soul and for the community."

2022-23 season opener Eden Espinosa is busy redefining herself, both professionally and personally, speaking to both issues during her set. How does a Broadway musical star, defined by a big career shaping role move forward without disappointing fans wanting to hear that big 11 o'clock showstopper? Espinosa smartly opened with" Defying Gravity," Elphaba's signature number from Wicked, getting the bread and butter tune in while allowing the rest of the show to focus on letting us get to know the Eden beyond the green face paint.

From Next to Normal, Espinosa presented "I Miss the Mountains," a song about feeling emotions intensely. Having gone through a divorce, Espinosa is also trying to redefine herself, peppering her set with love ballads and an occasional upbeat tune, like Kander & Ebb's "Ring Them Bells" originally written for Liza Minelli's Liza with a "Z" TV special. "Another Life" from Jason Robert Brown's The Bridges of Madison County and "Holding to the Ground" from Falsettos highlight Espinosa's lovely vocals and expressiveness.

Accompanied by pianist/composer Matt Gould, Espinosa sang two numbers from her originating role as Tamara De Lempicka from his new musical Lempicka, "I Will Paint Her" and "Woman Is." Espinosa is warm and authentic onstage, confessing that it took her awhile to adjust to concert performing and allowing herself to be Eden. She was clearly having fun, even playfully acknowledging going up on a lyric. She encored with her regular closer, Cy Coleman, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green's "Look Around" from The Will Rogers Follies, a wistful remembrance of what was.

Live at the Orinda! returns with Bobby Conte on December 4th. Visit orindamovies.com for tickets and showtimes.

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