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Eden Espinosa

Eden Erica Espinosa (born February 2, 1978 in Anaheim, California) is an American singer and stage actress. She is the daughter of the Christian composer Eddie Espinosa.

Family

Eden Espinosa's parents are Eduardo: a pastor and Christian music composer, and Elsie: a public school teacher. She also has a brother named Eddie.

Stage career

Espinosa began singing at the age of three and performing at age five. After graduating from Canyon High School, she worked at local theme parks such as Disneyland and Universal Studios prior to being discovered by the BKLYN casting director. Espinosa worked on creating the title role of the musical at the Denver Civic Theatre for nearly two years. Prior to BKLYN's Broadway run at the Plymouth Theatre, Espinosa made her Broadway debut in the original company of Stephen Schwartz's musical Wicked, where she also served as Idina Menzel's standby as Elphaba. At one point, Espinosa continuously performed in the role for a month, while Menzel was busy shooting the film Ask The Dust in South Africa. Espinosa departed Wicked in August, 2004. BKLYN began its Broadway run on October 24, 2004 and closed on June 26, 2005.

Shortly after BKLYN closed, another opportunity for Espinosa to rejoin Wicked arose. Actress Stephanie J. Block was injured on the musical's National Tour, and was unable to perform for the tour's stop in San Francisco. Espinosa temporarily replaced Block as "Elphaba" from August 5 to September 11, 2005.

On January 10, 2006 Espinosa replaced actress Shoshana Bean as Elphaba, returning to the Gershwin Theatre once again. For this role she won the Broadway.com Audience Award for Favorite Female Replacement. She left the Broadway production on October 8, 2006 and was replaced by Ana Gasteyer. She then reprised the role of "Elphaba" alongside former co-star Megan Hilty in the Los Angeles production of Wicked, which opened on February 21, 2007 at the Pantages Theatre. Espinosa left the Los Angeles company on December 30, 2007. She was replaced by Caissie Levy.

Espinosa can be heard on the Original Concept Cast Recording of the musical Bright Lights, Big City, as well as the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS benefit Recording of Hair. In addition to her theatre credits, Espinosa has appeared on various television shows; including Law & Order, Robot Chicken, Ugly Betty, and most recently Dog Whisperer.

Espinosa starred in a production of Flora the Red Menace which ran at UCLA's Freud Playhouse from May 6-18, 2008.

Espinosa was part of the one-night celebrity performed staging of Howard Ashman's unproduced musical "Dreamstuff". The musical was re-imagined by Howard's partners Marsha Malamet and Dennis Green and performed one night only at Los Angeles' Hayworth Theatre as part of the Bruno Kirby celebrity reading series, directed by her Ugly Betty co-star Michael Urie. Espinosa starred in the show alongside Fred Willard, Vicki Lewis, Luke MacFarlane and David Blue (actor).

Espinosa took on the role of Maureen in Rent from Nicolette Hart on May 30, 2008 and finished show's run on Broadway (the second time she has assumed a role originated by Idina Menzel).

On September 21st 2008, Eden made her West End debut in "Never Neverland", a benefit concert that helps in aid of Ovarian Cancer and NCH. The concert took place at the Duchess Theatre in London. Alongside Eden starred fellow Wicked alumni Jenna Leigh Green and Scott Alan.

Eden will then be performing a song by composer/writer Bobby Cronin in the Broadway for South Africa benefit concert.

Espinosa will return to the Los Angeles production of Wicked in November 2008 with former co-star Megan Hilty and will stay with the production till it closes on January 11, 2009.