Eden Espinosa joins cast of Show Hope's second annual CINDERELLA

Broadway star Eden Espinosa joins the cast of Show Hope's second annual spring celebration production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, Enchanted Edition, on Friday, April 15, at Nashville's Schermerhorn Symphony Center.

Espinosa, who gained critical acclaim for her performances in Wicked and Rent, will play the role of The Fairy Godmother in the second annual staging of the musical.

Directed and staged by Studio Tenn's Matt Logan, the concert version of Cinderella features Broadway's Alli Mauzey (known for her roles in Cry-Baby, Hairspray and Wicked) returning in the title role, with American Idol finalist Anthony Federov again appearing as Prince Christopher. Nashville superstar - and star of Les Miserables on Broadway - Gary Morris will play the king, with Nashville theater favorite Shelean Newman as the queen. Jake Speck, Studio Tenn's managing director who gained fame on Broadway in Jersey Boys, returns from the 2010 cast, and he is joined by local stars Nan Gurley, Bonnie Keen and Carolyn German, returning as Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters.

This year's event promises to be a stellar evening, just as it was last May when Cinderella was first staged at David Lipscomb University's Allen Arena in the wake of flooding in downtown Nashville. This year the Schermerhorn Symphony Center provides the setting, with music performed by the Grammy Award-winning Nashville Symphony. Show Hope founders Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman dreamed for years about creating a major entertainment event for Nashville, hoping to be able to give back to the supporting community as they celebrated and illuminated the mission of Show Hope, their adoption assistance and orphan care organization.

The return engagement of Cinderella is considered an ideal selection for the Spring Celebration because it bears the same title as one of Steven Curtis Chapman's most loved songs from his 2008 project, This Moment. The song "Cinderella" was inspired by the Chapmans' two youngest daughters, Stevey Joy and Maria Sue - and with Maria's tragic death in May, 2008, the story of both the song and musical of Cinderella makes the event, as well as the work of Show Hope, more poignant than ever.

The Chapmans continue to see the Show Hope Spring Celebration as a way to honor Maria's life, while highlighting the mission of Show Hope, which exists to help orphaned children in desperate need.

Curtain for Cinderella is 7 p.m. at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Tickets are on sale at the Schermerhorn box office or by calling (615) 687-6400.

To post a comment, you must register and login.