Photo Coverage: Eden Espinosa Sings 'ME' at Ford Amphitheatre

On Friday, July 24 Broadway and Wicked star Eden Espinosa made a triumphant return to Los Angeles with her pop/rock concert entitled "ME" which was directed by Billy Porter with Music Direction by Chris Bratten.

The nearly sold-out audience was treated to a dazzling array of song selections which included highlights like the Tina Turner hit "River Deep, Mountain High," Cyndi Lauper's "I'm Gonna Be Strong," Dolly Parton's "Here You Come Again," Beyonce's "Halo", Paula Cole's "ME" (which Espinosa commented was the inspiration for the concert), and of course Stephen Schwartz' "Defying Gravity."

Grammy Award-winner and Decca recording artist Paula Cole made a guest appearance and wooed the audience performing a couple of her hits including Dawson Creek theme song "I Don't Want To Wait." Singer/songwriter Audra Mae began the night singing songs from her new self-titled EP, and also a standout rendition of "Joey, Joey, Joey" from The Most Happy Fella.

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. 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 "ME" at Joe's Pub in New York this past March 2009. Currently, Espinosa is recording her debut album, is working on the new animated series entitled "Titan Maximum" which is set to air in Sept-October, and is in preparations for her Nov 8th concert at Feinstein's in New York City.

Presented by Chris Isaacson and Shane Scheel, "ME" is the 2nd in a trio of shows entitled Upright Cabaret's "Wicked" Summer Nights at the Ford Amphitheatre. The third and final concert entitled Stephen Schwartz "Making Good" on Aug 23 includes a sneak peak of the Wicked composers new opera, "Séance on a Wet Afternoon," followed by a second act extravaganza featuring Upright Cabaret All-Star performers interpreting Schwartz's most popular songs! For more info, please visit: www.uprightcabaret.com/events or www.fordtheatres.org

Photos by Tony DiMaio

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