Eden Espinosa

**Eden Erica Espinosa** (born February 2, 1978 in Anaheim, California) is an American actress and singer who is best known for her performances as Elphaba for the Broadway, Los Angeles, and San Francisco productions of the musical *Wicked*.

## Education and early career

Of Mexican descent, Eden Espinosa began singing at the age of three, performing at age five, and recording at the age of ten. At Canyon High School, she played the role of Maria in *West Side Story*. After graduating, Espinosa worked at local theme parks such as Disneyland and Universal Studios. She was also part of the successful performing group The Young Americans, which is based in Southern California and performs in front of audiences worldwide.

## Career

### *Wicked*

Espinosa made her Broadway debut as a member of the original Broadway cast of Stephen Schwartz's musical *Wicked*, which opened on October 30, 2003. She started the production as standby for Idina Menzel in the role of Elphaba. She was also an understudy for the role of Nessarose. Espinosa performed the role of Elphaba for a month continuously during the Summer of 2004, while Menzel was filming *Ask the Dust*. When going on for Menzel, Espinosa performed alongside opposite Kristin Chenoweth and Jennifer Laura Thompson. Espinosa left *Wicked* on September 5, 2004, to originate the lead for the Broadway debut of *Brooklyn*.

Following the closing of *Brooklyn The Musical*, Espinosa performed the lead role of Elphaba for the *Wicked* First National tour during the entire San Francisco run from August 5 to September 11, 2005. She replaced Stephanie J. Block while Block recovered from an injury. For this engagement, she played opposite Kendra Kassebaum as Glinda.

On January 10, 2006, Espinosa returned to perform in the lead role of Elphaba for the Broadway production of *Wicked*, taking over the role from Shoshana Bean. Espinosa performed for the *Wicked* celebration of its 1,000th performance on Broadway, on March 21, 2006. Espinosa played opposite both Megan Hilty and Kate Reinders as Glinda on Broadway. She left the Broadway production on October 8, 2006, and was replaced by Ana Gasteyer.

Espinosa received the 2006 Broadway.com Audience Award for "Favorite Female Replacement", in recognition of her performances as Elphaba during her Broadway run as lead.

Espinosa was chosen to originate the role of Elphaba for the third U.S. production of *Wicked* in Los Angeles, which opened on February 21, 2007, at the Pantages Theatre. She opened the show with former Broadway co-star Megan Hilty as Glinda. She received broad critical acclaim for the role. Espinosa left the Los Angeles company on December 30, 2007 and was replaced by Caissie Levy.

Following the closing of "Rent", she returned to the Los Angeles production of *Wicked* on October 31, 2008, to reprise the role of Elphaba and stayed with the production until its finale on January 11, 2009. *Wicked* Los Angeles was one of the most financially successful musicals in Los Angeles theatre history.

On March 2, 2010, Espinosa took over the role of Elphaba from Teal Wicks for the San Francisco production of *Wicked*. She performed opposite Kendra Kassebaum as Glinda, with whom she had previously performed on the *Wicked* First National tour when it played in San Francisco. Espinosa left on June 26, 2010, and was replaced by Marcie Dodd.

### *Brooklyn the Musical*

Espinosa originated and workshopped the title role in *Brooklyn the Musical* over the course of two years. Its world premiere was on April 30, 2003 (previews), and it ran until June 15, 2003, at the Denver Civic Center.

Espinosa opened in *Brooklyn* on Broadway at the Plymouth Theatre on October 21, 2004 and stayed with the musical until it closed on June 26, 2005. It played 27 previews and 284 regular performances.

Espinosa was nominated for a 2005 Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance for her performance. She was featured on the original Broadway cast recording of *Brooklyn the Musical*.

### *Rent*

On May 30, 2008, Espinosa replaced Nicolette Hart as Maureen Johnson (a role again originated by Idina Menzel) in the closing cast of the original Broadway production of *Rent* at the Nederlander Theatre.

To take part in promotion for the farewell performances of *Rent*, Espinosa made appearances on *Good Morning America* and at the 2008 Tony Awards (which featured the original and closing Broadway casts). *Rent*'s final Broadway performance on September 7, 2008 was also filmed (which Espinosa is featured on).

### Additional theatre

Espinosa starred in a production of *Flora the Red Menace* which ran at UCLA's Freud Playhouse from May 6–18, 2008. After its closing, on September 21, 2008, Espinosa made her West End debut in "Never Neverland", a benefit concert that raised money for British charities Ovarian Cancer Action and NCH. The concert took place at the Duchess Theatre in London.

Espinosa performed as Miranda in the one-night staging of Howard Ashman's previously unproduced musical *Dreamstuff* on June 23, 2008, at the Hayworth Theatre in Los Angeles, directed by Michael Urie.

Espinosa played the Fairy Godmother in the 2011 Nashville Symphony Orchestra concert version of *Cinderella* on April 15, 2011, alongside *Wicked* alum Alli Mauzey, who played the title character.

She headlined the world premiere of the new musical *Rain* by Michael John LaChiusa as Sadie, at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego from March 24 to May 1, 2016.

Espinosa played the lead role in Studio Tenn's production of *Evita* in Nashville, Tennessee, from September 9 to 18, 2016.

In 2018, Espinosa played the role of Daniella in the concert version of Lin-Manuel Miranda's *In the Heights*.

### Solo shows/performances

In March 2009, Espinosa performed her solo show entitled "Me" at Joe's Pub in New York City, directed by Billy Porter. She returned to Southern California with her show on Friday, July 24, 2009, at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre.

She was featured as a soloist for Disneyland's new firework spectacular "Magical" premiering in the summer of 2009, where she sang Magical's theme song as well as Disney songs such as "Baby Mine".

### Solo albums

In August 2012, Espinosa announced she was in the works of recording her debut solo album featuring modern Broadway hits with a pop sensibility entitled "Look Around". The album was released on December 18, 2012, debuting at #41 on the iTunes Pop Charts. The album also went on to win multiple awards for independent artists including the Independent Music Awards for Pop Album of the Year, Female Pop Vocalist of the Year, and Producer of the Year (which went to Espinosa's producer, Joseph Abate).

On July 25, 2015, Espinosa announced she is in the early development process of her sophomore studio album. Just like with "Look Around", she stated a 2nd Kickstarter fundraiser in order to raise money for putting everything together.

### Television

Espinosa has appeared on various television shows, including *Law & Order*, *Robot Chicken*, and *Dog Whisperer*. She had a recurring role in 2009 as the voice of Sasha Caylo on the super robot animated series *Titan Maximum*, an original show developed for Adult Swim.

In 2007, the ABC series *Ugly Betty* included performances of "I'm Not That Girl" and "Defying Gravity" in the episode "Something Wicked This Way Comes", featuring Espinosa and other members of Los Angeles *Wicked* cast.

She has also appeared on the *Today Show* in 2004, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade TV broadcast in 2004, *The Tonight Show with Jay Leno* in 2007, and as a performer on the 2008 Tony Awards.

In 2011, she appeared on the animated sketch comedy series *Mad* episode "Force Code / Flammable" as Katy Putty, a Katy Perry parody made out of Play-Doh who sings about flammability, and performed "Flammable", a spoof on Perry's song "Firework".

In 2016, she voiced Orizaba the moth fairy in the tenth episode of *Elena of Avalor*, "The Sceptre of Light", and again in 2018 for season two episode 18, "Finding Zuzo".

She voiced Rapunzel’s handmaiden and confidant Cassandra in the 2017 film *Tangled: Before Ever After* and in *Tangled: The Series/Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure*.