Garden of Eden

06.12.09 - The Broadway star returns to her Disneyland roots to sing the theme for the new fireworks spectacle Magical.

"I'm such a Disney girl, and I have been since I was growing up here in Orange County," Eden says. "I'd always come to Disneyland as a kid. It was always a dream of mine to work here and be in entertainment here."

If you've been a regular Disneyland visitor for a while, chances are good you have seen Eden Espinosa in a show — she did more than a half a dozen during her career in entertainment at Disneyland, before moving to New York City where she starred in such musicals as Wicked, Rent and Brooklyn. This summer, park guests will be able to hear Eden's rich vocals nightly; the incredible talent recorded the music for the new fireworks show Magical. D23 sat down with Eden for an exclusive interview and learned about her favorite attraction, her best Disneyland job and why she needs to reach for a box of tissues any time she hears a Disney song.

How did they approach you about singing the theme from Magical?
One of the talent bookers, Dana White, contacted me and said, "Bruce Healey [Disneyland's Senior Music Producer] wanted to get your number, and I wasn't sure if I should give it to him." And I said, "Dana, it's Bruce Healey! He cast me in Dickens Carolers when I was 18. You can give him my number! It's fine!" [Laughs] And he called me and wanted me to send a couple of clips of things that he could show the director, because the director wasn't too familiar with me. And that was it. Then he called me back and said, "We'd love you to be a part of it, if you want to do it." I was like, "Are you kidding me?!"

Was Dickens Carolers your first Disneyland job?
Actually my first job was A Christmas Fantasy parade, the first year they did it with the live carolers. I was in it. And then I started doing the stage shows.

Do you have a favorite memory from working here?
My first solo, I think. I did the Carolers and then I was in the Hunchback of Notre Dame stage show.

Were you Esmerelda?
No, I was just Gypsy No. 4! [laughs] But then I was cast as Pocahontas in Animazement the Musical, and it was my first solo in the park. That moment, being able to do the montage [with songs from Pocahontas, Hercules and Hunchback of Notre Dame], which Bruce Healy actually arranged, was pretty cool.

Didn't you do [the Disney music revue] Steps in Time at Disney's California Adventure, too?
I did Steps in Time too — both versions! I did Route 66 in the park too, that was the last thing I did before I left the park. I did a lot!

Do you have a favorite attraction?
I love Tower of Terror. But my favorite Fantasyland ride is Peter Pan. I love Peter Pan. I think the concept is well executed. I love how you fly above the city with all the little lights.

And you now open Magical singing "The Second Star to the Right"!
I know! It's great.

Was there a favorite song you got to sing for Magical?
Honestly, all of them are on a favorites list. But I think getting to do "Chim Chim Cher-ee" from Mary Poppins was awesome. And also "Baby Mine" [from Dumbo]. You don't get to hear that very often. And I love the original song Greg Smith wrote as well. I love all of it!

What was it like watching Magical for the first time?
I had heard it before I saw it. Bruce sent me a CD earlier in the week, and I've been intentionally listening to it nonstop because I'm such a Disney girl, and I have been since I was growing up here in Orange County. I'd always come to Disneyland as a kid. It was always a dream of mine to work here and be in entertainment here. I always cry at Disney music in the fireworks shows, in Fantasmic, in the parades — so I was like, "I'm gonna bawl like a little baby!" So I listened to it a lot so I could get all the tears out. But hearing it on Main Street and seeing it happen was pretty cool! It was breathtaking.

After all that time in New York City, are you living back in Southern California now?
I've been back in L.A. since Wicked opened at the Pantages, so I've been back a couple years now. And I'm enjoying being back in Southern California. I have a solo concert coming up at the Ford Amphitheatre on July 24. I started doing shows at the Upright Cabaret when Wicked was ending and I went back to the show to close it. Then we took it to New York and did it at Joe's Pub in March. Now we're bringing to the Ford. It keeps getting bigger and bigger. It's going to be a great show! I'm very excited.



Click here for more information about Eden's show at the Ford Amphitheatre.