| Linda Eder | |
|---|---|
| Born | 3 February 1961 [1] Tucson, Arizona |
| Occupation | Singer and Actress |
| Spouse | Frank Wildhorn (1998-2004) |
| Children | Jake Ryan Wildhorn (born August 23, 1999) |
| Parents | Georg and Laila Eder |
| Website | |
| http://www.lindaeder.com/ | |
Linda Eder (born February 3, 1961) is an American singer and actress. She made her Broadway debut in the musical Jekyll & Hyde, for which she received 1997 Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Nominations, as well as the Theatre World Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Eder is also featured on the concept albums of several other Broadway shows, such as The Scarlet Pimpernel and The Civil War. Her name is pronounced "EDD-er."
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Eder was born in Tucson, Arizona on February 3, 1961 and raised in Brainerd, Minnesota. Her parents, Georg (from Austria) and Leila (from Norway), exposed her to music at an early age. She cites Judy Garland,[1] Barbra Streisand,[2] and Eileen Farrell as her childhood inspiration. Eder denotes Garland, specifically, as her greatest influence.
Before her work on Broadway, Eder gained experience in the entertainment industry. She teamed up with classmate Paul Todd, who had won international awards for his piano and organ playing, and began the "Paul and Linda Show." After the duo went separate ways, Eder was a lounge singer at Harrah's Casino in Atlantic City, NJ. Eder next tried her hand at the talent show, Star Search, where her performance caught the notice of Angel Records and, subsequently, Frank Wildhorn. She starred in two 1991 stagings of his musical Svengali, the 1990 World Premiere, 1995-6 National Tour, and 1997 Broadway production of his Jekyll & Hyde, and the 2003 World Premiere of Camille Claudel. The two married in 1998[3] and divorced in 2004; they have one son, Jake. Eder is a recipient of the Theater World Award (1996–97) for her work in Jekyll & Hyde.
During Eder & Wildhorn's high-time on Broadway, she received much attention for not only her Broadway vocals, but her pop-albums as well. She made frequent appearances on the Rosie O'Donnell Show and Live with Regis and Kathie Lee and the Late Show with David Letterman. On O'Donnell's show, she would often be seen playing a clip of Linda's famous single "Vienna,". She was invited to Gifford's final performance on "Live..." and sang the song "Anything Can Happen," which was written for the musical Wonderland: Alice's New Musical Adventure, and will have its world premiere in 2011.
Linda lists her first musical theatre credit to her high school days as the Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music. The first professional Broadway musical production, a national tour, she saw was Evita, a role which she had once expressed interest in playing.
Linda's major theatrical career began in 1988, when she auditioned in Florida in front of musical theater composer Frank Wildhorn for the leading role of Lucy in Jekyll & Hyde. Very impressed with her vocal skills, she was immediately cast, although no production was planned at that time.
In 1990, the Alley Theatre in Houston agreed to host the world premiere of Jekyll & Hyde, the first musical ever performed there. The show was extended several times, and Eder received raves for her performance. Following this triumph, Wildhorn debuted the musical Svengali, starring his two leading performers from Jekyll: Linda and Chuck Wagner. The musical also eventually played at the Asolo Theatre in Sarasota Florida in 1991. She then performed with several workshops for The Scarlet Pimpernel, as the leading lady Marguerite St. Just.
In 1995, after several workshops with Jekyll & Hyde, she was once again Lucy; Robert Cuccioli and Christiane Noll starred opposite her. The show debuted at the Theatre Under the Stars in Houston, before moving to Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre. Following these two successful runs, Linda's headlining stint as Lucy traveled across the national from Fall 1995 until Spring 1996, with a hopeful Broadway mounting then. However, the show was delayed.
Finally beginning previews the following March 1997, new creative team members joined, which Linda has both said helped the production greatly, but was also its downfall. Along with the transfer came the dismissal of Lucy's first big number, "Bring on the Men." Although several rumors have circulated as to why it was cut, Linda has said that Director/Choreographer/Scenic Designer Robin Phillips felt that it was unnecessary, did not fit the piece, and a more friendly approach was necessary. Linda on her Greatest Album hits mentions that it was his "stupid decision" to cut the song, which was one of her favourites from the piece. She has however given some praise to him, mostly due to the acting coaching he gave to her. Linda was rewarded with 1997 Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations, and a 1997 Theatre World Award for her debut performance. Critics such as Regis Philbin and Rosie O'Donnell considered Eder robbed of a Tony Award nomination, both of which had featured her (and Frank Wildhorn and his other musicals) on their respective shows several times. Eder was married to Wildhorn whilst performing on Broadway, and officially left on August 30, 1998.[4] Luba Mason replaced her. During this time, rehearsals were about to begin for The Scarlet Pimpernel SP 2.0 to begin, in which many thought Linda would be joining as Marguerite. However, Linda declined (as she was to have a child) and instead Rachel York was cast.
Linda performed for several workshops and demo recordings for Mr. Wildhorn. Most importantly, she did several tracks for his Wonderland: Alice's New Musical Adventure (previously called "Alice"), which is having its world premiere ten years after the first single ("Anything Can Happen") was released, Havana (for which she has released the title song and several others), Bonnie & Clyde: A New Musical (which was to recently star Brandi Burkhardt, but now Laura Osnes, having its world premiere in 2009), Dracula, the Musical as Mina, Cyrano de Bergerac ~ The Musical as Roxanne (opposite Douglas Sills in the title role), and finally Camille Claudel, which was written for specifically her, and she was able to perform at 2 runs - one at Goodspeed Opera House and once at the New York Musical Theatre Festival.
Linda's next musical outing was in Camille Claudel in 2003. She performed the role twice that year, at the Goodspeed Opera House. Although the show, presented in an entire chamber-style form, received mixed reviews, Linda gained much attention again. In 2004, it was performed at the New York Musical Theatre Festival however, the show has yet to be produced on a major scale, although several European productions were planned - then scrapped.
Released on September 30, 2008, her new CD The Other Side of Me has a pop/country feel. This is a departure from the style she is known for which is standards and ballads. Her official site www.LindaEder.com has a posting where Linda says "It took a year and a half to make my new CD, the other side of me, but in reality, it has been a lifetime in the making."
She goes on to say:
As a kid I was a talented but undisciplined piano student. So in one of our early changes of address, the upright piano was left behind. As a young teenager I bought myself a cheap acoustic guitar so I would have a way to accompany my inner poet. What I wrote in those early years and the voice that I used to sing was the truest expression of who I really am. There were no outside influences to color or shape the vowels or direct the emotions. There was no record of past performances to measure up to, just my own words, my own history, and my own voice. I have finally been given the chance to strip away the costume and sing without the voice of others in my head. I've traveled a long road to find my way back home and I have found it. The Other Side of Me is my voice.
*- Although planned, final outcome was that it was not to be released.
| Awards | Performance | |
|---|---|---|
| Theater World Award | Best Broadway Debut, Jekyll & Hyde (1997) | WON |
| Drama Desk Award | Leading Actress (Lucy), Jekyll & Hyde (1997) | Nominated |
| Outer Critics Circle | Leading Actress (Lucy), Jekyll & Hyde (1997) | Nominated |