Jekyll & Hyde's star Linda Eder will make a New York concert appearance Friday, Nov. 14 at Manhattan's Town Hall Theatre, 123 West 43rd St.
The concert is scheduled for 11 PM, not too long after the curtain rings down on Eder and company in the Leslie Bricusse and Frank Wildhorn musical J&H two blocks away at the Plymouth Theatre. The American and international recording artist plays Lucy, a London lady of the night and object of Mr. Hyde's desire.
For a firsthand account of Eder's first post New York concert, see "Report From Linda Eder's July 17 Concert" in U.S. Theatre News.
Eder is expected to perform songs from her recently-released Atlantic solo CD. "It's Time" which debuted in July on Billboard's new artist "Heat Seekers" chart at Number 17.
Eder, who rose to fame with her 12 appearances on TV's Star Search, performs on two more CDs with music composed by Wildhorn: the concept album for Scarlet Pimpernel, which opens on Broadway this fall; and the soon-to-be-released concept album of Civil War, which is being developed for TV and a possible live tour by Pierre Cossette. Two songs from these shows -- "Only Love" and "Candle In the Window" -- appear on "It's Time." The Eder-Wildhorn collaboration is not just a professional one. The couple, who are engaged, have been together nine years and plan to wed May 3, 1998. "It's a relationship that's as rich and fulfilling as the music we produce," said Eder. "We've become a team. I can't believe how lucky I am."
Eder's voice has been compared to Barbra Streisand. The vocalist did concert appearances in major cities during J&H's two-year odyssey to Broadway, often selling out halls with capacities of up to 3,000. She recorded two earlier solo albums on RCA and Angel.
"I've been singing since I could open my mouth," said Eder. "As a kid, music was like a toy to me. Singing, making sounds -- I loved it and just couldn't stop."
The American-born singer is part Austrian and Norwegian. She grew up a rough-and-tumble tomboy in Minnesota. "Growing up," she said, "I didn't find much inspiration in the pop and rock music my friends loved. I was strange from the beginning! I liked movie and show music. I vividly remember watching Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz, singing 'Over The Rainbow' and crying 'I want to do that!' Now I am. And, another dream has come true. I'm on Broadway!"
In Houston, Eder created the role of Tribly in Wildhorn's 1991 Svengali, which has lyrics by Wildhorn, John Bettis and Alley Artistic Director Gregory Boyd. Houston also is where J&H originated in 1990 at the Alley Theatre (a 1995 co-production with Houston's Theatre Under the Stars toured member theatres of the Alliance of Musical Theatre Producers). Chuck Wagner, who co-starred in Svengali, also appeared opposite Eder in the 1990 J&H. Robert Cuccioli came aboard for the 1995 edition and has traveled with it all the way to Broadway.
Tickets are available through Ticketmaster (212) 307-7171 and The Town Hall box office (212) 840-2824. For information call (212) 249-8870. Tickets are $40 and $30 (service charges where applicable).
