Linda Eder (⫽ˈɛdər⫽; born February 3, 1961[1]) is an American singer and actress. She is most notable for having originated the role of Lucy Harris in the Broadway musical Jekyll & Hyde, for which she was nominated for the Drama Desk Award.
Linda Eder
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Eder at the Avalon Hollywood concert
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| Born | (1961-02-03) February 3, 1961 (age 63)
Tucson, Arizona, U.S.
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| Occupation(s) | Actress, singer |
| Spouse | Frank Wildhorn (1998-2004) |
| Children | Jake Wildhorn (b. 1999) |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Pop, showtunes, adult contemporary |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Labels | RCA Victor, Atlantic |
| Website | lindaeder |
Eder was born in Tucson, Arizona, on February 3, 1961, and raised in Brainerd, Minnesota. Her parents, Georg (from Austria) and Laila (from Norway), exposed her to music at an early age. She cites Judy Garland,[2] Barbra Streisand,[3] and Eileen Farrell as her childhood inspiration. Eder cites Garland, specifically, as her greatest influence.[4]
Before her work on Broadway, Eder sang in clubs in Minneapolis and performed at Harrah's CasinoinAtlantic City, New Jersey. In 1988 she won the talent show Star Search, where her performance caught the notice of Frank Wildhorn. She signed with RCA Records and starred in two 1991 stagings of Wildhorn's musical Svengali (the 1990 world premiere and 1995–96 national tour), the 1997 Broadway production of his Jekyll & Hyde, and the 2003 World Premiere of Camille Claudel. During those years, Eder recorded several CDs on Angel Records and Atlantic Records.[5] Wildhorn and Eder married in 1998[6] and divorced in 2004; they have one son, Jake.[7] Eder won the Theater World Award (1996–97) for Best Broadway Debut in Jekyll & Hyde.[5]
Since her divorce from Wildhorn, Eder has mainly performed in live concerts at venues including the Greek Theater, Radio City Music Hall, Carnegie Hall, and the Kennedy Center. She has continued to release solo albums,[5] including one recorded live at Skidmore College in 2014.[8]
| Show | Role | Year(s) | Production |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical | Lucy Harris | 1990 | Houston(World Premiere) |
| Svengali | Trilby | 1991 | Houston(World Premiere) |
| Svengali | Trilby | 1991 | Sarasota, Florida |
| Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical | Lucy Harris | 1995-1996 | 1st US Tour |
| Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical | Lucy Harris | 1997-1998 | Broadway |
| The Civil War | Hanna Hopes | 1998 | Houston(World Premiere) |
| The Civil War | Hanna Hopes | 1999 | Broadway |
| Camille Claudel | Camille Claudel | 2003 | Connecticut(World Premiere) |
*- 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 |
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