Eden Riegel (Bianca) shares her feelings of love for that "other" performing art
Back in the beginning of 2002, ALL MY CHILDREN's Eden Riegel (Bianca) had made a few New Year's resolutions. But the one that she seemed most passionate about was her determination to return to something that she always has kept close to her heart: singing.
"I miss it," she confesses. "I used to be so active in it, and now I don't even know if I have a singing voice anymore. I'm so out of practice because I've literally not studied it in four or five years."
She needn't have worried. A few weeks after declaring, "I'm not sure what I've still got in me," the actress — who got her musical start playing the young Cosette in the Broadway production of Les Miserables — more than proved herself at a soap opera fundraiser for victims of the World Trade Center attacks.
At the event, Riegel first put her pipes to the test for a melodious duet with co-star Elizabeth Hendrickson (Maggie). But it was later, when the talented songbird sang solo, that she proved that no amount of time could take away such God-given talent.
"Singing is probably my favorite thing to do. It's what I'm most passionate about," divulges Riegel. "It's so energizing to be on stage in a musical. There's nothing like it in the world. I can't even go to the theater without feeling jealous of the performers.
"Actually," she continues, "it makes me very sad because I leave and feel so wonderful. I come out and say, 'I want to do that.'"
Although it's uncertain where or when Riegel will make her next singing engagement, her enthusiasm alone is enough to make you want to see her in action. Perhaps her following words reflect that sentiment.
"I'm definitely going to get back into it again, if not for any other reason than I love it and need to do it," she shares wistfully. "I miss it so much that I feel like I lost a good friend." — Colleen Humes
Eden Riegel
