DEAR EDWINA, starring Kerry Butler, Terrence Mann, Lynnette Perry, Andrea Burns, Rebecca Luker, Danny Burstein, Jeff Blumenkrantz, and more, will release their cast recording in stores on November 11th, 2008. The album is currently available for purchase online at www.psclassics.com.
DEAR EDWINA begins performances as part of the
Daryl Roth Productions' DR2 Kids series at the DR2 Theatre, 103 E. 15th Street, NYC, on Friday, November 14, 2008 and runs through Sunday, January 25, 2009, with an official opening on Sunday, November 16 at 4:00 p.m.
DEAR EDWINA features music by
Zina Goldrich and book and lyrics by
Marcy Heisler (the award-winning songwriting team behind the critically acclaimed family musical JUNIE B. JONES, the popular cabaret song "Taylor, the Latte Boy," and the Broadway-bound musical EVER AFTER). TIMOTHY MCDONALD, founder of family entertainment producer iTheatrics, will direct.
Janice Mays will appear in DEAR EDWINA's title role. Others in the cast include Tyler Adcock, Gordon Maniskas, Ernie Pruneda, Morgan Rose, Doug Thompson, Shannon Tyo, and Katie Whetsell. Musical direction is by
Mark Hartman, with choreography by Steven G. Kennedy.
Court Watson is scenic designer, lighting design is by Kathryn Furst, and costume design is by
Theresa Squire. Pianist/conductor will be
Joe Kinosian, and Nicole Marcus is the production's drummer.
In the classic tradition of "Let's put on a show," DEAR EDWINA's plucky heroine, Edwina Spoonapple, decides that she and her pals will do just that. Edwina's special talent is giving advice, and she would do almost anything to be a part of the Kalamazoo Advice-a-palooza Festival. When a talent scout visits her hometown of Paw Paw, Michigan, Edwina – assisted by a host of quirky friends and neighbors- enthusiastically sings out her musical advice in hopes of finding her own special place in the spotlight. Together Edwina and chums put on a show in the Spoonapple garage that tackles a plethora of problems, in numbers about everything from birthday party etiquette to the proper way to set a table ("salad fork, fork, plate, knife, spoon"). This smart and sassy "show within a show" features such hilarious and endearing songs as "Put It in the Piggy," "Frankenguest," and "Hola Lola," offering clever advice on kid- troubling issues that run the gamut from what to do when offered icky food to how to deal with a truly annoying brother. After hearing "Hola Lola," Roy Sander of Backstage declared it was "so infectious you may not be able to get it out of your head … I couldn't stop singing it for hours."
Children attending DEAR EDWINA will have their own chance to ask Edwina for advice by placing letters in a special box in the DR2 Theatre lobby. Each week, one child's "Dear Edwina" letter will be selected, and Edwina's reply will be posted on the show's website:
www.DearEdwina.comPraised by The New York Times as a "bright inventive production" that "beguiles with rock, rag, rhythm and blues and doo wop among other attractions," MARCY and ZINA's Junie B. Jones enjoyed three highly successful off-Broadway runs under the auspices of Theatreworks USA, earning two
Lucille Lortel Award nominations. MARCY and ZINA, who have been collaborating since 1993, were voted "Best Knocking on Broadway's Door Songwriting Team" in The Village Voice's "Best of NYC" edition and are past recipients of ASCAP's
Richard Rodgers New Horizons Theatre Award. As performers, MARCY and ZINA have toured domestically and internationally, presenting their music at some of the finest venues, including
Carnegie Hall, Canada's "Juste Pour Rire" comedy festival and the Kennedy Center. Raved The Village Voice, "[They] have been turning out smart lyrics and sophisticated melodies for some time. Keep in mind they're the ones whose nifty love song rhymed 'quesadilla' with 'IKEA.'" Their song "Taylor, the Latte Boy" has been recorded by
Christiane Noll and
Susan Egan and is featured on
Kristin Chenoweth's album, As I Am, on the Sony label. Together and apart, MARCY and ZINA have provided original songs for The Disney Channel, Disney Interactive and Feature Animation projects, Disney Theatricals, PBS, and Nickelodeon.
Tickets for DEAR EDWINA are priced at $29 (previews) and $39 (general admission) and are available at
DearEdwina.com or by calling Telecharge at 212.239.6200. Tickets may also be purchased at the DR2 box office, 103 East 15th Street, NYC. Group rates are available. This production is 60 minutes long and is recommended for ages 5 - 12.
