Linda Eder Headlines Reading of New Musical Comedy in NJ

Linda Eder will play an actress on the road to a comeback in a reading of the new musical comedy The Seduction of Sheila Valentine.

The reading of the musical, which is Broadway-bound, will be held on August 19th at 8 PM at the Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center in Marlton, NJ. 

Written by Lenape Artistic Director Vincent Marini (director of Waiting for the Moon) and Jack Murphy (who wrote Waiting for the Moon with Frank Wildhorn), The Seduction of Sheila Valentine is set in the late '50s.  It follows the "sad tale of two 40-something, once-famous actresses who find themselves too old to play the young romantic leads anymore, and too vain to play anyone else. While working together at an Iowa dinner theater, they get their hands on a script penned by the hottest writer/director in New York. Separately, each one decides this script is her ticket back to Broadway. When two desperate actresses vie for one role of a lifetime, the result is hilarious trouble."

No further casting has been announced for the reading of Sheila Valentine, of which Marini stated,  "This irreverent comedy is completely original, yet it seems to channel some of the great musical comedies of the 20th century. It's The Producers meets Mame, meets Guys and Dolls."

Eder's last theatrical endeavor was Frank Wildhorn's Camille Claudel at Goodspeed; she played the French sculptress of the title in the show from which her hit "Gold" originated. She made her Broadway debut in Wildhorn's Jekyll & Hyde, and earned  Theatre World Award as well as Drama Desk and Outer Critic Circle nominations for her performance as the doomed prostitute Lucy. Eder's many recordings include "Linda Eder," "It's No Secret Anymore," "It's Time," "Gold," "And So Much More," and her latest, "By Myself: The Songs of Judy Garland."  She is acclaimed for her work as a concert artist, and was recently seen at Feinstein's at the Regency.

Tickets are $15, and $10 for Lenape RPAC subscribers.  They can be ordered by calling (856) 983-3366. Visit www.sjtheater.com for more information.