'DEAR EDWINA Encores' to Feature Marcy & Zina Live January 5 and 12

The off-Broadway premiere engagement of the Zina Goldrich and Marcy Heisler musical, DEAR EDWINA is off to a splendid start. A fully staged musical comedy for all ages, DEAR EDWINA will run through Sunday, January 25 at the DR2 Theatre, 103 E. 15th Street, NYC.

As a gift to lovers of theatre and cabaret, Daryl Roth Productions announces DEAR EDWINA ENCORES, two post-show cabaret performances by MARCY and ZINA on January 5 and 12.

Following DEAR EDWINA's 7:00 p.m. performances on Monday, January 5 and Monday, January 12, MARCY and ZINA will take the stage, performing about 20 - 25 minutes of their own material, including songs that never made it to the show and perhaps even a song or two from the upcoming production of EVER AFTER. They'll also answer audience questions about their work and the inception of DEAR EDWINA. These unrehearsed performances will boast a casual, "behind the scenes" feel, and are sure to be very special occasions.

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. Kristin Chenoweth popularized their song, "Taylor, the Latte Boy," performing it on The Today Show and The Rosie O'Donnell Show and in concert at Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Opera House, and the White House. As performers, MARCY and ZINA have toured domestically and internationally, presenting their music at some of the finest venues, including Carnegie Hall 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." 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. 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.

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 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 issues that run the gamut from what to do when offered icky food to how to deal with a truly annoying brother. Adults definitely identify with these quandaries! Wrote Mark Peikert of Back Stage, "The choreography, whip-smart lyrics, and irrepressible spirits of the six-person cast combine to elevate the show to heights higher than those of the average kiddie show. Throughout the audience, adults will be laughing just as hard (if not harder) than their children."

Tickets for DEAR EDWINA are priced at $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.

Photo: The cast and crew of Dear Edwina with Donna Murphy, Zina Goldrich, and Marcy Heisler
(Story By: Peter James Zielinski)