Mel & El

Mel & El are Melanie Kinard and Ellie Dvorkin - real life best friends who have known each other since they were twelve years old. They grew up in South Florida, where they attended the University Center for the Performing Arts together, and where, due to a shortage of boys in the summer camp program, one of them often played a man.

Described as a modern-day Laverne & Shirley, and “musical Amy Poehler and Tina Fey,” Mel & El have grown up to become a riotously funny musical duo and an NYC cult phenomenon. Their critically acclaimed show, MEL & EL: THIS SHOW RHYMES, was developed with Cannery Works and enjoyed a year-long run at The Duplex in NYC's West Village. Their next show, MEL & EL: SHOW & TELL, developed in part at New York Stage & Film, premiered at Ars Nova to rave reviews. MEL & EL: GAY MARRIED headlined Comix and culminated in the pair being chosen as one of the Village Voice's BEST OF NYC.

MEL & EL were awarded the Backstage Bistro Award for their song "Fagnet", the Collaboration Award given by the NY Coalition of Professional Women in the Arts and Media and were recently chosen as GO Magazine's Very Best in NYC Comedy.

MEL & EL have hosted and appeared at various events such as The Miss Fag Hag Pageant which raised funds for the Hetrick-Martin Institute/Harvey Milk School, and benefits for The Trevor Project, The NYCLU's LGBT efforts, The Food Bank of New York City, and Habitat for Humanity.

NYC appearances include NYMF, The Hysterical Festival, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad, The Big Gay Variety Show, Dykes on Mics, Homo Comicus, Hedda Lettuce’s Tossed Salad and here! TV’s Busted. You can also catch them at popular venues around town like The Box, Birdland, Gotham Comedy Club, The D Lounge, Le Poisson Rouge, Therapy, The PIT and Joe's Pub at the Public Theater.

Outside of NYC, MEL & EL have performed at colleges, on cruises and more.

Their debut musical comedy album, MEL & EL: SHE'S MY BITCH, is available on iTunes and CD Baby and their web series THE MEL & EL SHOW is now available at themelandelshow.com.

REVIEWS:
“Mel & El seem ready for prime time...the outrageous duo are letting it rip in their new musical comedy show.” Frank Scheck, The New York Post

“...hilariously squirm-inducing...a wacky hour-long musical. ...we feel like they're our best friends, too. We haven't had so much fun since seventh-grade sleepovers.”
Angela Ashman, Village Voice

“The outrageous routines of Mel & El...bring down the house.”
Neil Genzlinger, The New York Times

“MEL & EL is a hoot...and it hooks you all the more with its alt-rock score. The sensibility of Adelman & Dvorkin isn't just to skip down memory lane but to cut up. It's for them to be their irreverent, disgusting, idiosyncratic, devoted selves.”
Leonard Jacobs, Backstage

“Move over Kathy & Mo....the likable pair (who have earned a rabid queer fan base) have taken over Ars Nova with the bawdy Show & Tell. ....pop-culture-obsessed pals that bitch, bicker and belt catchy songs.... You’ve seen self-deprecating characters like these before—think Heidi and Susan in [title of show]—but rarely with chemistry this infectious.”
Brandon Voss, HX

“...a totally charming little musical.... MEL & EL: SHOW & TELL grabbed me by the ovaries the minute I walked into the Ars Nova Theatre. I don’t want to give away any of the outrageous surprises this imaginative little show dishes up, but suffice it to say it’s a girl-culture bonanza that totally affirms why keeping close to your best friend is the best decision a confused 30-something city gal can make.”
Bust Magazine

“...shows like Mel & El: Show and Tell are arguably more necessary than ever. During a time in which writing a story about female friendship and singlehood is likely to be met with more than a few eye rolls, exploring the emotional shades of gray in what it means to be a woman takes creative guts. This is exactly what Mel and El does, in a rowdy, heartfelt, and endearing production. ...But unlike so many tales about single women, the work encourages us to find comfort in what we already have—and find hilarity in both our secret desires and our shortcomings.”
Laura Palotie, OOBR

“...an entertaining hybrid that combines elements of a free-wheeling (and sometimes raunchy) nightclub act with a more fully realized theater piece about friendship and nostalgia. El is a shorter, red-headed firecracker in the Bette Midler vein who can keep us on her side even through the rudest of material — and some of her stuff is VERY rude — thanks to an infectious grin and an ever-present twinkle in her eyes. Both of the women have crack comic timing....” “Show & Tell” is powered by some very catchy tunes by Patrick Spencer Bodd.... Mel and El display genuine musical comedy chops.... You might be reminded of “Avenue Q” by the way that the bouncy tunes punch up Mel and El’s gags and give the show a sometimes weird vibe of kiddie TV for adults.”
J