People Say Nice Things

Would you just look at this lovely thing that was written about us on www.cabaretexchange.com...

Latest News - Comedy Team: Mel & El
Written by Scott Barbarino

"Cabaret has a long history of presenting great comedy teams:

Nichols & May
Wallem & Tolan
Kathy & Mo
DeLaria & Strobel
Amsterdam & Price
Baus & Troche
With the exception of Nichols & May, who were a bit before my time, I've seen all of the comedy duos mentioned above perform in the intimacy of a cabaret venue.

Now add Mel & El whose show at the Duplex I finally had the pleasure of seeing last week. Check out Cabaret Exchange reviewer Bisanne Masoud's review of this show, then get to one of their upcoming performances. They are a TREAT!! "

Above: Mel & El with Scott Barbarino of CabaretExchange.com

Mel & El: Vocab Lesson #2

Mel & El: Vocab Lesson #2
The Chronicles of Riddick: EXTREMELY ridiculous or preposterous.

Origin: The title of a 2004 movie starring Vin Diesel, Thandie Newton and Judi Dench.

I was riding the N train the other day and a naked clown on a unicycle rode through the car singing "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot". It was The Chronicles of Riddick.

Honoring The Dream

Mel: El?
 

El: What, Mel? 

Mel: What are you doing? 

El: I'm building a 9 foot statue of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. out of Legos! And he's holding a big sign that says "I have a dream...that all people...regardless of race, color or creed...will get a chance to see MEL & EL: THIS SHOW RHYMES!" 

Mel: Wowsers. Um...that's VERY creative. 

El: I know! And it's a brilliant way to advertise our show this Sunday since it's right before MLK Day. 

Mel: That seems like an awful lot of hard work.
 

El: It is. So cut the yapping, climb on that ladder and help me.

Mel: My dearest El... when are you going to learn that we don't need fancy ways of presenting information about our upcoming shows? When are you going to learn that we are enough?
 

El: I have a feeling I'm learning it right now. 

Mel: Good girl. 

El: Mel? 

Mel: Yes, El? 

El: What am I going to do with all these Legos? 

Mel: You'll think of something.

Mel & El: This Show Rhymes
Sunday, January 20th at 7PM
The Duplex
61 Christopher Street at Seventh Avenue
Tickets: $15 plus 2 drink minimum

Special Offer: Enter the code MLK next to your name on the reservation form for BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE!
Reservations: www.theduplex.com

or (212) 255-5438

Guest Stars!

The next MEL & EL: THIS SHOW RHYMES is coming up!

Saturday, February 23rd at 10PM at The Duplex

Click HERE to make a reservation

And if you just can't wait that long to hear 'Fagnet', join us as we Guest Star (it's fun to say 'Guest Star'...it evokes The Love Boat) at a couple of fabulous gigs on Valentine's Day. One is in midtown. One is downtown. Both have a bunch of great Acts that you might love. (It's fun to say 'Acts'...it evokes The Orpheum Circuit, kid.)

ARS NOVA PRESENTS Viva la Diva

With Mel & El, Two Girls For Five Bucks, Lady Rizo and hosted by Bridget Everett!

Visit www.smarttix.com or call (212) 868-4444 for tickets

Thursday, February 14th at 8PM

Ars Nova, 511 W 54th Street at 10th Avenue

Tickets $15




On The Rocks with Danny Leary
Featuring: Mel & El, Tom Carrozza (Second City), Derek Boik, Hayes Hargrove (The Groundlings), Vanessa Hollingshead (Comedy Central Presents!) and MORE!

This hit comedy variety show has been dubbed "a marvelously rambunctious evening" by The Cabaret Exchange and was picked as a Best Bet in Time Out New York.



Reservations: click HERE, 212-255-5438
Thursday, February 14th at 9:30PM
The Duplex, 61 Christopher St. at 7th Avenue
Tickets $10 + 2 Drink min

Mel & El: Vocab Lesson #1

Mel & El: Vocab Lesson #1

SMITH: an acronym for Shoot Me In The Head

Valentine's Day approaches and I am dreading the excessive delivery of flowers and chocolates to my cubemates. SMITH.

Cellulite-Thigh-Slappingly Funny

Mel: We got reviewed in Backstage!

El: I know. And it was GOOD!

 

Mel: It was so good, I'm gonna read it again...

Mel & El: This Show Rhymes
December 27, 2007
By David Finkle

Now that the big-screen Sex and the City shooting has wrapped, maybe well-known bosom buddies Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall are thinking the best way to remain in each other's company is to put an act together. If so, what they come up with could look a lot like what 30-something childhood friends Ellie Dvorkin (the Carrie Bradshaw type) and Melanie Adelman (the Samantha Jones type) are doing for laugh meters in their often hilarious Mel & El: This Show Rhymes, well directed by Kimberly Stern, now in the middle of a crowd-pleasing Duplex Cabaret Theatre gig run.

Certainly "Get Out" (Dvorkin-Evan Toth) — a ditty in which they declare their no-strings-attached attitude toward sex with as many Mr. Right Nows as they can seduce — reflects Samantha's philosophy to a T. Their frankness about contemporary boy-girl, girl-girl, and boy-boy relationships gallops through their songs and snappy patter. Although not every number (melodies by a cadre of composers) is a solid click, no one could take much objection to "I Don't Look Like This" (Dvorkin-Stern), in which frilly-dressed, "itty bitty titty committee" El confesses her appearance is a triumph of illusion. Also connecting is the propulsive "Fagnet" (Adelman-Dvorkin-Noah Diamond-Amanda Sisk), where the longtime pals reject the term "fag hag" for their sexy selves but explain the word they have coined for their gay-male appeal.

Ever since the feminist movement kicked in, a campaign among women to achieve not only salary parity but also sexual parity has been waged. Throughout their show — which also has plenty to say about female bonding — Mel and El let it be known they're as libidinous as the next guy. So occasionally they stake their equality with language once reserved for sailors on leave, and it's merely vulgarity for vulgarity's sake. But just as frequently, they're cellulite-thigh-slappingly funny.

Mel: He really wrote nice things. 
 

El: Do you think people will read the things and come to the show?

Mel: Yes. They will read the things and then click here to make a reservation for our show THIS SATURDAY NIGHT AT 9:30!

El: They will! And when they click here they will enter the code "EXTRA VULGARITY" into the phone number box for a buy one, get one free ticket deal!

Mel: Vulgarity sells, doesn't it?

El: Hells yeah - people go see "Spring Awakening" just for the boobies and tushies.

Mel: I heart David Finkle. 

El: And he hearts you.

Carrie and Samantha,

Mel & El

Another Conversation

El: How many Caption Contest entries did we get?

Mel: A lot.

El: Were they funny?

Mel: Yes.

El: Were they as funny as we are?

Mel: Don't be conceited.

El: Sorry.

Mel: I forgive you... this time.

El: Did we pick a winner?

Mel: No.

El: Why not? I'm super-excited to give out our free tickets and post a hilarious caption on MySpace!!!

Mel: I'm gonna need you to chill out.

El: I'm chill!

Mel: You're not. You've used four exclamation points in the last two seconds.

El: I. Am. Chill. I am chill.

Mel: Good.

El: So, who's the winner?
Mel: There is no winner yet. The deadline for entries isn't until the end of the day on Wednesday, December 19th.

El: You mean people still have a chance to come up with a hilarious caption to accompany one of the attached photos?

Mel: Yes.

El: Well if I were those people, I'd be stoked!!!

Mel: You're doing it again with the punctuation.

El: Crap burgers.

Mel: Now you have to be punished.

El: What's my punishment this time?

Mel: You have to remind people to come to our show.

El: Which one?

Mel: The one this Friday at The Duplex at 9:30PM.

El: Ha! You always fall for that! You're such a schmo!

Mel: I HATE you.

El: You love me.

Mel: Post the reservations link before I cut you.

El: With your shank?

Mel: Yes.

El: This is the link. Enter the code SCHMO into the space where it asks for a phone number to get HALF PRICE TICKETS!!!

Mel: I seriously wonder sometimes why we're friends.

El: Because we can both recite the movie "Beaches" line for line.

Mel: Yeah. I guess that must be it. 

Click HERE to make a reservaton for MEL & EL: THIS SHOW RHYMES at The Duplex on Friday, December 21st at 9:30PM AND DON'T FORGET TO ENTER THE CODE "SCHMO" for $7.50 tickets!!!

Visit us at www.myspace.com/thisshowrhymes.