Eder and Murphy were two-thirds of a triumvirate that created recordings and Broadway hits between 1993 and 2003. Their partner was composer Frank Wildhorn, who nurtured Eder's career — and married her in 1998. The couple split two years ago but they maintain their friendship. Wildhorn & Murphy (without Eder) premiered The Last Kiss in Budapest in May and Waiting for the Moon at Lenape last July.

This will be the first show ever for Eder without Wildhorn and the first show in several years for Murphy as composer as well as lyricist. "I made a decision to establish a separate identity," says Eder, "but I won't say that Frank and I won't work together sometime in the future." Wildhorn has been supportive of the project and told Linda that he wishes her well.

"This is an irreverent comedy similar to The Producers meets Mame, meets Guys and Dolls," says Marini. The Seduction of Sheila Valentine tells of two once-famous actresses who find themselves too old to play young romantic leads anymore and too vain to play anyone else. While working together at a dinner theater, they get their hands on a script that could be a ticket back to Broadway for one of them, and they vie for that role.

"I'm 45," says Eder, "and it's great to have a role that's me. I love comedy and I enjoy dressing up and doing something that's as much fun as this. My son is 7 now and I'm ready to go back to Broadway." All six of the shows that she helped Wildhorn develop — including the most famous, Jekyll and Hyde — were dark dramas.

The script-in-hand reading of the first act, with orchestra, puts Eder on stage with Philadelphia-area favorites including Mary Martello, Scott Greer and Ben Dibble. A second act is written but not ready for performance. A talk-back session afterward will involve the audience.

A musical murder-mystery, The Day Before, is also in development by Marini and Murphy.