On Aug. 19 at the Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center in Marlton, NJ, Eder will join a cast to be announced shortly for the reading of the Vincent Marini-Jack Murphy musical. Show time is 8 PM for the reading, which will be followed by a talk-back session with the audience. The Seduction of Sheila Valentine, according to press notes, is set in the late 1950s and tells 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.”

About the new musical co-creator Marini said in a statement, “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."

Linda Eder made her Broadway debut as Lucy in Jekyll & Hyde, garnering a Theatre World Award as well as Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations for her work. Also a concert and recording artist, her solo CDs include "Linda Eder," "And So Much More," "It's Time," "Gold" and "Broadway My Way." Eder also starred in Frank Wildhorn's Camille Claudel at Goodspeed. Her newest recording — "By Myself: The Songs of Judy Garland" — hit stores on the Angel Records label in October 2005.

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