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, 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 their show onboard various Atlantis gay cruises, at Harlan's Cabaret in New Hope, PA, the BACCHUS Area 11 conference in SUNY Oswego, at the Women's Auxiliary in Waterford, CT, and at the Primetime Comedy Club in Sayreville, NJ. 

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.