Pitchfork

Before there was Election the darkly funny flick starring Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick, there was Election the acclaimed novel, penned by one Tom Perrotta (whose Little Children also became a big film). And after Election the darkly funny flick there will be Election the Broadway musical, also based upon the book and set to feature a score dreamt up by none other than Nellie McKay-- who could probably out-Tracy Flick even Witherspoon when it comes to those gratingly ingratiating smiles (and genuine ones too).

But despite her previous Broadway experience, Nellie won't be starring in the musical (as far as we know), only writing the tunes. Not much else is known about Election the musical at this time other than that, as a press release cheekily puts it, the show will open "before 2050."

Long before 2050, however, McKay will attend to her fans on both coasts with a few live engagements, including a benefit for the Riverkeeper organization with another Broadway songwriter, David Yazbek (The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels). Three guesses where we're hiding the info about those dates.

Whoa, Nellie!:

04-23 Los Angeles, CA - Largo
04-26 Ridgewood, NJ - Blend Bar
05-02 New York, NY - Rubin Museum of Art (Naked Soul series)
05-22 Nyack, NY - Riverspace (Riverkeeper benefit) *
05-31 New York, NY - Zipper Factory
06-12 Los Angeles, CA - Largo

* with David Yazbek