Edelman & Fishman
Neil Fishman and Harvey Edelman have been writing musicals and songs together across six decades.
Their work spans Off-Broadway, regional and educational theater, award-winning audio musicals, commissioned works and recordings. From On the Air and Spin the Rumpelstiltskin Musical to Puss in Boots a Musical and Dead End the Musical, their collaboration has taken them from the stage to the recording studio—and continues today.
Our Story
A Collaboration Spanning Six Decades
Harvey Edelman and Neil Fishman began collaborating on musical theater in the 1970s. Their early work included To Bed a Fortune, a musical adaptation of George Farquhar’s Restoration comedy The Beaux’ Stratagem, conceived by Alan Gerstel and first produced in 1976.
From the Stage to Award-Winning Audio
A new chapter in the partnership began when Edelman & Fishman adapted their stage musicals for fully produced, full-cast audio.
Spin the Rumpelstiltskin Musical, published by HarperAudio and narrated by legendary Broadway performer and acclaimed audiobook narrator Jim Dale, received the Audie Award for Most Original Work, two SOVAS Voice Arts Awards, and a Parents’ Choice Silver Medal.
They followed Spin with Puss in Boots a Musical, also published by HarperAudio and narrated by Jim Dale with a full cast. Puss received two SOVAS Voice Arts Awards.
The recordings combine songs, dialogue, narration and full dramatic casts, bringing the experience of musical theater to listeners through audio.
Musicals for Young Audiences
Edelman & Fishman have created several musicals specifically for children and families.
Puss in Boots a Musical was commissioned by the Pittsburgh Playhouse Junior Children’s Theatre, where Edelman and Fishman served as Artists in Residence for its premiere. The show has subsequently been produced by other regional and community theaters.
Spin the Rumpelstiltskin Musical offers a comic and unconventional retelling of the classic Grimm fairy tale and has been produced for family audiences.
Their educational work includes Songsleuth the Musical and Earth Kids, commissioned for Macmillan’s Music and You educational series. Their songs have also been created for projects dealing with nutrition, health, dental care and early childhood education.
From Off-Broadway to Regional Theater
On the Air, conceived and written by Peter Palame, with music by Fishman and lyrics by Edelman, is an affectionate musical spoof of the Golden Age of Radio. The show was produced Off-Broadway in New York and subsequently presented in dinner theaters and regional venues around the country.
Now, five decades after its original production, On the Air is returning to the stage in a 50th Anniversary production at The Beach Theatre in St. Pete Beach, Florida, in April 2027.
Their theatrical work also includes Nightlights, originally produced at Passage Theatre in Trenton, New Jersey. Its songs tell the story of residents of Billings, Montana, who came together in the 1990s to confront antisemitism, racism, hatred and intimidation in their community.
About Neil Fishman
Neil Fishman — Composer, Producer & Musical Director
Neil Fishman received his formal musical education at the Juilliard Preparatory Division and later earned his degree at Yale University. In addition to his work as a composer and producer, he has worked extensively as a musical director, vocal coach and arranger.
His collaborations with Harvey Edelman encompass musical theater, educational works, recordings and commissioned projects. He is a member of ASCAP and the Dramatists Guild.
About Harvey Edelman
Harvey Edelman — Lyricist, Librettist & Producer
Harvey Edelman earned a degree in Journalism from Georgia State University. In addition to writing lyrics, he has written the books for several Edelman & Fishman musicals, including Spin the Rumpelstiltskin Musical, Songsleuth the Musical, Earth Kids and Puss in Boots a Musical.
As a lyricist and producer, his work encompasses musical theater, educational productions, recordings and commissioned projects. He is a member of ASCAP and the Dramatists Guild.
Dead End and What’s Next
Their most recent musical is Dead End the Musical, adapted from Sidney Kingsley’s landmark 1935 play Dead End. With music by Fishman, lyrics by Edelman and a book by Peter C. Palame, the musical follows the lives of young people growing up amid poverty and inequality on Manhattan’s East Side during the Depression.
A fully produced concept album featuring Broadway veterans and rising performers has been released, while Edelman, Fishman and Palame continue to pursue opportunities for the musical’s life on stage.
Their creative partnership has now spanned six decades—and Edelman & Fishman are still writing, producing and finding new audiences for their work.
