Script Writer Jumps from TV to Stage

No 35: Get behind the West End

I was recently able to interview popular British sitcom writer Laurence Marks, who has written the book for a new West End musical, Dreamboats and Petticoats, which debuted this week in London.

TV scriptwriter makes his Marks as he switches his talent to a live stage production
By Erica Morris

Scriptwriting may not be a huge departure for legendary Jewish television writer Laurence Marks, but setting that script to music is certainly something of a unique occurrence. It was a situation the British writer was happy to find himself in, however, as the premiere of Dreamboats and Petticoats debuted in London this week.

With a book created by Marks and longtime writing partner Maurice Gran, the duo who brought audiences hits like The New Statesman and Birds of a Feather has been reunited for a musical experience that may look like an oldie, but is definitely a goodie.

"It's a remarkable story of how this musical came to be," the 60-year-old writer comments. "There was this compilation album of songs from the 50s, with artists like Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry, that sort of thing, and it was doing incredibly well in the charts. And somebody thought, 'You know, there ought to be a musical made out of this.'"

To read the full interview follow this link: http://www.totallyjewish.com/entertainment/features_and_reviews/?content_id=12161