Dreamboats and Petticoats at the Wyndham’s Theatre

One of the biggest pop stars of the early 60’s will sing his hits on the London stage for the first time in 50 years! Mark Wynter, whose many hits started in 1960 with his top ten version of “Image of a Girl”, will join the cast of “Dreamboats and Petticoats” at the Wyndham’s theatre from Tuesday 20 November. Mark was hardly out of the charts from August 1960 until the end of 1963, during which time he had nine singles chart hits and spent an extraordinary 80 weeks in the hit parade. In the mid 60’s pop star Mark made his debut in the musical “Phil the Fluter”, at London’s Palace Theatre and, in his words, fell in love with performing “book” musicals. He never returned to pop music, but went on to have real success in musicals such as “Charlie Girl”, “Phantom of the Opera”, “Cats”, “South Pacific” “Barnum”, and many more, mixing them with a dramatic career that started when he starred in Barry England’s “Conduct Unbecoming” at the Queens Theatre. His movies include….. “Just for Fun”, “The Haunted House of Horrors” and “Red”. Despite yearly offers, Mark has never joined his fellow Hit Parade stars of pop’s favourite era, and gone out in any of the hugely successful 60’s revival tours. “My career as an actor just took up too much of my time” he says “And to be honest, I was never really interested in having my 20 minutes in the spotlight on a revival show singing my hits.” Until now! When Mark says he gets the best of both worlds! At the request of his fan and friend Bill Kenwright he will join the cast of Britain’s favourite rock ‘n roll musical “Dreamboats and Petticoats” – this time playing the father of a wannabe pop star! However, every night for the finale of the show he will become Mark Wynter, and for the first time in five decades sing his hits including of course the legendary “Venus in Blue Jeans” Goffin and Kings “Go Away Little Girl” and his 1963 revival of The Dreamweaver’s “Its Almost Tomorrow”. Release issued by: Target Live LINKS Book tickets to Dreamboats and Petticoats at the Wyndham's Theatre

Production photos of musical Dreamboats and Petticoats at the Wyndham’s Theatre in London. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="240"] Dreamboats and Petticoats at the Wyndham’s Theatre. Photo: Roy Tan[/caption] The Dreamboats and Petticoats series of albums have sold millions of copies (they are now up to the sixth compilation) and have proved that the pop and rock 'n' roll music of the Fifties and Sixties remains hugely popular to older audiences keen to hear music from their teenage years. Bill Kenwright's successful jukebox stage show based on the music from the albums has proved no less popular, with a number of West End stints and UK tours behind it, and now a residency at London's Wyndham's Theatre. With a story by award-winning comedy writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran (Birds Of A Feather), Dreamboats and Petticoats features a talented cast that includes Sam Attwater (EastEnders) as Norman, David Ribi as Bobby, Susannah Allman as Sue, Samantha Dorrance as Laura, and David Cardy as Phil and Older Bobby. Photos by Roy Tan. Viewing this on a tablet or mobile? Click here to see photos BOOKING Book tickets to see Dreamboats and Petticoats at the Wyndham’s Theatre

Des O'Connor joins the cast of  of Dremaboats and Petticoats at the Playhouse Theatre in London [caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Des O'Connor in Dreamboats and Petticoats. Photo: Roy Tan"][/caption] British showbiz legend Des O'Connor has made his official West End debut in Bill Kenwright musical Dreamboats and Petticoats at the Playhouse Theatre. Despite a record-breaking career that has included TV, movies and albums, he has never performed in a West End show. He will be appearing as the 'Older Bobby’ and ‘Phil – Bobby’s Dad', who runs the youth club around which the Olivier Award nominated production is based, until 7 January 2012. The parts have been adapted slightly to bring in more humour between him and his son, played in the show by Scott Bruton. Dreamboats and Petticoats is inspired by the smash hit million+ selling albums, and features some of the greatest hit songs of the Rock ‘n’ Roll era. The show is written by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, the team behind Goodnight Sweetheart, Birds of a Feather, The New Statesmen and Shine On Harvey Moon, and features songs from Roy Orbison, The Everly Brothers, Neil Sedaka, Eddie Cochran, Dion, Del Shannon and many more. Photos by Roy Tan. LINKS SPECIAL OFFER: Save up to Half Price on tickets to Dremaboats and Petticoats at the Playhouse Theatre in London

World-renowned entertainer DES O’CONNOR will join the cast of hit West End musical DREAMBOATS AND PETTICOATS from 3 October, for a strictly limited season at The Playhouse Theatre. Star of stage, screen and music, Des was awarded the CBE in 2008 for his services to Entertainment and Broadcasting and is widely regarded as one of the the UK’s best loved and most respected stars. Since his first TV appearance in 1963 he has starred in his own shows for over 45 years – longer than anyone else anywhere in the world. His most recent titles include the Des O’Connor Tonight specials, the award-winning ITV talk show Today with des and Mel and his interview this year on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories, which was the highest rated of the series. He is also a hugely successful music and recording artist, having produced no less than 36 albums, selling over 16 million copies to date, and spending a staggering 117 weeks in the top ten of the charts. On stage, Des has appeared at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, The Sydney Opera House and over 1,000 times at the London Palladium, but his appearance in Dreamboats will mark his first time ever in a West End musical. Des will make his debut playing the multiple roles of ‘Older Bobby’ and ‘Phil - Bobby’s Dad’, who runs the youth club around which the celebrated Olivier Award nominated production is based. Dreamboats and Petticoats is inspired by the smash hit million+ selling albums, and features some of the greatest hit songs of the Rock ‘n’ Roll era. Written by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, the team behind Goodnight Sweetheart, Birds of a Feather, The New Statesmen and Shine On Harvey Moon, this spectacular feel-good production will give you ‘the greatest time of your life’. It is produced by Bill Kenwright and Laurie Mansfield in association with Universal Music. Featuring songs from Roy Orbison, The Everly Brothers, Neil Sedaka, Eddie Cochran, Dion, Del Shannon and many more, including Let’s Dance, To Know Him Is To Love Him, Shaking All Over, Bobby’s Girl, Little Town Flirt, Only Sixteen, Runaround Sue, Happy Birthday Sweet 16, Let it Be Me, Let’s Twist Again and many more hits from music’s golden era! Release issued by: Target Live LINKS SPECIAL OFFER: Book tickets to Dreamboats and Petticoats at the Playhouse Theatre in London

West End show Dreamboats & Petticoats launches new song-writing competition [caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Dreamboats and Petticoats at the Playhouse Theatre"][/caption] 1960’s song-writing legends Graham Gouldman and Don Black have teamed up with LA pop icon Neil Sedaka to judge a new talent search to find the best aspiring rock ‘n’ roll songwriters in the UK. Sponsored by West End musical Dreamboats & Petticoats, the competition follows the storyline of the show, about a national youth song writing search in 1961. Winners of the competition, who must be aged 18 or over, will have their song published by Universal Music and featured in the Dreamboats & Petticoats show at the Playhouse Theatre. Also the song will feature as a bonus track on Dreamboats & Petticoats 5 which will be released in November 2011. The judges of the competition are some of our greatest living song-writing talents. Don Black's career includes hits for stars including Michael Jackson and Robbie Williams, an Oscar for his song Born Free, theme songs for 5 Bond films including Diamonds Are Forever, and lyrics for a number of Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals including Sunset Boulevard and Song and Dance. Graham Gouldman has written some of the biggest pop hits, from Bus Stop for The Hollies in the 1960's to I’m Not In Love and Rubber Bullets, which he co-wrote for his band 10cc in the 1970's, to McFly's I’ve Got You. Neil Sedaka is one of the most successful singer/song-writers of all time with hits including Oh! Carol, Solitaire, Calendar Girl, Laughter In the Rain, Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do and Is This The Way to Amarillo. Don Black said, "When I saw Dreamboats and Petticoats I loved it – the songs from the era are pure and distilled. I immediately said yes to this opportunity and hope that we can provide young hopefuls with a new channel besides the X-Factor and Britain’s Got Talent." To enter, submit an MP3 demo of the song on the Dreamboats & Petticoats Facebook page. The competition closes at 9am on 31st March 2011. SPECIAL OFFER: Save £30.50 on tickets to see Dreamboats & Petticoats at the Playhouse Theatre, London