Bill Kenwright announces Dreamboats and Petticoats sequel - Dreamboats and Miniskirts

Bill Kenwright has announced plans for a Dreamboats and Petticoats sequel. The new musical, entitled Dreamboats and Miniskirts, will embark on a UK Tour later this year.

Dreamboats and Miniskirts will begin performances at the Theatre Royal Windsor on Monday 4th August 2014 and tour until January 2015. The sequel will reveal what happened to Bobby & Laura and Norman & Sue after Dreamboats and Petticoats ended.

It's 1963, and the world is changing. Bobby and Laura's single 'Dreamboats and Petticoats' has not taken off. Norman and Sue have settled down to non-marital bliss - and a baby! But Ray and Donna seem blissfully happy...

Gossip: Goodnight Sweetheart for musical adaptation?

BBC News has claimed that the creators of sitcom Goodnight Sweetheart are hoping it will return... as a stage musical, twenty years after the first episode was aired. 

Writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran have said that while there are no plans to bring the show back to the small screen, they are "some way down the line of doing a stage musical". The production would follow in the footsteps of their other musicals 'Dreamboats and Petticoats' and 'Save The Last Dance For Me'. 

Review: Save The Last Dance For Me (UK Tour) at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre

Save The Last Dance For Me (UK Tour)

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre

Reviewed on Monday 26th August 2013

Save The Last Dance For Me is a new musical by the same writers, producers, creators and director of Dreamboats and Petticoats. The shows are scarily similar and both use the exact same formula. This wasn't my first time seeing Save The Last Dance For Me, and I have also seen Dreamboats and Petticoats a few times too and personally I think Dreamboats and Petticoats is a better show. However, I saw the Dreamboats and Petticoats tour a few weeks ago and it felt a little dated and extremely tired, whereas Save The Last Dance For Me certainly still feels fresh and is bursting with life.

Review: Dreamboats and Petticoats (UK Tour) at the Milton Keynes Theatre

Dreamboats and Petticoats (UK Tour)

Milton Keynes Theatre

Reviewed on Tuesday 13th August 2013

Dreamboats and Petticoats is a jukebox musical which features Rock 'n' Roll hits from the fifties and sixties. The show features songs by Roy Orbison, The Everly Brothers, Neil Sedaka, Eddie Cochran, Dion and Del Shannon, among others. Set in 1961, the show follows the predictable relationship between young musicians Bobby and Laura who enter a songwriting competition.

Interview: Robbie Durham, currently playing Jeremy in Dreamboats and Petticoats

Robbie Durham is currently playing Jeremy in the West End production of Dreamboats and Petticoats at the Wyndham’s Theatre. Later this month Robbie will perform alongside other West End Stars including Katie Paine and Jennifer Tierney in a charity gala at the Good Ship pub in Kilburn. He trained at Arts Ed and was previously in the touring cast of Dreamboats and Petticoats. Robbie talks to West End Frame about Dreamboats and Petticoats, his favourite West End shows and his dream roles...

Are you looking forward to performing at 'Sunday In The Ship With...' later this month? 

Very much so! I have worked with this company before and it’s always a pleasure. As well as being a great night of entertainment and great company its always for a great cause with no difference in with this event. Also it helps that one of the organisers is a good friend of mine.

Do you enjoy performing as yourself at these kinds of events or do you prefer performing as a character on stage? 

They are very different. Evenings like this are so personal and intimate compared to playing to a sea of anonymous faces, so they can be far more nerve racking. However, they also mean you can sing songs you love to sing or perform and that is always such a great pleasure. Singing the same songs and harmonies 8 shows a week can take it out of you so I love the break from that. However there is no feeling that compares to an appreciative horizon of smiles in the auditorium. I would have to say at this point I love how these smaller events feel and can be very humbling.

Review: Dreamboats and Petticoats at the Wyndham's Theatre

Dreamboats and Petticoats
Wyndham's Theatre
Performance: Monday 29th October 2012

Dreamboats and Petticoats is based around Fifties and Sixties hits from the album series of the same name. The show features songs from Roy Orbison, The Everly Brothers, Neil Sedaka, Eddie Cochran, Dion and Del Shannon, among others. Set in 1961, the show follows young musicians Norman and Bobby as they compete to win the hearts of their adoring female fans – and more importantly, the gorgeous Sue. But when shy Laura shows that she’s no slouch on the piano, rock ‘n’ roll fame beckons...

Dreamboats and Petticoats is a good show with great music and amazing performers which guarantees to get the whole audience up on their feet at the end of each performance. The show is a perfect alternative family show as parents will love the music while the younger ones will enjoy the light hearted story and loveable characters.

Dreamboats & Petticoats returns to the West End for limited run

Jukebox musical Dreamboats and Petticoats will return to the West End for a limited run at Wyndham's Theatre from 16th October 2012.

The show, which is based around Fifties and Sixties hits from the album series of the same name, ran in the West End from 2009 to August this year, when it closed at the Playhouse. It will run at Wyndham's from 16th October 2012 to 19th January 2013.

Dreamboats and Petticoats features songs from Roy Orbison, The Everly Brothers, Neil Sedaka, Eddie Cochran, Dion and Del Shannon, among others.

Blood Brothers to close after nearly 24 years in the West End

London’s third longest-running musical, Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers, has posted closing notices after 10,000 performances and nearly 24 years in the West End.

The Bill Kenwright production is due to give its final performance at the Phoenix Theatre on 27 October 2012. And, despite earlier rumours that it may move directly into the Playhouse Theatre, where another Kenwright production, Dreamboats and Petticoats closed last week, there are no immediate plans to transfer to another venue.

BREAKING NEWS: 'Dreamboats and Petticoats' given its 2 week notice

Fans of Dreamboats and Petticoats have just received a massive shock as it has been announced by cast members on Twitter that the show has been given its 2 week notice. Therefore the production will close on Saturday 4th August 2012.

Robbie Durham who is currently playing Jeremy in the show spoke out on Twitter and said 'End of an era! Dreamboats and petticoats to close 4th of August! Sad times for such a happy and brilliant show! Will be massively missed!'

David Ribi who is playing Bobby also tweeted to say Very sad news. Dreamboats and Petticoats has just been given its two weeks notice. We close on 4th August. It's been such an incredible journey and a pleasure to work on both town and tour. Thankyou to everyone who made it so special. Here's to two weeks of epic shows.

More to follow...

Kids Week smashes every record in its fifteen-year history!

Kids Week has sold 74,187 tickets in less than a month, beating its total 2011 sales figures and breaking all the records in its fifteen-year history. This means that Kids Week has been completely unaffected by the Olympic Games and proves that thousands of families are preparing to travel to Theatreland during the games - hooray!

The Wizard Of Oz to close this September & Des O'Connor to take over the title role this month

After much speculation it has been officially announced that The Wizard Of Oz at The London Palladium is closing.  The Final performance will be on 2 September 2012. However, it is not all bad news as it has also been announced that the wonderful Des O'Connor will be joining the show in the title role from the 22nd of May until the end of the show's run. Sophie Evans will also stay with the show until it closes playing Dorothy.

I saw this production last summer and saw Sophie Evans as Dorothy, when she was understudying the role. I have to say I thought she was incredible and gave a faultless performance as Dorothy, she performed the part as if it was written for her! And of course, her Somewhere Over The Rainbow was completely perfect. 

Des O'Connor, who turned 80 earlier this year is no stranger to The London Palladium as he has performed there as a solo artist over 1,000 times. He made hiss West End debut last year in Dreamboats & Petticoats at the Playhouse Theatre.

I wish Des a successful run with show and hope that the cast of The Wizard Of Oz enjoy their final few months in the emerald city!

Watch Sophie Evans perform Somewhere Over The Rainbow at the Olivier Awards below

Click here to read our recent review 4 star review of The Wizard Of Oz