Laurence Mark Wythe

Laurence Mark Wythe (born 8 February 1974, Ashford, Kent, England) is an award winning English composer, lyricist and writer for West End, international and Off-Broadway musicals. He is principally known for the off-Broadway musical Tomorrow Morning (2011)^[1] and Through the Door (2009) seen in the West End at the Trafalgar Studios starring Julie Atherton. Tomorrow Morning won the Jeff Award in Chicago for Best Musical (midsize) in 2009. The musical opened at the Landor Theatre in South London in October 2010, and off-Broadway at the Theatre at Saint Peters on Lexington Avenue in New York on 31 March 2011.

The original production of Tomorrow Morning was at the New End Theatre in London, and starred Emma Williams, Stephen Ashfield, Alistair Robins and Annette McLaughlin. The original cast album was available on the Dress Circle record label. In 2007 Tomorrow Morning was featured at Theatre Building Chicago's Stages Festival of New Musicals. The show has also been seen at the Spirit of Broadway Theater in Connecticut. In 2007 it was nominated for Theatre Radio's Best Musical of 2006.^[2] The show has also been seen in two seasons in Melbourne, Australia and will play in Tokyo and Seoul in 2013 plus productions in America and the UK.

The show was subsequently produced at Victory Gardens Greenhouse Theater in Chicago, Illinois in 2008, directed by Tom Mullen, starring Jonathan Rayson, Michael Mahler, Charissa Armon and Emily Thompson. This production won two Jeff Awards. The original Chicago cast album was released in 2009.

His musical Through the Door (book by Judy Freed) had a New York City reading in 2011 starring Broadway star Kerry Butler. The show is now in development with Broadway producers.

Personal life

Wythe is married and has two children, Sophie and Charlotte. Sophie is a child actress, who appeared in The Sound of Music at the London Palladium, playing the role of Marta von Trapp.^[3] She also appeared for a year in Oliver! at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and was Young Fiona in Shrek – The Musical in the West End in 2011.

Awards

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical Outer Critics Circle Awards (Nominee)
Best New Musical Off-Broadway Alliance Awards 2011 (Nominee)
Best Musical BestofOffBroadway.com Tina Awards 2011 (Nominee)
Best Ensemble BestofOffBroadway.com Tina Awards 2011 (Nominee)
Best Actress in a Musical BestofOffBroadway.com Tina Awards 2011 (Nominee)
Best Musical (midsize) 2009 Jeff Awards, Chicago (Winner)
Best Artistic Specialization 2009 Jeff Awards Chicago (Winner).
Best Musical UK Theatre Radio's Best Musical 2006(Nominee).

Career

Educated in London and later at Cambridge, Wythe began his career as an actor in musical theatre appearing in stage productions including Peter Pan at the Cambridge Theatre in the West End, and The Secret Garden at Manchester Library Theatre. He later became a musical director before concentrating on writing and composing.^[2] He also teaches/lectures in musical theatre in the UK and US.

Tomorrow Morning ran off Broadway in 2011.^[4] Prior to this it played at the Greenhouse Theatre in Chicago for a limited six-week run in 2008, receiving strong notices from all the major Chicago critics including Chris Jones^[5] at the Chicago Tribune, who called the a "Must See Work" and gave it 3-and-a-half stars; and Hedy Weiss at the Chicago Sun-Times.^[6] The show won a Jeff Award for Best Musical (mid-size production) and for Best Artistic Specialization (Mike Tutaj – Film & Video Design).

His other musicals are Through the Door and The Lost Christmas, the former in concert in the West End in 2009, and both of which were seen in a showcase format in the West End in 2008. The Lost Christmas starred Suranne Jones and Jayne Wisener.^[2] The Lost Christmas was recently produced at the Hazlitt Arts Centre in Kent in the United Kingdom.

In 2010, West End performer Stuart Matthew Price recorded Wythe's song "Goodnight Kiss" for his debut album All Things in Time for SimG Records. Other songs of his have been performed in concerts and cabarets, most notably "Action Man" from The Lost Christmas, which was performed in the West End at "Christmas in New York", "The Recurring Dream" and also "David's House".

In 2011 his musical The Lost Christmas played at the Waterloo East Theatre in London.

In 2012 a production of Roll on the Day plays at the Etcetera Theatre in London, directed by Vik Sivalingam, design by Marie Kearney. The book is by Roberto Trippini, music and lyrics by Lawrence Mark Wythe.

It has been suggested that Wythe is perhaps the most talented British composer and lyricist of his generation,^[7] and that he is an exciting new voice in British musical theatre which has for some time not produced hit musicals from unknown creatives, i.e. beyond those created by already established names.^[8]

The themes of his work that has been seen onstage have principally been exploring the intricacies and complications of marriage and divorce, and of modern relationships—i.e. in Tomorrow Morning and Through the Door, and how fidelity and commitment are complicated elements of modern life. His family show The Lost Christmas features a young girl who yearns for adventure in a Disneyesque story and ultimately saves Christmas for all mankind, but even this work features a marriage (of the girl's parents) that is under some pressure.

Critical reception

In 2010, Lyn Gardner in The Guardian said that much of the score for Tomorrow Morning was "sublime, and sublimely delivered". She gave the show three and a half stars. Time Out London gave the show four stars and made it Critics Choice. Michael Coveny in The Independent had less glowing praise for the show itself, but pointed out Whythe's skill as a composer and lyricist, and his potential for the future. Paul Vale in The Stage called the show "thoughtful and intelligent". Mark Shenton, in the Sunday Express described the show as "coolly adult, neatly propelled by an earnest song cycle".

Shenton has previously supported the show, and described Whyte as potentially the most talented British musical theatre writer.

Selected works

Currently writing a musical called Framed for Korean producer Chun Soo Shin (OD Musical Company).

Through the Door had a Broadway reading in 2011 starring Kerry Butler. The show has been picked up by New York producers The Broadway Consortium.

Tomorrow Morning: 2006 New End Theatre London, 2007 Theatre Building Chicago, 2008 Spirit of Broadway Theatre Connecticut and 2008 Greenhouse Theater Chicago, Joseph Jefferson (Jeff) Awards Best Musical & Best Artistic Specialization.

A Tragedy of Errors: 2002 Cambridge Summer Music Festival, 2004 Theatre Street School of Performing Arts, London.^[9]

CR7 – Cancer Control Force BBC Tomorrow's World Live Roadshow 2002: Mega Mela Exhibition Wembley Arena 2003, Queen Elizabeth Centre London 2003.^[2]

The Lost Christmas: 2008 West End Showcase Trafalgar Studios; 2007 Mick Jagger Centre Dartford England^[10]

Through the Door: 2009 West End premiere concert; 2008 West End Showcase Trafalgar Studios & workshop Hazlitt Theatre Kent England

Credits

References

External links

• Official Website http://www.laurencemarkwythe.com
• Tomorrow Morning http://www.tomorrowmorningthemusical.com
• 21st Century Musicals
• Shenton's View